“It cannot be a question of fortune, Bernard.”

“Do listen to me.  Do let me speak, at any rate.  I presume I may at least suppose that you do not dislike me.”

“Oh, no.”

“And though you might not be willing to accept any man’s hand merely on a question of fortune, surely the fact that our marriage would be in every way suitable as regards money should not set you against it.  Of my own love for you I will not speak further, as I do not doubt that you believe what I say; but should you not question your own feelings very closely before you determine to oppose the wishes of all those who are nearest to you?”

“Do you mean mamma, Bernard?”

“Not her especially, though I cannot but think she would like a marriage that would keep all the family together, and would give you an equal claim to the property to that which I have.”

“That would not have a feather’s-weight with mamma.”

“Have you asked her?”

“No, I have mentioned the matter to no one.”

“Then you cannot know.  And as to my uncle, I have the means of knowing that it is the great desire of his life.  I must say that I think some consideration for him should induce you to pause before you give a final answer, even though no consideration for me should have any weight with you.”

“I would do more for you than for him,—­much more.”

“Then do this for me.  Allow me to think that I have not yet had an answer to my proposal; give me to this day month, to Christmas; till any time that you like to name, so that I may think that it is not yet settled, and may tell Uncle Christopher that such is the case.”

“Bernard, it would be useless.”

“It would at any rate show him that you are willing to think of it.”

“But I am not willing to think of it;—­not in that way.  I do know my own mind thoroughly, and I should be very wrong if I were to deceive you.”

“And you wish me to give that as your only answer to my uncle?”

“To tell the truth, Bernard, I do not much care what you may say to my uncle in this matter.  He can have no right to interfere in the disposal of my hand, and therefore I need not regard his wishes on the subject.  I will explain to you in one word what my feelings are about it.  I would accept no man in opposition to mamma’s wishes; but not even for her could I accept any man in opposition to my own.  But as concerns my uncle, I do not feel myself called on to consult him in any way on such a matter.”

“And yet he is the head of our family.”

“I don’t care anything about the family,—­not in that way.”

“And he has been very generous to you all.”

“That I deny.  He has not been generous to mamma.  He is very hard and ungenerous to mamma.  He lets her have that house because he is anxious that the Dales should seem to be respectable before the world; and she lives in it, because she thinks it better for us that she should do so.  If I had my way, she should leave it to-morrow—­or, at any rate, as soon as Lily is married.  I would much sooner go into Guestwick, and live as the Eames do.”