He would not touch the estate; but surely if he abstained
from touching it, Herbert would be generous enough to leave to him
the solace of his love! And he had no scruple in allotting to Clara
the poorer husband instead of the richer. He was no poorer now than
when she had accepted him. Looking at it in that light, had he not a
right to claim that she should abide by her first acceptance? Could
any one be found to justify the theory that a girl may throw over a
poor lover because a rich lover comes in the way? Owen had his own
ideas of right and wrong--ideas which were not without a basis of
strong, rugged justice; and nothing could be more antagonistic to
them than such a doctrine as this. And then he still believed in his
heart that he was dearer to Clara than that other richer suitor. He
heard of her from time to time, and those who had spoken to him had
spoken of her as pining for love of him. In this there had been much
of the flattery of servants, and something of the subservience of
those about him who wished to stand well in his graces. But he had
believed it. He was not a conceited man, nor even a vain man. He did
not think himself more clever than his cousin; and as for personal
appearance, it was a matter to which his thoughts never descended;
but he had about him a self-dependence and assurance in his own
manhood, which forbade him to doubt the love of one who had told him
that she loved him.

And he did not believe in Herbert's love. His cousin was, as he
thought, of a calibre too cold for love. That Clara was valued by
him, Owen did not doubt--valued for her beauty, for her rank, for her
grace and peerless manner; but what had such value as that to do with
love? Would Herbert sacrifice everything for Clara Desmond? would he
bid Pelion fall on Ossa? would he drink up Esil? All this would Owen
do, and more; he would do more than any Laertes had ever dreamed.
He would give up for now and for ever all title to those rich lands
which made the Fitzgeralds of Castle Richmond the men of greatest
mark in all their county.

And thus he fanned himself into a fury as he thought of his cousin's
want of generosity. Herbert would be the heir, and because he was the
heir he would be the favoured lover. But there might yet be time and
opportunity; and at any rate Clara should not marry without knowing
what was the whole truth. Herbert was ungenerous, but Clara still
might be just. If not,--then, as he had said before, he