"I didn't exactly say that." "Then what the devil did you say?" "Why, I told him that, looking at what the property was, twelve hundred pounds wasn't much." "I should think not either." "And that if his son was to be allowed to have it all--" "A bastard, you know, keeping it away from the proper heir." It may almost be doubted whether, in so speaking, Aby did not almost think that he himself had a legitimate right to inherit the property at Castle Richmond. "He must look to pay up handsome." "But did you say what 'andsome meant?" "Well, I didn't--not then. He fell about upon the table like, and I wasn't quite sure he wouldn't make a die of it; and then heaven knows what might have happened to me." "Psha; you 'as no pluck, governor." "I'll tell you what it is, Aby, I ain't so sure you'd have such an uncommon deal of pluck yourself." "Well, I'll try, at any rate." "It isn't such a pleasant thing to see an old gentleman in that state. And what would happen if he chose to ring the bell and order the police to take me? Have you ever thought of that?" "Gammon." "But it isn't gammon. A word from him would put me into quod, and there I should be for the rest of my days. But what would you care for that?" And poor Mr. Mollett senior shook under the bedclothes as his attention became turned to this very dreary aspect of his affairs. "Pluck, indeed! I'll tell you what it is, Aby, I often wonder at my own pluck." "Psha! Wouldn't a word from you split upon him, and upon her, and upon the young 'un, and ruin 'em? Or a word from me either, for the matter of that?" Mr. Mollett senior shook again. He repented now, as he had already done twenty times, that he had taken that son of his into his confidence. "And what on hearth did you say to him?" continued Aby. "Well, not much more then; at least, not very much more. There was a good deal of words, but they didn't seem to lead to much, except this, just to make him understand that he must come down handsome." "And there was nothing done about Hemmiline?" "No," said the father, rather shortly. "If that was settled, that would be the clincher. There would be no further trouble to nobody then. It would be all smooth sailing for your life, governor, and lots of tin." "I tell you what it is, Aby, you may just drop that, for I won't have the young lady bothered about it, nor yet the young lady's father." "You won't, won't you?" "No, I won't; so there's an end of it." "I suppose I may pay my distresses to any young lady if I think fitting." "And have yourself kicked into the ditch." "I know too much for kicking, governor." "They shall know as much as you do, and more too, if you go on with that. There's a measure in all things. I won't have it done, so I tell you." And the father turned his face round to the wall.