very glad to hear it," said Mr. Bertram, who, however, did not
give any proof of his gladness, seeing that he evinced some little
addition of acerbity in his temper and asperity in his manner. It was
hard to have to deal with a nephew with whom he could find so little
ground for complaint.

"But I have thought it right to warn you," he continued, "You are
aware that up to the present moment the expense of your education has
been borne by me."

"No, sir; not my education."

"Not your education! How, then, has it been borne?"

"I speak of my residence at Oxford. I have had a great many
indulgences there, and you have paid for them. The expenses of my
education I could have paid myself." This was fair on George's part.
He had not asked his uncle for a liberal allowance, and was hardly
open to blame for having taken it.

"I only know I have paid regularly one hundred and fifty pounds a
year to your order, and I find from Pritchett"--Pritchett was his man
of business--"that I am paying it still."

"He sent me the last quarter the other day; but I have not touched
it."

"Never mind; let that pass. I don't know what your father's views are
about you, and never could find out."

"I'll ask him. I mean to go and see him."

"Go and see him! Why, he's at Bagdad."

"Yes. If I start at once I shall just catch him there, or perhaps
meet him at Damascus."

"Then you'll be a great fool for your pains--a greater fool almost
than I take you to be. What do you expect your father can do for you?
My belief is, that if four hundred pounds would take him to heaven,
he couldn't make up the money. I don't think he could raise it either
in Europe or Asia. I'm sure of this; I wouldn't lend it him."

"In such a case as that, sir, his personal security would go for so
little."

"His personal security has always gone for little. But, as I was
saying, I have consented ever since you went to Wilkinson's to allow
your father to throw the burthen of your expenses on my shoulders.
I thought it a pity that you should not have the chance of a decent
education. Mind, I claim no gratitude, as I shall expect your father
to pay me what I have advanced."

"How on earth can he do that, sir? But perhaps I can."

"Can you? very well; then you can settle it with him. But listen to
me."

"Listen to me for a moment, uncle George. I think you are hard on my
father, and certainly hard on me. When I went to Wilkinson's, what
did I know of who paid