This was a very generous offer on the part of the old gentleman. Philip most heartily wished that the offer had been made before, so that he might have been saved the necessity of ennobling the blood of the Sampsons. Better late than never; for by this liberality a burden was removed from his mind, which had very seriously and heavily weighed upon him; and he began again to see some prospect of holding up his head again, and living like a man of rank and family. His acknowledgments to the old gentleman were profuse and liberal, as the old gentleman's offers to him. Mr. Martindale the elder interrupted his acknowledgments, saying: "I don't want your thanks, young man; but let us understand one another. You know I must do something for my own daughter and her family; but I do not forget the name of Martindale. You may yet do honor to it; though I cannot for the life of me imagine what your father could be thinking about to suffer himself to be raised to the peerage. Foolish vanity. Well, but that can't be helped now. However, as I was saying, I shall not forget you or your family. Now you have enough with tolerable management to live respectably; but if you attempt to live more than respectably, you will end with living less so. Accordingly as you conduct yourself, so you will find my will. I will not leave my property to be wasted." The old gentleman in the midst of his speech suddenly stopped, and leaving the room for a few minutes, returned with a handful of memorandums. Throwing them on the table, and hastily looking over them, he presently took up one of them, and said: "Now, look ye here. This is a memorandum of that part of my will which concerns you. After stating a number of legacies, which I can tell you, young man, do not dip very deeply into the property, I bequeath to you all that remains on these conditions; namely, that you shall not for one whole year previous to my decease have attended any races, or cock-fights, or boxing-matches; that you shall not have lost or won by any bet or game any sum exceeding fifty pounds; and that you shall not have given any entertainments at an expense exceeding two hundred pounds; and provided also, that at the time of my decease you shall not be in debt. There, now you know what you have to depend upon. I hope you will make good use of the information. You see I am very candid; I have no wish to keep you in the dark. If after this you are disinherited, you will disinherit yourself. Don't complain of me for being harsh and cynical. There are numbers of young men who would be very glad of such a conditional legacy; but I am very much afraid you will be simple enough to lose your chance. Remember, I have forewarned you." Philip repeated and said all that ought to be repeated and said on such an occasion. But old John Martindale did not believe his protestations, and placed no very great confidence in his strength of mind. CHAPTER IV.