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Rh understand it at all. After all you and papa said about poor Herbert's marriage to the grand-daughter of a—cobbler—how could you think of my marrying Mr. John Derrick, whose grandfather was—"

"Never mind his grandfather, my dear; it is not his grandfather, or father either, that you are to marry. I had not much of a grandfather, but yet Lord Darlington was only too glad to marry me, and, to tell the truth, if you do not make a good marriage I do not know what is to become of us, for he has made away with all I that. The reason why we were so displeased at Herbert's marriage was that there was a sort of understanding that he was to marry you when you were old enough."

"Oh! that would have been very different," said Lady Eveline.

"Indeed, on the whole I think this is much better for you, because Herbert was poor, at least during his uncle's life-time, and now I hear that old Mr. Herbert has left him his whole fortune, he was so pleased with his prudent marriage. But this Mr. Derrick should have half-a-million, if report speaks true of his father's wealth, and the old gentleman seems as desirous of the alliance with our family as his son is, so that everything will be easy——"