In the Year of Jubilee

ntful bitterness which is produced in the victims of a really harsh parent. Ten years ago, as they well remembered, anger was a rare thing in his behaviour to them, and kindness the rule

n. At table his beverage was ale; for wine-unless it were very sweet port-he cared little; but in the privacy of his own room, whilst smoking numberless pipes of rank tob

ver, Mr. Lord glanced at his

ants to mix with the rag-tag

er,' Horace replied, st

rather a come-down for

l be lots of

ee much difference between

put in

't in the least und

that you bring your sister back not later than half-

eplied the young man, th

h you, and he will know the arrangement; but I tell

cted acquiescence. Presently he and his sister went upstairs to the drawing-room, where they sat down at a distance apart-Nancy by the window, gazing at the warm clouds above

k it's about time we b

an by firmness,' she an

ugh to judge f

But I'm not so

Then we won't

f, a wax-taper in her hand, entered to light the gas. Having drawn the blind, and given a glance round to see

hether she can go out to-mor

Miss. Lord returned, her voice si

h

one of her inf

after dinner, and be a

and withdrew. As soon as sh

re! What did

was

untering towards the door with his hands in his pockets. He looked exc

in a dry tone, and seated herself

esitancy, though briefer, and he knocked for admission, which was at once granted. Mr. Lord sat in his round-backed ch

o report

d to talk over t

eyes strayed vacantly. It cost him an effort to begin his customary account of how things were going with him at the shipping-office. In truth, there was nothing particu

he same. Have you your pipe with you?-At your age I hadn't begun to smoke, and I

h it,' Horace rep

ther expensive meersch

ies!' exclaim

ast I couldn't resist. Tobacco's quite a diffe

ntertained for his son. It appeared in his frequent glances, in the relaxation of his features, in a c

k about, father,' Horace began, when he

hat's

ished me to work my way up, and win an income of my own, but th

lled it to mind, and wondered whether it was

genially. 'Do you think of starti

ain laugh. 'I have something more moderate in view. I

hear ab

ou a little. The fact is, I-I

issue from his lips, and his eyes, fixed upon

e, as one speaks of some trifle. 'No harm in think

ch was meant to rebuke his father's jest. 'I know what I'm about. I'

held it against his knee and r

said Mr. Lord, 'when you h

. I mean that I have decided

o may t

r Miss. Fre

were very dry, and he felt a disagreeable chill running down his back. For the listener's face had alter

sked her to

; and she ha

sure was made, and had resulted in no outbreak of fury; now he could begin to plead his cause. Imagination, excited by nervous stress, brought b

. We should be quite content to start on a couple of hundred a

it over with Fanny French several times, and they had agreed that his father could not in decency offer them le

her, 'that I should give you money

ere congested; his nostrils grew wide; and he spoke rather hoarsely. Horace

t right-to insul

took him

real and sham, getting to understand things better than poor folks' children? You disappointed me, and a good deal more than I ever told you. I had hoped you would come from school better able to make a place in the world than your father was. I made up my mind long ago that you should never go into my business; you were to be something a good deal better.

t right have you to say such things, wi

silence before Mr.

d has a sort of devil in him, that's always driving him out of the path of common sense, whether he

. I haven't told he

of them in the rational way, and that seemed enough. I may have thought that they might get some sort of good out of her, and I felt sure she had too much sense to get harm from them. If it hadn't been so, I should have forb

e still shaky, 'what's the use? You seem to be conv

t to know is, what g

I shouldn't have ask

Lord, had begun to appear in the youth's speech and bearing. H

an exception in

y way than her sisters. But I don'

the passage, where he shouted in his deep

u, I should think. He wants to marry, and out of all the world, he has chosen Miss. French-the youngest.' Horace's position was trying. He did not know wha

ether you consider Miss. French a suitable wife f

ed the girl, barely subdui

tell me, if you can, what fault you have to find

k her Horace's equal. She ca

re lis

cation, and again his head sw

r. Lord. 'What about her character

harm. But she's silly, and I'

re lis

lost pa

o be friends with her?' he

disdain. 'We knew each other at school, and

ite. It's only just lately you have begun to think yourself too good for them. They used to come here, and you went to them; and

y. There was a rather long silence; he

for any honest, womanly work. Town and country, it's all the same. They're educated; oh yes, they're educated! What sort of wives do they make, with their education? What sort of mothers are they? Before long, there'll be no such thing as a home. They don't know what the word means. They'd like to live in hotels, and trollop about the streets day and night. There won't be any servants much longer; you're lucky if you find one of the old sort, who knows how to light a fire or wash a dish. Go into the houses of men with small incomes; what do

h length. He ceased with a bitter laugh, and sat do

heir father at length. 'Go and tal

nd with a glance at his sister went out.

u need have any f

, it'll be another like her. There's n

se of leaving the room,

ink there mig

urned to l

at do yo

to make you

to say,' broke in h

hen you so soon l

ll I have gone through in life, you wouldn't wonder at my te

him, and spoke

in a different way, Horace and I mig

mean I ought to have had a big hou

might have associated with very different people from those you have been speak

nking. And how do you know that

't to have taken

ays. But supposing you were right, are you silly enough to thi

quite sure-I know from what I've seen-that there

r, and spoke thickly, as if wearied. 'People who can talk so that

eople who have something

ught at home all that's necessary to make a good girl and an honest woman, and have done my best to keep you away from the kind of life that I hate. But I hadn't the courage to act as I believed. I knew how the times were changing, and I was weak enough to be afraid I might do you an injustice. I did give you the chance

to prolong the argument, but s

l say good-n

a good-night could seldom be exchanged. The girl, drawing away,

er,' she repeated

good-night,' came