"Worse than that." "Worse?" "Much worse. But why did you send my sister to my chambers?" "But what have you done, papa? You don't mean that you have given the shark more than he demands?" "I don't know that he's a shark. Why shouldn't the man want five hundred pounds with his wife? Mr. Barry would want much more with you, and would be entitled to ask for much more." "You are my father." "Yes; but those poor girls have been taught to look upon me almost as their father." "But what have you done?" "I have promised them each three hundred and fifty pounds on their wedding day,--three hundred pounds to go to their husbands, and fifty pounds for wedding expenses,--on condition that they marry with my approval. I shall not be so hard to please for them as for you." "And you have approved of Mr. Juniper?" "I have already set on foot inquiries down at Newmarket; and I have made an exception in favor of Mr. Juniper. He is to have four hundred and fifty pounds. Jane only asked four hundred pounds to begin with. You are not to find fault with me." "No; that is part of the bargain. I wonder whether my aunt knew what a thoroughly good-natured thing I did. We must have no more puddings now, and you must come down by the omnibus." "It is not quite so bad as that, Dolly." "When one has given away one's money extravagantly one ought to be made to feel the pinch one's self. But dear, dear, darling old man! why shouldn't you give away your money as you please? I don't want it. I am not in the least afraid but what there will be plenty for me. But when the girl talks about her five hundred pounds so glibly, as though she had a right to expect it, and spoke of this jockey with such inward pride of heart--" "A girl ought to be proud of her husband." "Your niece ought not to be proud of marrying a groom. But she angered me, and so did my aunt,--though I pitied her. Then I reflected that they could get nothing from me in my anger,--not even a promise of a good word. So I sent her to you. It was, at any rate, the best thing I could do for them." Mr. Grey thought that it was. CHAPTER XXXV. MR. BARRY AND MR. JUNIPER. The joy in Bolsover Terrace was intense when Mrs. Carroll returned home. "We are all to have three hundred and fifty pound fortunes when we get husbands!" said Georgina, anticipating at once the pleasures of matrimony. "I am to have four hundred and fifty," said Amelia. "I do think he might have made it five hundred pounds. If I had it to give away, I never would show the cloven foot about the last fifty pounds!" "But he's only to have four hundred pounds," said Sophia. "Your things are to be bought with the other fifty pounds." "I never can do it for fifty pounds," said Amelia. "I did not expect that I was to find my own trousseau out of my own fortune." "Girls, how can you be so ungrateful?" said their mother.