This finished George.  An invitation to go out to Australia with the younger son of a neighbouring landowner, hitherto disregarded, was now accepted.

Old Merton approved the decision, and when his daughter implored him not to let George go, he replied plainly, to both of them: 

“Susan!  Mayhap the lad thinks me his enemy, but I’m not.  My daughter shall not marry a bankrupt farmer, but you bring home a thousand pounds—­just one thousand pounds—­to show me you are not a fool, and you shall have my daughter, and she shall have my blessing.”  And the old farmer gave George his hand upon it.

Meadows exulted, thinking, with George in Australia, he could secure his own way with Susan and old Merton.  He had forgotten one man; old Isaac Levi, of whom he had made an implacable enemy, by insisting on his turning out of the house where he lived.  Meadows, having bought the house, intended to live in it himself, and treated the prayers and entreaties of the old Jew with contempt.  Only the interference of George Fielding, on the day of his own ruin, had saved old Levi from personal violence at the hands of Meadows; and so while George was sinking under the blows of fortune, he had made a friend in Isaac Levi.

Before George sailed William promised that he would think no more of Susan as a sweetheart.

“She’s my sister from this hour—­no more, no less,” he declared.  “And may the red blight fall on my arm and my heart if I or any man takes her from you—­any man!  Sooner than a hundred men should take her from you while I am here I’d die at their feet a hundred times.”

William kept his eye on Meadows, but Meadows soon had William in his clutches.  For John Meadows lent money upon ricks, waggons, leases, and such things, to farmers in difficulties, employing as his agent in these transactions a middle-aged, disreputable lawyer named Peter Crawley—­a cunning fool and a sot.

First William Fielding, and then old Merton were heavy debtors to Peter Crawley, that is to John Meadows; for Merton, a solid enough farmer, was beguiled into rash and ruinous speculations by a friend of Meadows’.

And now George Fielding is gone to Australia to make a thousand pounds by farming and cattle-feeding, so that he may marry Susan.  Susan, at home, is often pensive and always anxious, but not despondent.  Meadows is falling deeper and deeper in love, but keeping it jealously secret; on his guard against Isaac Levi, and on his guard against William; hoping everything from time and accidents, and from George’s incapacity to make money; and watching with keen eye and working with subtle threads to draw everybody into his power who could assist or thwart him in his object.  William Fielding is going down the hill, Meadows was mounting; getting the better of his passion, and gradually substituting a brother-in-law’s regard.  Within eighteen months William was happily married to another farmer’s daughter in the neighbourhood.