AlanandBarbarasatinMr。Champers-Haswell’sprivatesitting-roomwiththeawfuldecorations，andbeforethembythefireMr。Champers-
Haswellreclineduponhiscouch。Alaninafew，brief，soldier-likewordshadjustinformedhimofhisengagementtoBarbara。DuringtherecitalofthisinterestingfactBarbarasaidnothing，butMr。Haswellhadwhistledseveraltimes。Nowatlengthhespoke，inthattoneofforcedgenialitywhichhegenerallyadoptedtowardshiscousin。
“Youareaskingforthehandofaconsiderableheiress，Alanmyboy，“
hesaid，“butyouhaveneglectedtoinformmeofyourownposition。“
“Whereistheuseoftellingyouwhatyouknowalready，Mr。Haswell？I
haveleftthefirm，thereforeIhavepracticallynothing。“
“Youhavepracticallynothing，andyet——Well，inmyyoungdaysmenweremoredelicate，theydidnotlikebeingcalledfortune-hunters，butofcoursetimeshavechanged。“
AlanbithislipandBarbarasatupquitestraightinherchair，observingwhichindications，Mr。Haswellwentonhurriedly:
“Nowifyouhadstoppedinthefirmandearnedtheveryhandsomecompetenceinasmallwaywhichwouldhavebecomeduetoyouthisweek，insteadofthrowingusoveratthelastmomentforsomequixoticreasonsofyourown，itmighthavebeenadifferentmatter。Idonotsayitwouldhavebeen，Isayitmighthavebeen，andyoumayrememberaproverbaboutwinksandnodsandblindhorses。SoIaskyouwhetheryouareinclinedtowithdrawthatresignationofyoursandbringupthisquestionagainletussay，nextSunday？“
Alanthoughtawhilebeforeheanswered。AsheunderstoodMr。Haswellpracticallywaspromisingtoassenttotheengagementupontheseterms。Thetemptationwasenormouslygreat，thefiercestthathehadeverbeencalledupontoface。HelookedatBarbara。Shehadclosedhereyesandmadeabsolutelynosign。Forsomereasonofherownshehadelectedthatheshoulddeterminethisvitalpointwithouttheslightestassistancefromher。Anditmustbedeterminedatonce；
procrastinationwasimpossible。Foramomenthehesitated。OntheonesidewasBarbara，ontheotherhisconscience。Afterlongdoubtshehadcometoacertainconclusionwhichhequiteunderstoodtobeinconvenienttohispartners。Shouldhethrowitovernow？Shouldheeventrytomakeasureandcertainbargainasthepriceofhissurrender？Probablyhewouldnotsufferifhedid。Theflotationwasunderwrittenandboundtogothrough；thescandalwouldcomeafterwards，monthsoryearshence，longbeforewhichhemightgetout，asmostoftheothersmeanttodo。No，hecouldnot。Hisconsciencewastoomuchforhim。
“Idonotseeanyuseinreconsideringthatquestion，Mr。Haswell，“hesaidquietly；“wesettleditonFridaynight。“
Barbarareopenedherbrowneyesandstaredamiablyatthepaintedceiling，andMr。Haswellwhistled。
“ThenIamafraid，“hesaid，“thatIdonotseeanyuseindiscussingyourkindproposalformyniece’shand。Listen——Iwillbequiteopenwithyou。IhaveotherviewsforBarbara，andasithappensIhavethepowertoenforcethem，oratanyratetopreventtheirfrustrationbyyou。IfBarbaramarriesagainstmywillbeforesheisfiveandtwenty，thatiswithinthenexttwoyears，herentirefortune，withtheexceptionofapittance，goeselsewhere。ThisIamsureisafactthatwillinfluenceyou，whohavenothingandevenifitdidnot，Ipresumethatyouarescarcelysoselfishastowishtobeggarher。“
“No，“answeredAlan，“youneednotfearthat，foritwouldbewrong。I
understandthatyouabsolutelyrefusetosanctionmysuitonthegroundofmypoverty，whichunderthecircumstancesisperhapsnotwonderful。Well，theonlythingtodoistowaitfortwoyears，alongtime，butnotendless，andmeanwhileIcantrytobettermyposition。“
“Dowhatyouwill，Alan，“saidMr。Haswellharshly，fornowallhis/fauxbonhomme/mannerhadgone，leavinghimrevealedinhistruecharacterofanunscrupuloustradesmanwithdarkendsofhisowntoserve。“Dowhatyouwill，butunderstandthatIforbidallcommunicationbetweenyouandmyniece，andthatthesooneryouceasetotrespassuponahospitalitywhichyouhaveabused，thebetterI
shallbepleased。“
“Iwillgoatonce，“saidAlan，rising，“beforemytempergetsthebetterofmeandItellyousometruthsthatImightregret，forafterallyouareBarbara’suncle。ButonyourpartIaskyoutounderstandthatIrefusetocutofffrommycousin，whoisoffullageandhaspromisedtobemywife，“andheturnedtogo。
“Stopaminute，Alan，“saidBarbara，whoallthiswhilehadsatsilent。“IhavesomethingtosaywhichIwishyoutohear。Youtoldusjustnow，uncle，thatyouhaveotherviewsforme，bywhichyoumeantthatyouwishmetomarrySirRobertAylward，whom，asyouareprobablyaware，Irefuseddefinitelythisafternoon。NowIwishtomakeitclearatoncethatnoearthlypowerwillinducemetotakeasahusbandamanwhomIdislike，andwhosewealth，ofwhichyouthinksomuch，hasinmyopinionbeendishonestlyacquired。“
“Whatareyousaying？“brokeinherunclefuriously。“Hehasbeenmypartnerforyears，youarereflectinguponme。“
