, worry not the lad thus!" was softly breathed from Lady Enville's
corner. "If other gentlemen wear such gear, Jack must needs have the
same also. You would not have him mean and sorry?" [shabby.]

"Thou wouldst have him a scarlet and yellow popinjay!" said Rachel.

"I would not have him mean, Orige," replied Sir Thomas significantly.

"Well, Sir,--all said, we come to this," resumed Jack in his airy
manner. "If these bills must needs be paid--and so seem you to say--how
shall it be? Must I essay for the monopoly?--or for a wardship?--or for
an heir?--or shall I rather trust to my luck at the dice?"

"Buy aught but a living woman!" said Rachel, with much disgust.

"The woman is nought, Aunt. 'Tis her fortune."

"Very good. I reckon she will say, `The man is naught.' And she'll
speak truth."

Rachel was playing, as many did in her day, on the similarity of sound
between "nought," nothing, and "naught," good-for-nothing.

"Like enough," said Jack placidly.

"I will spare thee what money I can, Jack," said his father sighing.
"But I do thee to wit that 'twill not pay thy debt--no, or the half
thereof. For the rest, I must leave thee to find thine own means: but,
Jack!--let them be such means that an honest man and true need not be
'shamed thereof."

"Oh!--of course, sir," said Jack lightly.

"Jack Feversham!" asked Sir Thomas, turning suddenly to his young
visitor, "supposing this debt were thine, how shouldst thou pay it?"

"God forbid it were!" answered Feversham gravely. "But an' it were,
sir, I would pay the same."

"At the dice?" grimly inquired Rachel.

"I never game, my mistress."

"A monopoly?" pursued she.

"I am little like to win one," said Feversham laughingly.

"Or by wedding of an heir?"

"For the sake of her money? Nay, I would think I did her lesser ill of
the twain to put my hand in her pocket and steal it."

"Then, whereby?" asked Sir Thomas, anxious to draw John out.

"By honest work, Sir, whatso I might win: yea, though it were the
meanest that is, and should take my life to the work."

"Making of bricks?" sneered Jack.

"I would not choose that," replied Feversham quietly. "But if I could
earn money in no daintier fashion, I would do it."

"I despise mean-spirited loons!" muttered Jack, addressing himself to
the fire.

"So doth not God, my son," said his father quietly.

Blanche felt uncertain whether she did or not. In fact, the state of
Blanche's mind just