have a hundred or two for his present
necessities at once."

Acting on this hint, when Moll left us after supper and we three men
were seated before the fire, I asked Mr. Godwin if he would permit me to
speak upon a matter which concerned his happiness no less than his
cousin Judith's.

"Nay, sir," replies he, "I do pray you to be open with me, for otherwise
I must consider myself unworthy of your friendship."

"Well, sir," says I, "my mind is somewhat concerned on account of what
you said this morning; namely, that no pecuniary question shall ever be
discussed betwixt you and your wife, and that you will owe nothing to
her but happiness. This, together with your purpose of painting pictures
to sell, means, I take it, that you will leave your wife absolute
mistress of her present fortune."

"That is the case exactly, Mr. Hopkins," says he. "I am not indifferent
to the world's esteem, and I would give no one reason to suspect that I
had married my dear cousin to possess her fortune."

"Nevertheless, sir, you would not have it thought that she begrudged you
an equal share of her possessions. Your position will necessitate a
certain outlay. To maintain your wife's dignity and your own, you must
dress well, mount a good horse, be liberal in hospitality, give largely
to those in need, and so forth. With all due respect to your genius in
painting, I can scarcely think that art will furnish you at once with
supplies necessary to meet all these demands."

"All this is very true, Mr. Hopkins," says he, after a little
reflection; "to tell the truth, I have lived so long in want that
poverty has become my second nature, and so these matters have not
entered into my calculations. Pray, sir, continue."

"Your wife, be she never so considerate, may not always anticipate your
needs; and hence at some future moment this question of supplies must
arise--unless they are disposed of before your marriage."

"If that could be done, Mr. Hopkins," says he, hopefully.

"It may be done, sir, very easily. With your cousin's consent and yours,
I, as her elected guardian, at this time will have a deed drawn up to be
signed by you and her, settling one-half the estate upon you, and the
other on your cousin. This will make you not her debtor, but her
benefactor; for without this deed, all that is now hers becomes yours by
legal right upon your marriage, and she could not justly give away a
shilling without your permission. And thus you as