"And her own brothers?" "She should be able to do for them all she does now." "All she does now! Do you know what that is?" "She should be able to do more than she does now. Reginald should live as he ought." "He shall have three good meals a day, and cooked for him: is that it? And the two little boys?" "They should be as much better off as he. I do not forget that I have the whole inheritance, which might have been divided." "Yes, the means for their material bread might be supplied by another; but it is from her own soul that she feeds theirs. And then, homage, Westlake,--homage, that sweetest draught! Do you suppose it is least sweet when most deserved?" "I have nothing, then, to offer which could tempt her?" asked Westlake, a little crestfallen. "You have nothing to offer, the world has nothing to offer, which could tempt her to resign her little empire;--little now, but which she sees widening out in futurity through her three brothers' work and their children's." "I knew," said Westlake, after he had sat for a few moments in dissatisfied silence, "I knew I had once an uncle who went off to parts unknown; but it never occurred to me that he might have descendants to whom I might owe duties. Have they not claims upon me?" "No more than you on them. Their ancestor made his choice, as yours made his. They have the portion of goods that falleth to them. They are quite as content with their share as you are with yours. Moreover, each party is free to complete his inheritance without prejudice to the other. They can recover the worldly wealth they gave up, if they choose to turn their endeavors in that direction; and nothing forbids to your children the energy and self-denial which are their birthright as much as that of their cousins. "New England never gives up her own. A son of hers may think he has separated himself forever from her and from her principles, but she reclaims him in his children or in his children's children. "You have forgotten your tie to the old home. The conditions of your life forbid you to remember it. But your heart formerly rebelled against these conditions. It has never ceased to protest. Reginald's protests already, and will some day protest to purpose." "You think so!" cried Westlake; then, checking himself, "I am glad, at least, that you think so; it proves that you like him. I was afraid"----