“But it is at any rate necessary that I should ask you what you intend to do in reference to my future life.  I am told that you intend to stop the income which I have hitherto received.  Will this be considerate on your part?” (In his first copy of the letter Harry had asked whether it would be “fair,” and had then changed the word for one that was milder.) “When I took my degree you yourself said that it would not be necessary that I should go into any profession, because you would allow me an income, and would then provide for me, I took your advice in opposition to my father’s, because it seemed then that I was to depend on you rather than on him.  You cannot deny that I shall have been treated hardly if I now be turned loose upon the world.

“I shall be happy to come and see you if you shall wish it, so as to save you the trouble of writing to me.

“Your affectionate nephew,

“Henry Annesley.”

Harry might have been sure that his uncle would not see him,—­probably was sure when he added the last paragraph.  Mr. Prosper enjoyed greatly two things,—­the mysticism of being invisible and the opportunity of writing a letter.  Mr. Prosper had not a large correspondence, but it was laborious, and, as he thought, effective.  He believed that he did know how to write a letter, and he went about it with a will.  It was not probable that he would make himself common by seeing his nephew on such an occasion, or that he would omit the opportunity of spending an entire morning with pen and ink.  The result was very short, but, to his idea, it was satisfactory.

“Sir,” he began.  He considered this matter very deeply; but as the entire future of his own life was concerned in it he felt that it became him to be both grave and severe.

“I have received your letter and have read it with attention.  I observe that you admit that you told Mr. Augustus Scarborough a deliberate untruth.  This is what the plain-speaking world, when it wishes to be understood as using the unadorned English language, which is always the language which I prefer myself, calls a lie—­A lie!  I do not choose that this humble property shall fall at my death into the hands of A liar.  Therefore I shall take steps to prevent it,—­which may or may not be successful.

“As such steps, whatever may be their result, are to be taken, the income,—­intended to prepare you for another alternative, which may possibly not now be forth-coming,—­will naturally now be no longer allowed.—­I am, sir, your obedient servant, Peter Prosper.”

The first effect of the letter was to produce laughter at the rectory.  Harry could not but show it to his father, and in an hour or two it became known to his mother and sister, and, under an oath of secrecy, to Joshua Thoroughbung.  It could not be matter of laughter when the future hopes of Miss Matilda Thoroughbung were taken into consideration.  “I declare I don’t know what you are all laughing about,” said Kate, “except that Uncle Peter does use such comical phrases.”  But Mrs. Annesley, though the most good-hearted woman in the world, was almost angry.  “I don’t know what you all see to laugh at in it.  Peter has in his hands the power of making or marring Harry’s future.”