E-text prepared by Andrew Turek and revised by Rita Bailey and Joseph E. Loewenstein, M.D. THE BELTON ESTATE by ANTHONY TROLLOPE First published in serial form in the _Fortnightly Review_ in 1865 and in book form the same year CONTENTS I. THE REMNANTS OF THE AMEDROZ FAMILY. II. THE HEIR PROPOSES TO VISIT HIS COUSINS. III. WILL BELTON. IV. SAFE AGAINST LOVE-MAKING. V. NOT SAFE AGAINST LOVE-MAKING. VI. SAFE AGAINST LOVE-MAKING ONCE AGAIN. VII. MISS AMEDROZ GOES TO PERIVALE. VIII. CAPTAIN AYLMER MEETS HIS CONSTITUENTS. IX. CAPTAIN AYLMER'S PROMISE TO HIS AUNT. X. SHOWING HOW CAPTAIN AYLMER KEPT HIS PROMISE. XI. MISS AMEDROZ IS TOO CANDID BY HALF. XII. MISS AMEDROZ RETURNS HOME. XIII. MR. WILLIAM BELTON TAKES A WALK IN THE COUNTRY. XIV. MR. WILLIAM BELTON TAKES A WALK IN LONDON. XV. EVIL WORDS. XVI. THE HEIR'S SECOND VISIT TO BELTON. XVII. AYLMER PARK. XVIII. MRS. ASKERTON'S STORY. XIX. MISS AMEDROZ HAS ANOTHER CHANCE. XX. WILLIAM BELTON DOES NOT GO OUT HUNTING. XXI. MRS. ASKERTON'S GENEROSITY. XXII. PASSIONATE PLEADING. XXIII. THE LAST DAY AT BELTON. XXIV. THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY HOTEL. XXV. MISS AMEDROZ HAS SOME HASHED CHICKEN. XXVI. THE AYLMER PARK HASHED CHICKEN COMES TO AN END. XXVII. ONCE MORE BACK TO BELTON. XXVIII. MISS AMEDROZ IS PURSUED. XXIX. THERE IS NOTHING TO TELL. XXX. MARY BELTON. XXXI. TAKING POSSESSION. XXXII. CONCLUSION. CHAPTER I. THE REMNANTS OF THE AMEDROZ FAMILY. Mrs. Amedroz, the wife of Bernard Amedroz, Esq., of Belton Castle, and mother of Charles and Clara Amedroz, died when those children were only eight and six years old, thereby subjecting them to the greatest misfortune which children born in that sphere of life can be made to suffer. And, in the case of this boy and girl the misfortune was aggravated greatly by the peculiarities of the father's character. Mr. Amedroz was not a bad man,--as men are held to be bad in the world's esteem. He was not vicious,--was not a gambler or a drunkard,--was not self-indulgent to a degree that brought upon him any reproach; nor was he regardless of his children. But he was an idle, thriftless man, who, at the age of sixty-seven, when the reader will first make his acquaintance, had as yet done no good in the world whatever. Indeed he had done terrible evil; for his son Charles was now dead,--had perished by his own hand,--and the state of things which had brought about this woful event had been chiefly due to the father's neglect.