ld man, "I have been thinking much since you went away the other day
about you and Caroline. I have taken it into my stupid old head to
wish that you two should be married."

"Ah, sir!"

"Now listen to me. I do wish it, and what you have said has disturbed
me. Now I do believe this of you, that you are an honest lad; and
though you are so fond of your own way, I don't think you'd wish to
grieve me if you could help it."

"Not if I could help it, sir; not if I could help it, certainly."

"You can help it. Now listen to me. An old man has no right to
have his fancies unless he chooses to pay for them. I know that
well enough. I don't want to ask you why you have quarrelled with
Caroline. It's about money, very likely?"

"No, sir, no; not in the least."

"Well, I don't want to inquire. A small limited income is very likely
to lead to misunderstandings. You have at any rate been honest and
true to me. You are not a bit like your father."

"Sir! sir!"

"And, and--I'll tell you what I'll do. Caroline is to have six
thousand pounds, isn't she?"

"Pray believe me, sir, that money has nothing whatever to do with
this matter."

"Yes, six," continued Mr. Bertram; "four of her own, and two from me.
Now I'll tell you what I'll do. Let me see. You have two hundred a
year; that's settled on you. And you had a thousand pounds the other
day. Is that all gone yet?"

"I am in no want of money, uncle; none whatever."

"No, not as a bachelor; but as a married man you would be. Now do
tell me--how much of that thousand pounds did the colonel get out of
you?"

"Dear uncle, do remember that he is my father."

"Well, well; two hundred a year, and two thousand pounds, and one,
and Pritchett's account. I'll tell you what, George, I should like to
see you comfortable; and if you and Caroline are married before next
October, I'll give you--"

"I can't tell you how you pain me, sir."

"I'll give you-- I wonder how much income you think you'll want?"

"None, sir; none. As our marriage is out of the question, we shall
want no income. As I am, and am likely to remain unmarried, my
present income is sufficient for me."

"I'll give you--let me see." And the old miser--for though capable
of generosity to a great extent, as he had certainly shown with
reference to his nephew's early years, he certainly was a miser--the
old miser again recapitulated to himself all that he had already
done, and tried to calculate at what smallest fig