“As for that,” she answered deliberately—­and Sam leaned forward again—­“as for that, I am a married woman, and have learnt to submit to my husband’s judgment.  To be sure I have acquired some skill in guessing at it.”  She smiled again.  “My husband is no ordinary man to jump at this offer.  He has three sons, besides his women folk—­”

“Whom he neglects,” put in Matthew.

“His dearest ambition is to see each of these three an accredited servant of Christ.  He desires learning for them, and the priest’s habit, and the living God in their hearts.  It will appear strange to you that he should rate these above wealth and a castle in Ireland and a seat in Parliament; but in fact he would.  I know him.  Think what you will of his ambition, it has this much of sincerity, that he is willing to pinch and starve for it.  This, too, I have proved.”

“You might add, mother,” interposed Sam, “that he would like all these the better with a little success to season them.”

“No, I will add that he has perhaps enough respect for me to listen to my entreaties and allow Charles to choose for himself.  And this for the moment, sir, is all I can promise, though I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

“Tut, woman!” snapped the apothecary.  “Close with the offer and don’t be a fool.  My brother, sir, may be pig-headed—­sit down, Susanna!”

“You and I, sir,” said Garrett Wesley, “as childless men, are in no position to judge a parent’s feelings.”

“Children?  Let me tell you that I had a son, sir, and he broke my heart.  He is in India now, I believe; a middle-aged rake.  I give you leave to find and adopt him, so long as you don’t ask me to see his face again.  One was too many for me, and here’s a woman with ten children alive—­Heaven knows how many she’s buried—­ten children alive and half-clothed, and herself the youngest of twenty-five!” He broke off and chuckled.  “Did you ever hear tell, sir, what old Dr. Martin said after baptizing Susanna here?  Someone asked him ‘How many children had Dr. Annesley?’ ‘I forget for the moment,’ said the doctor, but ’tis either two dozen or a quarter of a hundred.’  And here’s a woman, sir, with such a sense of her offspring’s importance that she higgles over accepting a fortune for one of ’em!”

“Can you suffer this, ma’am?” Garrett Wesley began.  But the apothecary for the moment was neither to hold nor to bind.

“Sam! You have a grain of sense in your head.  Don’t sit there mum-chance, man!  Speak up and tell your mother not to be a fool.  You are no child; you know your father, and that, if given one chance in a hundred to act perversely, he’ll take it as sure as fate.  For heaven’s sake persuade your mother to use common caution and keep his finger out of this pie!”

“Nay, sir,” answered Sam, “I think she has the right of it, that my father ought to be told; and that the chances are he will leave it to Charles to decide.”