'That, Elsie, is my unfortunate experience of women--always in the way of business, which of course may bring out the worst qualities. In society, of which I have little experience, they are doubtless--charming--charming.' He repeated the word, as if he had found an adjective of whose meaning he was not quite clear. 'An old bachelor is not expected, at the age of seventy-five, to know much about such a subject. The point before us is that you have this day arrived at the mature age of twenty-one. That is the first thing, and I congratulate you. The first thing.' 'I wonder,' thought Elsie timidly, 'when he will begin upon the next thing--the real thing.' There lay upon the table before him a paper with notes upon it. He took it up, looked at it, and laid it down again. Then he turned to Elsie and smiled--he actually smiled--he unmistakably smiled. 'At twenty-one,' he said, 'some young ladies who are heiresses come into their property----' 'Those who are heiresses. Unhappily, I am not.' 'Come into their property--their property. It must be a beautiful thing for a girl to come into property, unexpectedly, at twenty-one. For a man, a temptation to do nothing and to make no more money. Bad! Bad! But for a girl already engaged, a girl who wants money, a girl who is engaged--eh--to a penniless young solicitor----' Elsie turned crimson. This was the thing she expected. 'Under such circumstances, I say, such a stroke of fortune would be providential and wonderful, would it not?' She blushed and turned pale, and blushed again. She also felt a strong disposition to cry--but repressed that disposition. 'In your case, for instance, such a windfall would be most welcome. Your case is rather a singular case. You do not belong to a family which has generally disregarded money--quite the reverse--you should inherit the love of money--yet you propose to throw away what I believe are very good prospects, and----' 'My only prospect is to marry George Austin.' 'So you think. I have heard from your mother, and I have seen your sister Hilda. They object very strongly to the engagement.' 'I know, of course, what they would say.' 'Therefore, I need not repeat it,' replied Mr. Dering drily. 'I learn, then, that you are not only engaged to this young gentleman, but that you are also proposing to marry upon the small income which he now possesses.' 'Yes--we are prepared to begin the world upon that income.' 'Your mother asked me what chance he had in his profession. In this office he can never rise to a considerable salary as managing clerk. If he had money, he might buy a partnership. But he has none, and his friends have none. And the profession is congested. He may remain all his life in a position not much better than he now occupies. The prospect, Elsie, is not brilliant.' 'No--we are fully aware of that. And yet----' 'Allow me, my dear child. You are yourself--we will say for the moment--without any means of your own.' 'I have nothing.'