It seems that you never said a
word to her ladyship on the subject."

"I never did, certainly. My commission from Lufton was to break the
matter to her when I found her in a proper humour for receiving it.
If you knew Lady Lufton as well as I do, you would know that it is
not every day that she would be in a humour for such tidings."

"And so I was to be kept waiting indefinitely because you two between
you were afraid of an old woman! However, I have not a word to say
against her, and the matter is settled now."

"Has the farm been sold?"

"Not a bit of it. The dowager could not bring her mind to suffer
such profanation for the Lufton acres, and so she sold five
thousand pounds out of the funds and sent the money to Lufton as a
present;--sent it to him without saying a word, only hoping that it
would suffice for his wants. I wish I had a mother, I know."

Mark found it impossible at the moment to make any remark upon what
had been told him, but he felt a sudden qualm of conscience and a
wish that he was at Framley instead of at Gatherum Castle at the
present moment. He knew a good deal respecting Lady Lufton's income
and the manner in which it was spent. It was very handsome for a
single lady, but then she lived in a free and open-handed style; her
charities were noble; there was no reason why she should save money,
and her annual income was usually spent within the year. Mark knew
this, and he knew also that nothing short of an impossibility to
maintain them would induce her to lessen her charities. She had now
given away a portion of her principal to save the property of her
son--her son, who was so much more opulent than herself,--upon whose
means, too, the world made fewer effectual claims. And Mark knew,
too, something of the purpose for which this money had gone. There
had been unsettled gambling claims between Sowerby and Lord Lufton,
originating in affairs of the turf. It had now been going on for four
years, almost from the period when Lord Lufton had become of age.
He had before now spoken to Robarts on the matter with much bitter
anger, alleging that Mr. Sowerby was treating him unfairly, nay,
dishonestly--that he was claiming money that was not due to him;
and then he declared more than once that he would bring the matter
before the Jockey Club. But Mark, knowing that Lord Lufton was not
clear-sighted in those matters, and believing it to be impossible
that Mr. Sowerby should actually endeavour to de