"And what county, or what borough do you intend to honour by representing it? Perhaps the University will return you." "Perhaps it may some of these days." "And, in the meantime, you mean to live on your fellowship, I suppose?" "On that and anything else that I can get." Mr. Bertram sat quiet for some time without speaking, and George also seemed inclined to muse awhile upon the subject. "George," said the uncle, at last, "I think it will be better that we should thoroughly understand each other. You are a good fellow in your way, and I like you well enough. But you must not get into your head any idea that you are to be my heir." "No, sir; I won't." "Because it would only ruin you. My idea is that a man should make his own way in the world as I made mine. If you were my son, it may be presumed that I should do as other men do, and give you my money. And, most probably, you would make no better use of it than the sons of other men who, like me, have made money. But you are not my son." "Quite true, sir; and therefore I shall be saved the danger. At any rate, I shall not be the victim of disappointment." "I am very glad to hear it," said Mr. Bertram, who, however, did not give any proof of his gladness, seeing that he evinced some little addition of acerbity in his temper and asperity in his manner. It was hard to have to deal with a nephew with whom he could find so little ground for complaint. "But I have thought it right to warn you," he continued, "You are aware that up to the present moment the expense of your education has been borne by me." "No, sir; not my education." "Not your education! How, then, has it been borne?" "I speak of my residence at Oxford. I have had a great many indulgences there, and you have paid for them. The expenses of my education I could have paid myself." This was fair on George's part. He had not asked his uncle for a liberal allowance, and was hardly open to blame for having taken it. "I only know I have paid regularly one hundred and fifty pounds a year to your order, and I find from Pritchett"--Pritchett was his man of business--"that I am paying it still." "He sent me the last quarter the other day; but I have not touched it." "Never mind; let that pass. I don't know what your father's views are about you, and never could find out." "I'll ask him. I mean to go and see him." "Go and see him! Why, he's at Bagdad." "Yes. If I start at once I shall just catch him there, or perhaps meet him at Damascus." "Then you'll be a great fool for your pains--a greater fool almost than I take you to be. What do you expect your father can do for you? My belief is, that if four hundred pounds would take him to heaven, he couldn't make up the money. I don't think he could raise it either in Europe or Asia. I'm sure of this; I wouldn't lend it him." "In such a case as that, sir, his personal security would go for so little."