n
simplified, and if Mr. Dick had had a fortune he would have remained all
his days as modestly vague about the figure of it as our relative
consented to remain. The latter's interests were agricultural, while his
predecessor's, as we remember, were mainly historical; each at any rate
had in a general way his Miss Trotwood, not to say his sister Helen.

The good Henry's Miss Trotwood lived and died without an instant's
visitation of doubt as to the due exercise of her authority, as to what
would happen if it faltered; her victim waiting in the handsomest manner
till she had passed away to show us all--all who remained, after so
long, to do him justice--that nothing but what was charming and touching
could possibly happen. This was, in part at least, the dazzling
denouement I have spoken of: he became, as soon as fortunate
dispositions could take effect, the care of our admirable Aunt, between
whom and his sister and himself close cousinship, from far back, had
practically amounted to sisterhood: by which time the other house had
long been another house altogether, its ancient site relinquished, its
contents planted afresh far northward, with new traditions invoked,
though with that of its great friendliness to all of us, for our
mother's sake, still confirmed. Here with brief brightness, clouded at
the very last, the solution emerged; we became aware, not without
embarrassment, that poor Henry at large and supplied with funds was
exactly as harmless and blameless as poor Henry stinted and captive; as
to which if anything had been wanting to our confusion or to his own
dignity it would have been his supreme abstinence, his suppression of
the least "Didn't I tell you?" He didn't even pretend to have told us,
when he so abundantly might, and nothing could exceed the grace with
which he appeared to have noticed nothing. He "handled" dollars as
decently, and just as profusely, as he had handled dimes; the only light
shade on the scene--except of course for its being so belated, which did
make it pathetically dim--was the question of how nearly he at all
measured his resources. Not his heart, but his imagination, in the long
years, had been starved; and though he was now all discreetly and wisely
encouraged to feel rich, it was rather sadly visible that, thanks to
almost half a century of over-discipline, he failed quite to rise to his
estate. He did feel rich, just as he felt generous; the misfortune was
only in his weak sen