s considered, if I can
get a sort of junior partner to do the polite work, and show off the
goods, I think the house of Avenel & Co. might become a pretty
considerable honor to the Britishers. You understand me, sir?"

"Oh, very well," answered Mr. Dale smiling, though rather gravely.

"Now," continued the New Man, "I'm not ashamed to have risen in life by
my own merits; and I don't disguise what I've been. And, when I'm in my
own grand house, I'm fond of saying, 'I landed at New York with L10 in
my purse, and here I am!' But it would not do to have the old folks with
me. People take you with all your faults, if you're rich; but they won't
swallow your family into the bargain. So if I don't have my own father
and mother, whom I love dearly, and should like to see sitting at table,
with my servants behind their chairs, I could still less have sister
Jane. I recollect her very well, and she can't have got genteeler as
she's grown older. Therefore I beg you'll not set her on coming after
me; it won't do by any manner of means. Don't say a word about me to
her. But send the boy down here to his grandfather, and I'll see him
quietly, you understand."

"Yes, but it will be hard to separate her from the boy."

"Stuff! all boys are separated from their parents when they go into the
world. So that's settled! Now, just tell me. I know the old folks always
snubbed Jane--that is, mother did. My poor dear father never snubbed any
of us. Perhaps mother has not behaved altogether well to Jane. But we
must not blame her for that; you see this is how it happened. There were
a good many of us, while father and mother kept shop in the High-street,
so we were all to be provided for anyhow; and Jane, being very useful
and handy at work, got a place when she was a little girl, and had no
time for learning. Afterward my father made a lucky hit, in getting my
Lord Lansmere's custom after an election, in which he did a great deal
for the Blues (for he was a famous electioneerer, my poor father). My
Lady stood godmother to Nora; and then most of my brothers and sisters
died off, and father retired from business; and when he took Jane from
service, she was so common-like that mother could not help contrasting
her with Nora. You see Jane was their child when they were poor little
shop-people, with their heads scarce above water; and Nora was their
child when they were well off, and had retired from trade, and lived
genteel: so that makes a grea