Frank was beginning to be very bitter now—'but she has done nothing to deserve it. If there has been any fault it has been mine. But it is well that we should all understand each other. My intention is to marry Mary if I can.' And, so speaking, certainly without due filial respect, he turned towards the door.
'Frank,' said his mother, raising herself up with energy to make one last appeal. 'Frank, do you wish to see me die of a broken heart?'
'You know, mother, I would wish to make you happy, if I could.'
'If you wish to see me ever happy again, if you do not wish to see me sink broken-hearted to my grave, you must give up this mad idea, Frank,'—and now all Lady Arabella's energy came out. 'Frank, there is but one course left open to you. You must marry money.' And then Lady Arabella stood up before her son as Lady Macbeth might have stood, had Lady Macbeth lived to have a son of Frank's years.
'Miss Dunstable, I suppose,' said Frank, scornfully. 'No, mother; I made an ass, and worse than an ass of myself once in that way, and I won't do it again. I hate money.'
'Oh, Frank!'
'I hate money.'
'But, Frank, the estate?'
'I hate the estate—at least I shall hate it if I am expected to buy it at such a price as that. The estate is my father's.'
'Oh, no, Frank; it is not.'
'It is in the sense I mean. He may do with it as he pleases; he will never have a word of complaint from me. I am ready to go into a profession to-morrow. I'll be a lawyer, or a doctor, or an engineer; I don't care what.' Frank, in his enthusiasm, probably overlooked some of the preliminary difficulties. 'Or I'll take a farm under him, and earn my bread that way; but, mother, don't talk to me any more about marrying money.' And, so saying, Frank left the room.
Frank, it will be remembered, was twenty-one when he was first introduced to the reader; he is now twenty-two. It may be said that there was a great difference between his character then and now. A year at that period will make a great difference; but the change has been, not in his character, but in his feelings.
Frank went out from his mother and immediately ordered his black horse to be got ready for him. He would at once go over to Boxall Hill. He went himself to the stables to give his orders; and as he returned to get his gloves and whip he met Beatrice in the corridor.
'Beatrice,' said he, 'step in here,' and she followed him into his
