’Certainly not. If that is all you have come about, you have come on a fool’s errand.’ But this was not all. Nanspian wanted to raise the money for paying his brother-in-law. Mr. Physick was better able to accommodate him in this. ’There is another matter I want to know,’ said Nanspian. ’Taverner Langford threatens to disinherit me and my Larry. Can he do it? I reckon not. You have the settlements. The threat is idle and vain as the wind, is it not?’ ’Langford is settled property in tail male,’ answered the solicitor. ’Should Mr. Langford die unmarried and without male issue, it will fall to you, and if you predecease, to your son.’ ’There!’ exclaimed Hillary, drawing a long breath, ’I knew as much; Larry and I are as sure of Langford as if we had our feet on it now. He cannot take it from us. We could, if we chose, raise money on it.’ ’Not so fast, Mr. Nanspian. What aged man is your brother-in-law?’ ’Oh, between fifty-eight and sixty.’ ’He may marry.’ ’Taverner marry!’ exclaimed Hillary; he put his hands on his knees and laughed till he shook. ’Bless me! whom could Taverner marry but Mrs. Veale?—and he won’t take her. He is not such a fool as to turn a servant under him into a mistress over him. But let him. I give him Mrs. Veale, and welcome. May I be at the wedding. Why, she will not see this side of forty, and there is no fear of a family.’ ’He may take some one else.’ ’She would not let him. She holds him under her thumb. Besides, there are none suitable about our neighbourhood. At Swaddledown are only children. Farmer Yelland’s sister at Breazle is in a consumption, and at the rectory Miss Robbins is old. No, Mr. Physick, there is absolutely no one suitable for him.’ ’Then he may take some one unsuitable.’ *CHAPTER VII.* *CORYNDON’S CHARITY.* The opinion gained ground in Bratton Clovelly that it was a pity two such good friends and worthy brothers-in-law should quarrel and be drawn on into acts of violence and vengeance, as seemed probable. As the Coryndon feoffee dinner drew on, expression was given to their opinion pretty freely, and the question was debated. What would happen at the dinner? Would the enemies refuse to meet each other? In that case, which would cede to the other? Perhaps, under the circumstance, the dinner would not take place, and the profits, not being consumed, would be given to the widows. That might establish a dangerous precedent. Widows in future years might quote this; and resist the reintroduction of the dinner. Fortunately widows, though often violent and noisy, are not dangerous animals, and may be browbeaten with impunity. Nevertheless a general consensus of opinion existed among the overseers, and way-wardens, acting, ex-, and prospective, that the dinner must not be allowed to fall through even for one year. Englishmen, with their habitual caution, are very much afraid of establishing a precedent.