impelled
him to think and talk more like an American than ever. "But was HE
specially affected that way?"

"I think," said Kervick, judicially, "I think it was understood that
if he had been free to marry a penniless wife, he would have wished to
marry her."

"Do you know," Thorpe began again, with a kind of diffident
hesitation--"do you happen to have formed an idea--supposing that had
been the case--would she have accepted him?" "Ah, there you have me,"
replied the other. "Who can tell what women will accept, and what
they will refuse? My daughter refused Lord Lingfield--and he is an
Under-Secretary, and will be Earl Chobham, and a Cabinet Minister, and a
rich man. After that, what are you to say?"

"You speak of her as penniless," Thorpe remarked, with a casual air.

"Six hundred a year," the father answered. "We could have rubbed along
after a fashion on it, if she had had any notions at all of taking my
advice. I'm a man of the world, and I could have managed her affairs for
her to her advantage, but she insisted upon going off by herself. She
showed not the slightest consideration for me--but then I am accustomed
to that."

Thorpe smiled reflectively, and the old gentleman read in this an
encouragement to expand his grievances.

"In my position," he continued, helping himself to still another
tiny glass, "I naturally say very little. It is not my form to make
complaints and advertise my misfortunes. I daresay it's a fault. I
know it kept me back in India--while ever so many whipper-snappers were
promoted over my head--because I was of the proud and silent sort. It
was a mistake, but it was my nature. I might have put by a comfortable
provision for my old age, in those days, if I had been willing to push
my claims, and worry the Staff into giving me what was my due. But that
I declined to do--and when I was retired, there was nothing for me but
the ration of bread and salt which they serve out to the old soldier
who has been too modest. I served my Queen, sir, for forty years--and I
should be ashamed to tell you the allowance she makes me in my old age.
But I do not complain. My mouth is closed. I am an English gentleman and
one of Her Majesty's soldiers. That's enough said, eh? Do you follow me?
And about my family affairs, I'm not likely to talk to the first comer,
eh? But to you I say it frankly--they've behaved badly, damned badly,
sir.

"Mrs. Kervick lives in Italy, at the cost of HER son-in-law. He h