‘Oh, Frank!’

‘I hate money.’

‘But, Frank, the estate?’

’I hate the estate—­at least I shall hate it if I am expected to buy it at such a price as that.  The estate is my father’s.’

‘Oh, no, Frank; it is not.’

’It is in the sense I mean.  He may do with it as he pleases; he will never have a word of complaint from me.  I am ready to go into a profession to-morrow.  I’ll be a lawyer, or a doctor, or an engineer; I don’t care what.’  Frank, in his enthusiasm, probably overlooked some of the preliminary difficulties.  ’Or I’ll take a farm under him, and earn my bread that way; but, mother, don’t talk to me any more about marrying money.’  And, so saying, Frank left the room.

Frank, it will be remembered, was twenty-one when he was first introduced to the reader; he is now twenty-two.  It may be said that there was a great difference between his character then and now.  A year at that period will make a great difference; but the change has been, not in his character, but in his feelings.

Frank went out from his mother and immediately ordered his black horse to be got ready for him.  He would at once go over to Boxall Hill.  He went himself to the stables to give his orders; and as he returned to get his gloves and whip he met Beatrice in the corridor.

‘Beatrice,’ said he, ‘step in here,’ and she followed him into his room.  ’I’m not going to bear this any longer; I’m going to Boxall Hill.’

‘Oh, Frank! how can you be so imprudent?’

’You, at any rate, have some decent feeling for Mary.  I believe you have some regard for her; and therefore I tell you.  Will you send her any message?’

’Oh, yes; my best, best love; that is if you will see her; but, Frank, you are very foolish, very; and she will be infinitely distressed.’

’Do not mention this, not at present; not that I mean you to make any secret of it.  I shall tell my father everything.  I’m off now!’ and then, paying no attention to her remonstrance, he turned down the stairs and was soon on horseback.

He took the road to Boxall Hill, but he did not ride very fast:  he did not go jauntily as a jolly, thriving wooer; but musingly, and often with diffidence, meditating every now and then whether it would not be better for him to turn back:  to turn back—­but not from fear of his mother; not from prudential motives; not because that often-repeated lesson as to marrying money was beginning to take effect; not from such causes as these; but because he doubted how he might be received by Mary.