t difference will his death make to you?"

"A father's death generally does make a difference to his eldest son,
particularly if there is any property concerned."

"You mean to say that you intend to dispute the circumstances of your
birth?"

"Dispute them! Do you think that I will allow such a thing to be said of
my mother without disputing it? Do you suppose that I will give up my
claim to one of the finest properties in England without disputing it?"

"Then I had better stop the payment of that money, and let the gentlemen
know that you mean to raise the question on their behalf."

"That's your affair. The arrangement is a very good one for me; but you
made it."

"You know very well that your present threat means nothing. Ask Mr.
Grey. You can trust him."

"But I can't trust him. After having been so wickedly deceived by my own
father, I can trust no one. Why did not Mr. Grey find it out before, if
it be true? I give you my word, Augustus, the lawyers will have to fight
it out before you will be allowed to take possession."

"And yet you do not scruple to come and live here at my cost."

"Not in the least. At whose cost can I live with less scruple than at
yours? You, at any rate, have not robbed our mother of her good name, as
my father has done. The only one of the family with whom I could not
stay is the governor. I could not sit at the table with a man who has so
disgraced himself."

"Upon my word I am very much obliged to you for the honor you do me."

"That's my feeling. The chance of the game and his villany have given
you for the moment the possession of all the good things. They are all
mine by rights."

"Cards have had nothing to do with it."

"Yes; they have. But they have had nothing to do with my being the
eldest legitimate son of my father. The cards have been against me, but
they have not affected my mother. Then there came the blow from the
governor, and where was I to look for my bread but to you? I suppose, if
the truth be known, you get the money from the governor."

"Of course I do. But not for your maintenance."

"On what does he suppose that I have been living since last June? It
mayn't be in the bond, but I suppose he has made allowance for my
maintenance. Do you mean to say that I am not to have bread-and-cheese
out of Tretton?"

"If I were to turn you out of these rooms you'd find it very difficult
to get it."

"I don't think you'll do that."

"I'm not so sure."

"You