Mr. Hale shook his head despondingly:  he pressed her hand in token of gratitude.  Margaret was nearly upset again into a burst of crying.  To turn her thoughts, she said:  ’Now tell me, papa, what our plans are.  You and mamma have some money, independent of the income from the living, have not you?  Aunt Shaw has, I know.’

’Yes.  I suppose we have about a hundred and seventy pounds a year of our own.  Seventy of that has always gone to Frederick, since he has been abroad.  I don’t know if he wants it all,’ he continued in a hesitating manner.  ’He must have some pay for serving with the Spanish army.’

‘Frederick must not suffer,’ said Margaret, decidedly; ’in a foreign country; so unjustly treated by his own.  A hundred is left Could not you, and I, and mamma live on a hundred a year in some very cheap—­very quiet part of England?  Oh!  I think we could.’

‘No!’ said Mr. Hale.  ’That would not answer.  I must do something.  I must make myself busy, to keep off morbid thoughts.  Besides, in a country parish I should be so painfully reminded of Helstone, and my duties here.  I could not bear it, Margaret.  And a hundred a year would go a very little way, after the necessary wants of housekeeping are met, towards providing your mother with all the comforts she has been accustomed to, and ought to have.  No:  we must go to Milton.  That is settled.  I can always decide better by myself, and not influenced by those whom I love,’ said he, as a half apology for having arranged so much before he had told any one of his family of his intentions.  ’I cannot stand objections.  They make me so undecided.’

Margaret resolved to keep silence.  After all, what did it signify where they went, compared to the one terrible change?

Mr. Hale continued:  ’A few months ago, when my misery of doubt became more than I could bear without speaking, I wrote to Mr. Bell—­you remember Mr. Bell, Margaret?’

’No; I never saw him, I think.  But I know who he is.  Frederick’s godfather—­your old tutor at Oxford, don’t you mean?’

’Yes.  He is a Fellow of Plymouth College there.  He is a native of Milton-Northern, I believe.  At any rate, he has property there, which has very much increased in value since Milton has become such a large manufacturing town.  Well, I had reason to suspect—­to imagine—­I had better say nothing about it, however.  But I felt sure of sympathy from Mr. Bell.  I don’t know that he gave me much strength.  He has lived an easy life in his college all his days.  But he has been as kind as can be.  And it is owing to him we are going to Milton.’

‘How?’ said Margaret.

’Why he has tenants, and houses, and mills there; so, though he dislikes the place—­too bustling for one of his habits—­he is obliged to keep up some sort of connection; and he tells me that he hears there is a good opening for a private tutor there.’

‘A private tutor!’ said Margaret, looking scornful:  ’What in the world do manufacturers want with the classics, or literature, or the accomplishments of a gentleman?’