. In the
abstract it was not throwing anything away. Perhaps, had there been some
public commission to reward with good incomes the struggling and
honourable, these might not have been the chosen names; but yet it was
all legitimate, honest, in the light of Lucy's exceptional position.
The husband and wife stood and looked at it together in this moment of
their reunion, when both had escaped from the deadliest perils that
could threaten life--the loss of their child, the loss of their union.
It was hard to tell which would have been the most mortal blow.

"He says I must prevent you; that you cannot have thought what you were
doing; that it is madness, Lucy."

"I think I was nearly mad," said Lucy simply. "I thought to get rid of
it whatever might happen to me--that was best."

"Let us look at it now in our full senses," said Sir Tom.

Lucy grasped his arm with both her hands. "Tom," she said in a hurried
tone, "this is the only thing in which I ever set myself against you. It
was the beginning of all our trouble; and I might have to do that again.
What does it matter if perhaps we might do it more wisely now? All these
people are poor, and there is the money to make them well off; that is
what my father meant. He meant it to be scattered again, like seed given
back to the reaper. He used to say so. Shall not we let it go as it is,
and be done with it and avoid trouble any more?"

He stood holding her in his arms, looking over the paper. It was a great
deal of money. To sacrifice a great deal of money does not affect a
young woman who has never known any need of it in her life, but a man in
middle age who knows all about it, that makes a great difference. Many
thoughts passed through the mind of Sir Tom. It was a moment in which
Lucy's heart was very soft. She was ready to do anything for the husband
to whom, she thought, she had been unjust. And it was hard upon him to
diminish his own importance and cut off at a stroke by such a sacrifice
half the power and importance of the wealth which was his, though Lucy
might be the source of it. Was he to consent to this loss, not even
wisely, carefully arranged, but which might do little good to any one,
and to him harm unquestionable? He stood silent for some time thinking,
almost disposed to tear up the paper and throw it away. But then he
began to reflect of other things more important than money; of unbroken
peace and happiness; of Lucy's faithful, loyal spirit that wou