'My dear, do not say "guess" in that very provincial fashion! I shall not ask Mr. Dallas to play at buying and selling in such a way. It would be trifling with him. I should be ashamed to do it. Besides, I have no intention of going back to Sea forth till your education is ended; and by that time--if I live to see that time--I shall have so little of life left that it will not matter where I spend it.' Esther did not know how to go on. 'Papa, could we not do without Buonaparte? I could get to school some other way?' 'How?' Esther pondered. 'Could I not arrange to go in Mrs. Blumenfeld's waggon, when it goes in Monday morning?' 'Who is Mrs. Blumenfeld?' 'Why, papa, she is the woman that has the market garden over here. You know.' 'Do I understand you aright?' said the colonel, laying his book down for the moment and looking over at his daughter. 'Are you proposing to go into town with the cabbages?' 'Papa, I do not mind. I would not mind at all, if it would be a relief to you. Mrs. Blumenfeld's waggon is very neat.' 'My dear, I am surprised at you!' 'Papa, I would do _anything_, rather than give you trouble. And, after all, I should be just as much myself, if I did go with the cabbages.' 'We will say no more about it, if you please,' said the colonel, taking up his book again. 'One moment, papa! one word more. Papa, I am so afraid of doing something I ought not. Can you not give me a hint, what sort of proportion our expenditures ought to bear to our old ways?' 'There is the rent, and the keeping of the horse, to be made good. Those are additions to our expenses; and there are no additions to my income. You know now as much as I can tell you.'