the comforts I was always accustomed to? 'T
is sick I am of hearing about submission, and patience, and resignation,
and the like, and that we never were so happy as now. Faith! I tell you,
I 'd rather have one day at Mount Dalton, as it used to be long ago,
than I 'd have twenty years of the life I spend here."

"No, papa, no," said Nelly, winding her arm around his waist, "you'd
rather sit at the window yonder, and listen to a song from Kate, one of
your own favorites, or take a stroll with us after sunset of a summer's
evening, and talk of Frank, than go back to all the gayety of that wild
life you speak of."

"Who says so?" asked he, roughly.

"You yourself. Nay, don't deny it," said she, smiling.

"If I did I was wrong, then," rejoined he, pushing her rudely away. "It
was because I believed my children were affectionate and fond, and
that whatever I set my heart on they 'd be sure to wish just as much as
myself."

"And when has that time ceased to be?" said she, calmly.

"What! when has it ceased to be?" said he, sharply. "Is it you that asks
that question, you that made me refuse the legacy?"

"Nay, papa, be just," interrupted she, mildly. "The merit of that
refusal was all your own. I did but explain to you the circumstances
under which this gift it was no less was offered, and your own right
feeling dictated the reply."

Dalton was silent, a struggling sense of pride in his imputed dignity of
behavior warring with the desire of fault-finding.

"Maybe I did!" said he, at last, self-esteem gaining the mastery. "Maybe
I saw my own reasons for what I was going to do. A Daltou is not the man
to mistake what 's due to his name and family; but this is a different
case. Here 's an invitation, as elegant a piece of politeness as I
have seen, from one our own equal in every respect; she calls herself a
connection too, we won't say much about that, for we never reckoned the
English relations anything, asking my daughter to join them in their
visit to Italy. When are we to see the like of that again? Is it every
day that some rich family will make us the same offer? It's not to cost
us a sixpence; read the letter, and you 'll see how nicely it 's hinted
that her Ladyship takes everything upon herself. Well, if any one
objected it might be myself; 'tis on me will fall the heaviest part
of the blow. It was only the other day Frank left me; now I 'm to lose
Kate, not but I know very well Nelly will do her best."