Ravenshoe. By Henry Kingsley.

168 RAVENSHOE.
" Near death, Cuthbert! " said William, calling him so for the
first time. "I shall live, please God, to take your children on
my knee."
" It is right that you should know, brother, that in a few short
years you will be master of Ravenshoe. My heart is gone. I
have had an attack to-night."
"[But people who are ill don't always die," said William.
" Holy Virgin! you must not go and leave me all abroad in the
world like a lost sheep."
"I like to hear you speak like that, William. Two days
ago, I was moving heaven and earth to rob you of your just
inheritance."
"I like you the better for that. Never think of that again.
Does Mackworth know of your illness?"
"He knows everything."
"If Charles had been a Catholic, would he have concealed
this? "
" No; I think not. I offered him ten thousand pounds to hush
it up."
" I wish he had taken it. I don't want to be a great man. I
should have been far happier as it was. I was half a gentleman,
and had everything I wanted. Shall you oppose my marrying
when Charles is settled? "
" You must marry, brother. I can never marry, and would
not if I could. You must marry, certainly. The estate is a
little involved; but we can soon bring it right. Till you marry,
you must be contented with four hundred a year."
William laughed. " I will be content and obedient enough, I
warrant you. But when I speak of marrying, I mean marrying
my present sweetheart."
Cuthbert looked up suddenly. " I did not think of that. Who
is she?"
"Master Evan's daughter, Jane."
" A fisherman's daughter," said Cuthbert. "William, the mistress of Ravenshoe ought to be a lady."
"The master of Ravenshoe ought to be a gentleman," was
William's reply. "And, after your death (which I don't believe
in, mind you) he won't be. The master of Ravenshoe then will
be only a groom; and what sort of a fine lady would he buy with
his money, think you? A woman who would despise him and
be ashamed of him. No, by St. George and the dragon, I will
marry my old sweetheart or be single!"
"Perhaps you are right, William," said Cuthbert; "and, if
you are not, I am not one who has a right to speak about it.
Let us in future be honest and straightforward, and have no
more miserable esclandres, in God's name. What sort of a girl
is she?"