answer it. But it is natural that the father should yearn for the
son, while the son's feeling for the father is of a very much weaker
nature. Here, at any rate, was that engagement made which he had
ever desired. And his son had made a step, though it was so very
unsatisfactory a step, towards reconciliation. When the old man read
the letter a second time, he skipped that reference to fatted calves
which had been so peculiarly distasteful to him, and before the
evening had passed he had answered his son as follows;--

Saulsby, December 29, 186--.

MY DEAR CHILTERN,

I have received your letter, and am truly delighted to hear that dear
Violet has accepted you as her husband. Her fortune will be very
material to you, but she herself is better than any fortune. You have
long known my opinion of her. I shall be proud to welcome her as a
daughter to my house.

I shall of course write to her immediately, and will endeavour to
settle some early day for her coming here. When I have done so, I
will write to you again, and can only say that I will endeavour to
make Saulsby comfortable to you.

Your affectionate father,

BRENTFORD.

Richards, the groom, is still here. You had perhaps better write to
him direct about your horses.

By the middle of February arrangements had all been made, and Violet
met her lover at his father's house. She in the meantime had been
with her aunt, and had undergone a good deal of mild unceasing
persecution. "My dear Violet," said her aunt to her on her arrival
at Baddingham, speaking with a solemnity that ought to have been
terrible to the young lady, "I do not know what to say to you."

"Say 'how d'you do?' aunt," said Violet.

"I mean about this engagement," said Lady Baldock, with an increase
of awe-inspiring severity in her voice.

"Say nothing about it at all, if you don't like it," said Violet.

"How can I say nothing about it? How can I be silent? Or how am I to
congratulate you?"

"The least said, perhaps, the soonest mended," and Violet smiled as
she spoke.

"That is very well, and if I had no duty to perform, I would be
silent. But, Violet, you have been left in my charge. If I see you
shipwrecked in life, I shall ever tell myself that the fault has been
partly mine."

"Nay, aunt, that will be quite unnecessary. I will always admit that
you did everything in your power to--to--to--make me run straight, as
the sporting men