covery that he was still a bachelor, while
he was still at the very beginning of the honeymoon, as it were, of his
renewed unmarried life, I broached my scheme, desired him to give up his
shop, and offered him 300 pounds a year for managing (so far indeed as it
required any managing) his own property. This 300 pounds a year, I need
hardly say, I made him charge to the estate.

If anything had been wanting to complete his happiness it was this. Here,
within three or four days he found himself freed from one of the most
hideous, hopeless _liaisons_ imaginable, and at the same time raised from
a life of almost squalor to the enjoyment of what would to him be a
handsome income.

"A pound a week," he thought, "for Ellen, and the rest for myself."

"No," said I, "we will charge Ellen's pound a week to the estate also.
You must have a clear 300 pounds for yourself."

I fixed upon this sum, because it was the one which Mr Disraeli gave
Coningsby when Coningsby was at the lowest ebb of his fortunes. Mr
Disraeli evidently thought 300 pounds a year the smallest sum on which
Coningsby could be expected to live, and make the two ends meet; with
this, however, he thought his hero could manage to get along for a year
or two. In 1862, of which I am now writing, prices had risen, though not
so much as they have since done; on the other hand Ernest had had less
expensive antecedents than Coningsby, so on the whole I thought 300
pounds a year would be about the right thing for him.

CHAPTER LXXIX

The question now arose what was to be done with the children. I
explained to Ernest that their expenses must be charged to the estate,
and showed him how small a hole all the various items I proposed to
charge would make in the income at my disposal. He was beginning to make
difficulties, when I quieted him by pointing out that the money had all
come to me from his aunt, over his own head, and reminded him there had
been an understanding between her and me that I should do much as I was
doing, if occasion should arise.

He wanted his children to be brought up in the fresh pure air, and among
other children who were happy and contented; but being still ignorant of
the fortune that awaited him, he insisted that they should pass their
earlier years among the poor rather than the rich. I remonstrated, but
he was very decided about it; and when I reflected that they were
illegitimate, I was not sure but that what Ernest proposed