Mr
Crawley, I needn't tell you they are not going to have castles and
parks of their own, unless they can get 'em off their own bats. But
I pay upwards of a hundred a year each for my eldest three boys'
schooling, and I've been paying eighty for the girls. Put that and
that together and see what it comes to. Educate, educate, educate;
that's my word."

"No better word can be spoken, sir."

"I don't think there's a girl in Tavistock Square that can beat
Polly,--she's the eldest, called after her mother, you know,--that
can beat her at the piano. And Lucy has read Lord Byron and Tom Moore
all through, every word of 'em. By Jove, I believe she knows most of
Tom Moore by heart. And the young uns are coming on just as well."

"Perhaps, sir, as your time is, no doubt, precious--"

"Just at this time of the day we don't care so much about it, Mr
Crawley; and one doesn't catch a new cousin every day, you know."

"However, if you will allow me,--"

"We'll tackle to? Very well; so be it. Now, Mr. Crawley, let me hear
what it is that I can do for you." Of a sudden, as Mr. Toogood spoke
these last words, the whole tone of his voice seemed to change, and
even the position of his body became so much altered as to indicate a
different kind of man. "You just tell your story in your own way, and
I won't interrupt you till you've done. That's always the best."

"I must first crave your attention to an unfortunate preliminary,"
said Mr. Crawley.

"And what is that?"

"I come before you in forma pauperis." Here Mr. Crawley paused and
stood up before the attorney with his hands crossed one upon the
other, bending low, as though calling attention to the poorness of
his raiment. "I know that I have no justification for my conduct. I
have nothing of reason to offer why I should trespass upon your time.
I am a poor man, and cannot pay you for your services."

"Oh, bother!" said Mr. Toogood, jumping up out of his chair.

"I do not know whether your charity will grant me that which I ask--"

"Don't let's have any more of this," said the attorney. "We none of
us like this kind of thing at all. If I can be of any service to you,
you're as welcome to it as flowers in May; and as for billing my
first-cousin, which your wife is, I should as soon think of sending
in an account to my own."

"But, Mr. Toogood--"

"Do you go on now with your story; I'll put the rest all right."

"I was bound to be explicit, Mr. Toogood."

"Very well;