"Well," replied Griffith, "I think of all that falls from your lips, and your will is mine; only for pity's sake do not wed any man but me. You have known me so long; why, you know the worst of me by this time; and you have only seen the outside of _him_." "Detraction! is that what you wanted to say to me?" asked Kate, freezing suddenly. "Nay, nay; it was about the abbey. I find you can be an abbess without going and shutting yourself up and breaking one's heart. The way is, you build a convent in Ireland, and endow it; and then you send a nun over to govern it under you. Bless your heart, you can do anything with money; and I shall have money enough before the day is over. To be sure, I _did_ intend to build a kennel and keep harriers, and you know that costs a good penny: but we couldn't manage a kennel and an abbey too; so now down goes the English kennel, and up goes the Irish abbey." "But you are a Protestant gentleman. You could not found a nunnery." "But my wife could. Whose business is it what she does with her money?" "With your money, you mean." "Nay, with hers, when I give it her with all my heart." "Well, you astonish me," said Kate, thoughtfully. "Tell me, now, who put it into your head to bribe a poor girl in this abominable way?" "Who put it in my head?" said Griffith, looking rather puzzled; "why, I suppose my heart put it in my head." Kate smiled very sweetly at this answer, and a wild hope thrilled through Griffith that perhaps she might be brought to terms. But at this crisis the lawyer from London was announced, and Griffith, as master of the house, was obliged to seat the company. He looked bitterly disappointed at the interruption, but put a good face on it, and had more chairs in, and saw them all seated, beginning with Kate and the other ladies. The room was spacious, and the entire company sat in the form of a horse-shoe. The London solicitor was introduced by Griffith, and bowed in a short, business-like way, seated himself in the horse-shoe aforesaid, and began to read the will aloud. It was a lengthy document, and there is nothing to be gained by repeating every line of it. I pick out a clause here and there. "I, Septimus Charlton, of Hernshaw Castle and Bolton Grange, in the County of Cumberland, Esquire, being of sound mind, memory, and understanding,--thanks be to God,--do make this my last will and testament, as follows:-- "First, I commit my soul to God who gave it, and my body to the earth from which it came. I desire my executors to discharge my funeral and testamentary expenses, my just debts, and the legacies hereinafter bequeathed, out of my personal estate." Then followed several legacies of fifty and one hundred guineas; then several small legacies, such as the following:-- "To my friend Edward Peyton, of Peyton Hall, Esquire, ten guineas to buy a mourning ring. "To the worshipful gentlemen and ladies who shall follow my body to the grave, ten guineas each, to buy a mourning ring."