An abode of wealth! and yet there were few signs of riches in the scantily furnished, bare, and matted room, beneath whose windows, in grey, shining haze, lay the extensive prospect of the valley beneath the town. A hard room, full of unornamental book-cases, with one small table, severely erect and square, and on that a heavy desk, a solid inkstand, some piles of papers, a pen-wiper, and a purse. The eyes of the nephew wandered to these things before he accepted the hand held out to him; and it was not until he was seated, and his mind was more composed, that he ventured to raise his glance to his uncle’s face. It was not often that he was agitated, but then this interview meant so much to him! Mr Lee, on his part, had found no difficulty in surveying his visitor with a steady gaze; though even for him there was a little agitation, displayed in the colour that mounted in his face. Perhaps the sight of his sister’s son affected him, the sister towards whom he had been unforgiving, and who was dead; or perhaps he almost repented the relenting that had induced him to send to his nephew and demand an interview. His original refusal to see his young relations for a while had been so firm, had been so uncompromising! and yet for once he had actually changed his mind, not only before winter, but even before autumn came. Some feeling of curiosity may have prompted him, or some remonstrance of the Squire who was his friend, or the fact that during the last month he had been ill, and that he was a lonely man, and that his wealth had no heir. Whatever the cause, his change of action was now a fact, for here before him was the young man, his sister’s son.