“Iamsorry，uncle，butIwithdrawnothing。EvenifAlanhereweredead，Iwouldnotmarrythatman，andperhapsyouwillmakehimunderstandthis，“sheaddedwithemphasis。“IndeedIhadsoonerdiemyself。YoutoldusalsothatifImarryagainstyourwill，youcantakeawayallthepropertythatmyfatherlefttome。Uncle，Ishallnotgiveyouthatsatisfaction。IshallwaituntilIamtwenty-fiveanddowhatIpleasewithmyselfandmyfortune。Lastly，yousaidthatyouforbadeustoseeeachotherortocorrespond。IanswerthatI
shallbothwritetoandseeAlanasoftenasIlike。Ifyouattempttopreventmefromdoingso，IshallgototheCourtofChancery，layallthefactsbeforeit，asIhavebeenadvisedthatIcando——notbyAlan——pleaseremember，/all/thefacts，andaskforitsprotectionandforaseparatemaintenanceoutofmyestateuntilIamtwenty-five。IamsurethattheCourtwouldgrantmethisandwoulddeclarethatconsideringhisdistinguishedfamilyandrecordAlanisaperfectlyproperpersontobemyaffiancedhusband。IthinkthatisallIhavetosay。“
“Allyouhavetosay！“gaspedMr。Haswell，“allyouhavetosay，youimpertinentandungratefulminx！“Thenhefellintoafuriousfitofrageandinlanguagethatneednotberepeated，pouredastreamofthreatsandabuseuponAlanandherself。Barbarawaiteduntilheceasedfromexhaustion。
“Uncle，“shesaid，“youshouldrememberthatyourheartisweakandyoumustnotoverexciteyourself，alsowhenyouarecalmer，thatifyouspeaktomelikethatagain，IshallgototheCourtatonce，forIwillnotbeswornatbyyouorbyanyotherman。Iapologizetoyou，Alan；IamafraidIhavebroughtyouintostrangecompany。Come，mydear，wewillgoandorderyourdogcart，“andputtingherarmaffectionatelythroughhis，shewentwithhimfromtheroom。
“Iwonderwhoputheruptoallthis？“gaspedHaswell，asthedoorclosedbehindthem。“Someinfernallawyer，I’llbebound。Well，shehasgotthewhiphandofme，andIcan’tfaceaninvestigationinChancery，especiallyastheonlythingagainstVernonisthatthevalueofhislandhasfallen。ButIswearthatsheshallnevermarryhimwhileIlive，“heendedinakindofshoutandthedomedandpaintedceilingechoedbackhiswords——“/whileIlive/“afterwhichtheroomwassilent，savefortheheavythumpingofhisheart。
WhenAlanreachedhomethatnightafterhisten-miledrivehesentJeekietotellthehousekeepertofindhimsomefood。InhismysteriousAfricanfashionthenegrohadalreadycollectedmuchintelligenceastotheeventsoftheday，mostlyintheservants’
hall，andmoreparticularlyfromthetwogolf-caddies，sonsofoneofthegardeners，whoitseemedinsteadofretiringwiththeclubs，hadtakenshelterinsometallwhinsandthencefollowedtheinterviewbetweenBarbaraandSirRobertwiththeintensestinterest。Reflectingthatthiswasnotthetimetosatisfyhisburningcuriosity，Jeekiewentandinduecoursereturnedwithsomecoldmuttonandabottleofclaret。Thencamehischance，forAlancouldscarcelytouchthemuttonanddemandedtoastandbutter。
“Veryinferiorchop“——thatwashisWestAfricanwordforfood——“foragentleman，Major，“hesaid，shakinghiswhiteheadsympatheticallyandpointingtothemutton，——“speciallywhenhehasunexpectedlydepartedfrommagnificenteatingofTheCourt。Whydidyounotwaittillafterdinner，Major，beforeretiring？“
Alanlaughedattheman’sinflatedEnglish，andansweredinamorenervousandcolloquialstyle:
“BecauseIwaskickedout，Jeekie。“
“Ah！Igatheredthatkickingwasinthewind，Major。SirRobertAylward，Bart。，healsowaskickedout，butbysmallertoe。“
AgainAlanlaughedand，asitwasarelieftotalkeventoJeekie，askedhim:
“Howdoyouknowthat？“
“Igathereditoutofatmosphere，Major；fromSirRobert’sgentleman，fromtwoyouthswhowatchSirRobertandMissBarbaratalkingupongolfgreenNo。9，fromthemachinedriverofSirRobertwhoseeyeshedamninpublic，andlastbutnotleastfromhisownnoblecountenance。“
“Iseethatyouareobservant，Jeekie。“
“Observation，Major，itisartoflife。IseeMissBarbara’seyesredlikemorningskyandIdeduct。Iseeyoushotoutandgloomylikeeveningcloud，andIdeduct。IlistenatdoorofMr。Haswell’sroom，I
hearhimcurseandswearlikeholysaintinBook，andyouandMissBarbaraanswerhimnotlikesaint，thoughwhatyouspeakIcannothear，andIdeduct。Jeekiedeductthis——thatyoumakelovetoMissBarbarainpropergentlemanlike，’nogamous，ChristianfashionsuchasyourlateReverendUncleapprove，andMissBarbara，shemakelovetoyouwithtenpercent。compoundinterest，butoldgentwithwhistle，he/not/approve；hesay，’Wherecorrespondingcash！’Hesay’NobleSirRoberthavemuchcashandinterestedinidenticalbusiness。I
preferSirRobert。Getout，youCashless。’OftenIseethissamethingwhenboyinWestAfrica，verycommonwhereversunshine。InoteallthesemattersandIdeduct——thatJeekie’swayandJeekieseldomwrong。“
Alanlaughedforthethirdtime，untilthetearsrandownhisfaceindeed。
