is income; but that
contingencies might arise, as his father suggested, which would deprive
him of the power of earning a livelihood, perhaps when it might be more
required than it would be at first; that it was true that, after his
mother's death a small estate in Shropshire would come to him as second
son, and of course Ellinor would receive the benefit of this property,
secured to her legally as Mr. Wilkins thought best--that being a matter
for after discussion--but that at present his father was anxious, as
might be seen from the extract to ascertain whether Mr. Wilkins could
secure him from the contingency of having his son's widow and possible
children thrown upon his hands, by giving Ellinor a dowry; and if so, it
was gently insinuated, what would be the amount of the same.

When Mr. Wilkins received this letter it startled him out of a happy day-
dream. He liked Ralph Corbet and the whole connection quite well enough
to give his consent to an engagement; and sometimes even he was glad to
think that Ellinor's future was assured, and that she would have a
protector and friends after he was dead and gone. But he did not want
them to assume their responsibilities so soon. He had not distinctly
contemplated her marriage as an event likely to happen before his death.
He could not understand how his own life would go on without her: or
indeed why she and Ralph Corbet could not continue just as they were at
present. He came down to breakfast with the letter in his hand. By
Ellinor's blushes, as she glanced at the handwriting, he knew that she
had heard from her lover by the same post; by her tender
caresses--caresses given as if to make up for the pain which the prospect
of her leaving him was sure to cause him--he was certain that she was
aware of the contents of the letter. Yet he put it in his pocket, and
tried to forget it.

He did this not merely from his reluctance to complete any arrangements
which might facilitate Ellinor's marriage. There was a further annoyance
connected with the affair. His money matters had been for some time in
an involved state; he had been living beyond his income, even reckoning
that, as he always did, at the highest point which it ever touched. He
kept no regular accounts, reasoning with himself--or, perhaps, I should
rather say persuading himself--that there was no great occasion for
regular accounts, when he had a steady income arising from his
profession, as well as the int