'Are they though?' said Mark grimly, as he hung up his hat. 'Yes,' said Trixie; 'come in here for a minute, Mark, while I tell you all about it. Uncle Solomon has been here this afternoon and stayed to dinner and he's been saying, oh, such dreadful things about you. Why weren't you here?' 'I thought I should enjoy my dinner more if I dined out,' said Mark. 'Well, and what's the end of it all, Trixie?' 'I'm sure I don't know what it will be. Uncle Solomon actually wanted me to come and live with him at Chigbourne, and said he would make it worth my while in the end, if I would promise not to have anything more to do with you.' 'Ah, and when are you going?' said Mark, with a cynicism that was only on the surface. 'When!' said Trixie indignantly, 'why, never. Horrid old man! As if I cared about his money! I told him what I thought about things, and I think I made him angrier. I hope so, I'm sure.' 'Did he make the same offer to Martha or Cuthbert?' asked Mark; 'and were they indignant too?' 'They weren't asked. I don't think Uncle Solomon cares about them much; _you're_ his favourite, Mark.' 'Yes, _I'm_ his favourite,' said Mark; 'but I'm not proud, Trixie. Besides, I rather think all that is over now.' Here the door of the next room opened, and Mrs. Ashburn's voice was heard saying, 'Trixie, tell your brother Mark that, if he is in a condition to be spoken to, his father and I have something to say to him at once.' 'Encouraging that,' said Mark. 'Well, Trixie, here goes. You'd better go to bed. I'm afraid we are going to have a scene in there.' He went in with a rather overdone cheerfulness. 'Well, mother,' he began, attempting to kiss her, 'I didn't dine at home to-night because----' 'I know why you didn't dine at home,' she said. 'I wish for no kisses from you, Mark. We have seen your uncle.' 'So have I,' said Mark; 'I lunched with him.' 'It is useless to trifle now,' she said; 'we know all.' 'I assure you I _did_ lunch with him; we had chops,' said Mark, who sometimes found the bland and childlike manner very useful in these emergencies. It did not serve him then, however. 'How could you deceive your uncle in such a manner?' she resumed. 'I didn't. I _un_deceived him.' 'You have disappointed all his plans for you; thrown up the Bar, your position at St. Peter's, all your prospects in life--and for what?' 'For fun, of course, mother. I don't know what I'm fit for or what I want; it's pure idiotic recklessness, isn't it?' 'It is; but don't talk to me in that ribald tone, Mark; I have enough to bear as it is. Once for all I ask you, Is it true what my brother tells me, that you have returned to the mire like the sow in the Scriptures; that you are going to let your name be connected with--with a novel, after all you have promised?' 'Quite true,' said Mark; 'I hope to be connected with many novels.'