“Something of that sort, I conclude.”

“But how is it to be done?  I am at home, and he is over there.  His affairs are in a state of confusion, and nobody can come to the bottom of them without an explanation from him.  Some liabilities, for which I have furnished the money, the creditors swear have not been liquidated.  He must come over if he wants anything done.”

“Where is he to come to?  He must be in England sub rosa.”

“He can’t be here,” hastily rejoined Sir Peter.  “Lady Levison would not have him for a day.”

“He might be at East Lynne,” good-naturedly observed Mr. Carlyle.  “Nobody would think of looking for him there.  I think it is a pity that you should not meet, if you do feel inclined to help him.”

“You are a deal more considerate to him than he deserves, Mr. Carlyle.  May I ask if you intend to act for him in a professional capacity?”

“I do not.”

A few more words, and it was decided that Captain Levison should be immediately sent for.  As Mr. Carlyle left Sir Peter’s presence, he encountered Lady Levison.

“I can scarcely be ignorant that your conference with my husband has reference to his grandnephew,” she observed.

“It has,” replied Mr. Carlyle.

“I have had a very bad opinion of him, Mr. Carlyle; at the same time I do not wish you to carry away a wrong impression of me.  Francis Levison is my husband’s nephew, his presumptive heir; it may, therefore, appear strange that I set my face against him.  Two or three years ago, previous to my marriage with Sir Peter, in fact before I knew Sir Peter, I was brought into contact with Francis Levison.  He got acquainted with some friends of mine, and at their house I met him.  He behaved shamefully ill; he repaid their hospitality with gross ingratitude; other details and facts regarding his conduct also became known to me.  Altogether I believe him to be a base and despicable man, both by nature and inclination, and that he will remain such to the end of time.”

“I know very little indeed of him,” observed Mr. Carlyle.  “May I inquire the nature of his ill-conduct in that instance?”

“He ruined them—­he ruined them, Mr. Carlyle.  They were simple, unsuspicious country people, understanding neither fraud nor vice, nor the ways of an evil world.  Francis Levison got them to put their names to bills, ‘as a matter of form, to accommodate him for a month or so,’ he stated, and so they believed.  They were not wealthy; they lived upon their own small estate, with none too much of superfluous money to spare, and when the time came for them to pay—­as come it did—­it brought ruin, and they had to leave their home.  He deliberately did it—­knowing what would be the end.  And I could tell you of other things.  Sir Peter may have informed you that I object to receive him here.  I do.  My objection is to the man—­to his character; not owing, as I hear it has been said, to any jealous paltry feeling touching his being the heir.  I must lose my own self-respect before I admit Francis Levison to my house as an inmate.  Sir Peter may assist him in welcome—­may pay his debt, and get him out of his scrapes as often as he pleases, but I will not have him here.”