“He has the Kent estate, Bess,” said he, “which is by far too good for him.  Never doubt but that the rogue can feather his own nest far better than can I, as indeed he hath already done.  And by the Lord,” cried Mr. Carvel, bringing his fist down upon the card-table where they sat, “he shall never get another farthing of my money while I live, nor afterwards, if I can help it!  I would rather give it over to Mr. Carroll to found a nunnery.”

And so that matter ended, for Mr. Carvel could not be moved from a purpose he had once made.  Nor would he make any advances whatsoever to Grafton, or receive those hints which my uncle was forever dropping, until at length he begged to be allowed to come to Dr. Hilliard’s funeral, a request my grandfather could not in decency refuse.  ’Twas a pathetic letter in truth, and served its purpose well, though it was not as dust in the old gentleman’s eyes.  He called me into his bedroom and told me that my Uncle Grafton was coming at last.  And seeing that I said nothing thereto, he gave me a queer look and bade me treat them as civilly as I knew how.  “I well know thy temper, Richard,” said he, “and I fear ’twill bring thee trouble enough in life.  Try to control it, my lad; take an old man’s advice and try to control it.”  He was in one of his gentler moods, and passed his arm about me, and together we stood looking silently through the square panes out into the rain, at the ducks paddling in the puddles until the darkness hid them.

And God knows, lad that I was, I tried to be civil to them.  But my tongue rebelled at the very sight of my uncle (’twas bred into me, I suppose), and his fairest words seemed to me to contain a hidden sting.  Once, when he spoke in his innuendo of my father, I ran from the room to restrain some act of violence; I know not what I should have done.  And Willis found me in the deserted, study of the doctor, where my hot tears had stained the flowered paper on the wall.  She did her best to calm me, good soul, though she had her own troubles with my Lady Caroline to think about at the time.

I had one experience with Master Philip before our visitors betook themselves back to Kent, which, unfortunate as it was, I cannot but relate here.  My cousin would enter into none of those rough amusements in which I passed my time, for fear, I took it, of spoiling his fine broadcloths or of losing a gold buckle.  He never could be got to wrestle, though I challenged him more than once.  And he was a well-built lad, and might, with a little practice, have become skilled in that sport.  He laughed at the homespun I wore about the farm, saying it was no costume for a gentleman’s son, and begged me sneeringly to don leather breeches.  He would have none of the company of those lads with whom I found pleasure, young Harvey, and Willis’s son, who was being trained as Mr. Starkie’s assistant.  Nor indeed did I disdain to join in a game with Hugo, who had been given to me, and other