The purport of the master's stay was no more noble (gild
it as they might) than to wring money out. He had some
design of a fortune in the French Indies, as the chevalier
wrote me ; and it was the sum required for this that he came
seeking. For the rest of the family it spelled ruin ; but my
lord, in his incredible partiality, pushed ever for the grant-
ing. The family was now so narrowed down (indeed there
were no more of them than just the father and the two
sons), that it was possible to break the entail, and alienate
a piece of land. And to this, at first by hints, and then by
open pressure, Mr. Henry was brought to consent. He
never would have done so, I am very well assured, but for
the weight of the distress under which he labored. But for
his passionate eagerness to see his brother gone, he would
not thus have broken with his own sentiment and the tradi-
tions of his house. And even so, he sold them his consent
at a dear rate, speaking for once openly and holding the
business up in its own shameful colors.
"You will observe," he said, "this is an injustice to my
son. if ever I have one. ' '



J 06 U/orKs of r^obert Couis Steuepsoi)

"But that you are not likely to have," said my lord.
