over Hill." She did as she was bade, and then they started. "I
want to tell you," said he, "that this Mr. Hamel of yours came to me
in Lombard Street."

"I know that, Uncle Tom."

"He has written to you, then, and told you all about it?"

"He has written to me, certainly, and I have answered him."

"No doubt. Well, Lucy, I had intended to be kind to your Mr. Hamel,
but, as you are probably aware, I was not enabled to carry out my
intentions. He seems to be a very independent sort of young man."

"He is independent, I think."

"I have not a word to say against it. If a man can be independent it
is so much the better. If a man can do everything for himself, so
as to require neither to beg nor to borrow, it will be much better
for him. But, my dear, you must understand that a man cannot be
independent with one hand, and accept assistance with the other, at
one and the same time."

"That is not his character, I am sure," said Lucy, striving to hide
her indignation while she defended her lover's character.

"I do not think it is. Therefore he must remain independent, and I
can do nothing for him."

"He knows that, Uncle Tom."

"Very well. Then there's an end of it. I only want to make you
understand that I was willing to assist him, but that he was
unwilling to be assisted. I like him all the better for it, but there
must be an end of it."

"I quite understand, Uncle Tom."

"Then there's one other thing I've got to say. He accused me of
having threatened to turn you out of my house. Now, my dear--"
Hereupon Lucy struggled to say a word, hardly knowing what word she
ought to say, but he interrupted her,--"Just hear me out till I've
done, and then there need not be another word about it. I never
threatened to turn you out."

"Not you, Uncle Tom," she said, endeavouring to press his arm with
her hand.

"If your aunt said a word in her anger you should not have made
enough of it to write and tell him."

"I thought she meant me to go, and then I didn't know whom else to
ask."

"Neither I nor she, nor anybody else, ever intended to turn you out.
I have meant to be kind to you both,--to you and Ayala; and if things
have gone wrong I cannot say that it has been my fault. Now, you had
better stay here, and not say a word more about it till he is ready
to take you. That can't be yet for a long time. He is making, at
present, not more than two hundred a year. And I am sure it must be
quite as much as he can do to