, with nothing to
back him but his own wit"--she had, in truth, forgotten Alice's money
as she wrote;--"that he has achieved his triumph in the metropolis,
among the most wealthy and most fastidious of the richest city in the
world, I do feel proud of my brother. And, Alice, I hope that you are
proud of your lover." Poor girl! One cannot but like her pride, nay,
almost love her for it, though it was so sorely misplaced. It must be
remembered that she had known nothing of Messrs Grimes and Scruby,
and the River Bank, and that the means had been wanting to her of
learning the principles upon which some metropolitan elections are
conducted.

"And, Alice, I hope that you are proud of your lover!" "He is not
my lover," Alice said to herself. "He knows that he is not. He
understands it, though she may not." And if not your lover, Alice
Vavasor, what is he then to you? And what are you to him, if not his
love? She was beginning to understand that she had put herself in
the way of utter destruction;--that she had walked to the brink of
a precipice, and that she must now topple over it. "He is not my
lover," she said; and then she sat silent and moody, and it took her
hours to get her answer written to Kate.

On the same afternoon she saw her father for a moment or two. "So
George has got himself returned," he said, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes, he has been successful. I'm sure you must be glad, papa."

"Upon my word, I'm not. He has bought a seat for three months; and
with whose money has he purchased it?"

"Don't let us always speak of money, papa."

"When you discuss the value of a thing just purchased, you must
mention the price before you know whether the purchaser has done well
or badly. They have let him in for his money because there are only a
few months left before the general election. Two thousand pounds he
has had, I believe?"

"And if as much more is wanted for the next election he shall have
it."

"Very well, my dear;--very well, If you choose to make a beggar of
yourself, I cannot help it. Indeed, I shall not complain though he
should spend all your money, if you do not marry him at last." In
answer to this, Alice said nothing. On that point her father's wishes
were fast growing to be identical with her own.

"I tell you fairly what are my feelings and my wishes," he continued.
"Nothing, in my opinion, would be so deplorable and ruinous as such
a marriage. You tell me that you have made up your mind to