I woke her up; children are usually cross when
wakened."

"Are they?--little dears! Well, sir, so I was right, then; may I see the
letter?"

"There it is."

Ferrers drew his chair to the fire, and read his own production with all
the satisfaction of an anonymous author.

"How kind!--how considerate!--how delicately put!--a double favour! But
perhaps, after all, it does not express your wishes."

"In what way?"

"Why--why--about myself."

"_You!_--is there anything about _you_ in it?--I did not observe
_that_--let me see."

"Uncles never selfish!--mem. for commonplace book!" thought Ferrers.

The uncle knit his brows as he re-perused the letter. "This won't do,
Lumley," said he very shortly, when he had done.

"A seat in parliament is too much honour for a poor nephew, then, sir?"
said Lumley, very bitterly, though he did not feel at all bitter; but
it was the proper tone. "I have done all in my power to advance your
ambition, and you will not even lend a hand to forward me one step in my
career. But, forgive me, sir, I have no right to expect it."

"Lumley," replied Templeton, kindly, "you mistake me. I think much more
highly of you than I did--much: there is a steadiness, a sobriety about
you most praiseworthy, and you shall go into parliament if you wish it;
but not for C------. I will give my interest there to some other friend
of the government, and in return they can give you a treasury borough!
That is the same thing to you."

Lumley was agreeably surprised--he pressed his uncle's hand warmly, and
thanked him cordially. Mr. Templeton proceeded to explain to him that it
was inconvenient and expensive sitting for places where one's family was
known, and Lumley fully subscribed to all.

"As for the settlement of the peerage, that is all right," said
Templeton; and then he sank into a reverie, from which he broke
joyously--"yes, that is all right. I have projects, objects--this
may unite them all--nothing can be better--you will be the next
lord--what--I say, what title shall we have?"

"Oh, take a sounding one--you have very little landed property, I
think?"

"Two thousand a year in ------shire, bought a bargain."

"What's the name of the place?"

"Grubley."

"Lord Grubley!--Baron Grubley of Grubley--oh, atrocious! Who had the
place before you?"

"Bought it of Mr. Sheepshanks--very old family."

"But surely some old Norman once had the place?"

"Norman, yes! Henry the Second gave it to h