His lordship ceased. Philip was too much and too deeply interested to interrupt him till he finished; and then he uttered very earnest and sincere wishes for his father's recovery, and also he avowed that, whatever might be in his power, he would willingly do for his younger brothers. Seriously, however, he was affected at the prospect which was now before him; for by a little confused mental reckoning, he made it out that nearly the whole proceeds of the entailed estate were necessary for the payment of the encumbrances. Selfish or ungenerous the young man certainly was not--his only wish was to keep up his dignity, and get rid of the encumbrances with which he had embarrassed himself. He made to his father every protestation that under circumstances were necessary or requisite. When, after a little farther talk on the subject, Lord Martindale seemed revived, Philip expressed his readiness to accept of and to perform the duties of any station or place that might be assigned him; but the difficulty with him was how such place was to be procured. Mr. Martindale the elder had, it is true, some borough influence, but not enough to command any thing great. "Perhaps," said Philip, "it may be best to insure a fortune by a marriage which may easily be made. I allude to the daughter of Sir Gilbert Sampson." Lord Martindale looked thoughtful, and was silent for a minute or two, and then said: "It would have been more agreeable could you have formed an union with a lady of better family; but under present circumstances, I fear that if you have no insuperable objections, it will be advisable to submit to this arrangement. Sir Gilbert Sampson is a very respectable and intelligent man. I know nothing against him, but the unpleasant circumstance of his city origin." This also was the only objection that Mr. Philip knew. His wealth was undoubted, and his affection for his child such as that his whole wealth would ultimately be hers. How much immediately would devolve upon her was uncertain. Philip would have had a little more confidence in proposing and in speaking of the subject of dowry, had he possessed some tangible rent-roll to exhibit on his own side; but the idea of carrying his nobility to market rather pained and mortified him. He would have confided to the liberality of Sir Gilbert; but the fact was, that he could not afford to confide to any one's liberality. Such also he knew to be Sir Gilbert's disposition, that desirous as the worthy citizen might be to purchase nobility for his child, he would not suffer the earnings of his industry to be made the means of liberating any nobleman's estate from the claims of the money-lenders. CHAPTER III. "Ay, and we are betrothed; nay more, our marriage-hour, With all the cunning manner of our flight, Determined of." SHAKSPEARE.