‘I met young Fellows in the city this afternoon, Mrs Bouchers’ brother, you know, and he told me that it is commonly said in Hampstead that you are engaged, or about to be engaged, to Miss Crampton.’ ‘What of it?’ said Frederick carelessly. ‘Surely it is not true! Surely, with your antecedents, Frederick, you are not thinking of marrying any respectable woman!’ ‘Would you prefer my marrying a disreputable one, then, Philip?’ ‘Most certainly not! What I mean is, that, under the circumstances, you have no right to marry at all. How can you go up to God’s holy altar with any woman, whilst that unfortunate girl down at Luton is even now expiating the awful sin you led her into?’ ‘Of course, it is quite impossible that it was she who led me instead of the other way?’ said Frederick, interrogatively. ‘Whosoever fault it may have been in the first instance, you know that you are responsible now.’ ‘And I am quite ready to meet my responsibilities. Do you want me to marry the straw-plaiter down at Luton?’ ‘No, no! I want you to do nothing but alter your mode of living, Frederick, and try and be a decent member of society. It is terrible to think how you go on, without care for yourself or others, without a thought of God, or the future that lies before you. If poor Sir Frederick Ascher had only foreseen the uses his money would have been put to, he would have thought twice before he left it to you.’ ‘Yes! but, luckily for me, he didn’t foresee, so I can do as I like about it. Has Father Tasker a lecture in store for me as well?’ inquired Frederick, turning to the priest. ‘No! my son, we are not in the confessional, where I could wish we met oftener; but I would like to remind you that, although your late godfather made no actual conditions regarding the expenditure of the fortune he left you, yet his wishes, that it should be devoted to the church, were so strongly expressed, as almost to amount to a demand, and I cannot believe that any blessing will follow a different disposition of it.’ ‘I have confessed to no intention of marrying, remember, but should I ever do so, my wife will be my church, and I shall settle my money upon her.’ But this was a blasphemy that neither Philip Walcheren nor the priest could pass over in silence. ‘Be careful, my son, be careful,’ cried the one, ‘lest the curse of Heaven, and the church you despise, are both provoked against you.’ ‘I cannot believe, Frederick, that you seriously mean what you say,’ exclaimed his cousin. ‘The money is only yours for your lifetime, and, if you do not dedicate it to the holy church at your death, some fearful calamity will surely overtake you, or those to whom you wrongfully give it.’