‘Sir,’ he said, ’you should have thought of that when you left this heir of the Dynevors to be educated by the charity of this third-rate grammar-school.’

‘Is this your gratitude, sir!’ passionately exclaimed Oliver; ’I, who have toiled my whole life for your benefit, might look for another return.’

‘It was not for me,’ said James.  ’It was for family pride.  Had it been from the affection that claims gratitude, you would not have left your mother in her old age, to labour unaided for the support of your brother’s orphans.  For ourselves, I thank you; the habits nurtured by poverty are the best education; but I cannot let you suppose that a grand theatrical restoration can atone to me for thirty years’ neglect of my grandmother, or that my gratitude can be extorted by benefactions at the expense of her past suffering.’

‘Jem! dear Jem! what are you saying!’ cried Mrs. Frost.  ’Don’t you know how kindly your uncle meant?  Don’t you know how happy we have been?’

’You may forgive.  You are his mother, and you were injured, but I can never forget what I have seen you undergo.’

‘You foolish boy, to forget all our happiness—­’

‘Nor,’ proceeded James, ’can I consent to forego the career of usefulness that has been opened to me.’

’But, Jem, you could be so useful in the parish! and your uncle could not wish you to do anything unhandsome by the trustees—­’

‘I wish him to do nothing, ma’am,’ said Oliver.  ’If he is too high and mighty to accept a favour, it is his own loss.  We can do without him, if he prefers the Fitzjocelyn patronage.  Much good may it do him!’

James deigned no answer, looked at his watch, and found it time to return to the school.

Oliver broke out into angry exclamations, and his mother did her utmost to soothe him.  He had no turn for being a country-gentleman, he was fit for nothing but his counting-house, and he intended to return thither as soon as he had installed his mother at Cheveleigh; and so entirely did all his plans hinge upon his nephew, that even now he was persuaded to hold out his forgiveness, on condition that James would apologize, resign the school, and call himself Dynevor.

Mrs. Frost hoped that Isabel would prevail on her husband to listen favourably; but Isabel gloried in his impracticability, and would have regarded any attempt at mediation as an unworthy effort to turn him aside from the path of duty.  She replied, that she would never say a word to change his notions of right, and she treated poor Oliver with all the lofty reserve that she had formerly practised upon possible suitors.

When Fitzjocelyn came in the afternoon to take leave, before his return to London, Mrs. Frost begged him to use his influence with James.  ‘Who would have thought it would have so turned out?’ she said.  ’My poor Oliver! to be so met after all his generous plans! and yet Jem does want to do right!’