"Oh! ha! who are you, sir?" the youth began, but paused when he saw some convulsive twitching taking possession of my hands; and an expression far removed from either philosophy or politeness spreading around my eyes. "This here is young Rayleigh," said the old man, "and p'r'aps he'll be more open to reason and twenty-seven thousand five hundred pounds." "Thirty seconds are elapsed," I said, going forward to the young man; "you have but thirty more." My hand advanced, but, luckily before the thirty seconds were exhausted, the door had closed on the hateful presence, and my father held out his hand. "Thank you, Henry--I am obliged to you, Henry," he said; and I had never heard him call me by my name since the memorable character bestowed on me by the head of St John's. He looked me all over, as he spoke, from head to foot: he seemed surprised and pleased at the result of his survey. "They are vulgar people," he said, "and have irritated me past endurance by their insulting offers. They have never ventured to present themselves here till now; and, from the reception we have given them, I hardly think they will repeat their visit." "I am sorry, sir, you allowed them to chafe you." "I will not do so in future. You will be beside me, Henry; the father and son together can offer a bold face to the world in spite of these crumbling walls. We can despise the dross of that vile Croesus, and keep the Rayleigh mansion-house in the Rayleigh name." "Who is he?" "The possessor of every other portion of the estate but this; his name is Jeeks, and the young fellow is his son--his only child, I believe--very rich, and very disgusting. Let us think of them no more." That evening we had a long and confidential talk; and I perceived that, though he had finally given up all intention of getting me into the church, in the hopes of patching up the holes in the old roof with a mitre, he had fully made up his mind on the subject of a widow. I rejoiced that Mrs Coutts was already disposed of. He talked a long time of jointures, three per cents, India stock; and I--O youth! O hope!--I mused all the time on the beautiful eyes and sweet smiles of my unknown enchantress, and made pious resolutions to betake myself, like some ancient anchorite, to the Wilderness, for the purpose of worship and meditation. CHAPTER III. Lucy Ashton was under the tree--Amy, like a sensible child, busily employed at a little distance gathering flowers; the sun shining, the bees humming, the birds chirruping. "You made me wretched all yesterday," I said. "Indeed! had the worthy Caleb no device to cheer the young master's solitude?" "Impossible, even for Caleb's ingenuity, to supply the want of society as he contrives to hide the absence of silver plate. Ah, why did you not come?" "I don't recollect having promised to expose poor Amy again to the assaults of a wild boar." "Or yourself to the conversation of a person like me."