conduct. He was almost inclined to think that he had done enough
towards keeping the promise made to his aunt on her deathbed,--but
still he was not quite contented with himself. He desired to be
honest and true, as far as his ideas went of honesty and truth, and
his conscience told him that Clara had been treated with cruelty by
his mother. I am inclined to think that Lady Aylmer, in spite of her
high experience and character for wisdom, had not fought her battle
altogether well. No man likes to be talked out of his marriage by his
mother, and especially not so when the talking takes the shape of
threats. When she told him that under no circumstances would she
again know Clara Amedroz, he was driven by his spirit of manhood to
declare to himself that that menace from her should not have the
slightest influence on him. The word or two which his father said was
more effective. After all it might be better for him in his peculiar
position to have no wife at all. He did begin to believe that he
had no need for a wife. He had never before thought so much of his
father's example as he did now. Clara was manifestly a hot-tempered
woman,--a very hot-tempered woman indeed! Now his mother was also
a hot-tempered woman, and he could see the result in the present
condition of his father's life. He resolved that he would follow
Clara to Belton, so that some final settlement might be made between
them; but in coming to this resolution he acknowledged to himself
that should she decide against him he would not break his heart. She,
however, should have her chance. Undoubtedly it was only right that
she should have her chance.

But the difficulty of the circumstances in which he was placed was
so great, that it was almost impossible for him to make up his mind
fixedly to any purpose in reference to Clara. As he passed through
London on his way to Belton he called at Mr. Green's chambers with
reference to that sum of fifteen hundred pounds, which it was now
absolutely necessary that he should make over to Miss Amedroz, and
from Mr. Green he learned that William Belton had given positive
instructions as to the destination of the Belton estate. He would not
inherit it, or have anything to do with it under the entail,--from
the effects of which he desired to be made entirely free. Mr. Green,
who knew that Captain Aylmer was engaged to marry his client, and
who knew nothing of any interruption to that agreement, felt no
hesitation in expla