"No, child, Mr. Seymour does not forget it. He takes advantage of your husband, and the consequence is that he is using a man's services without paying for them. And the consequence, further, is that valuable time is being wasted and misspent. Two or three weeks ago you commenced to read to me something in one of your husband's letters, and you suddenly stopped and did not continue. It was about money. Am I wrong in supposing that what you were about to read was in reply to something you had written in a letter to your husband?" "You are not wrong, uncle." "Plainly, you asked him whether he could not send you a little money?" "Yes." "And that was his reply. I can judge what it was." "Uncle, he had none to send. He is entirely dependent upon Mr. Seymour." "Who is not liberal?" "Yes, uncle." "Who is not only not liberal, but unjust?" "But that is not Kingsley's fault," pleaded Nansie. "I am not so sure. Child, child, you and your husband are like the children in the wood, and you know their fate." "I should be content," said Nansie, mournfully, for a moment overwhelmed--only for a moment; her mood changed instantly, and with indescribable tenderness she said: "But I want to live--to live!" There was a new note in her voice, and in her eyes a dreamy look of exquisite happiness which caused Mr. Loveday to wonder as he gazed upon her. Never had she been so beautiful as she was at that moment. In the expression on her face was something sacred and holy, and Mr. Loveday saw that she was deeply stirred by emotions beyond his ken. "Nansie!" "Yes, uncle," said Nansie, awaking from her dream. "You heard what I said?" "Yes, uncle--but you must not blame Kingsley; you must not blame my dear husband." "I will not--strongly. Only I should like you to consider what would have been your position if you had not found me in the London wilderness, or, having found me, if I had proved to be hard-hearted instead of a loving uncle." "What is the use of my considering it," she asked, in a tone of tender playfulness, "when I did find you, and when you proved yourself to be the best of men? It would be waste of time, would it not? Confess now." "Upon my word," said Mr. Loveday, "I should almost be justified in being cross with you if I did not suspect that any unreasonableness in our conversation must spring from me, in consequence of my not being familiar with the ways of women. But you shall not drive me completely from my point. For your sake, Nansie, I regret that I am poor. I never wished so much to be rich as I do at the present time. You are attending to me, Nansie?" "Yes, uncle." "Has your husband sent you any money at all since he has been away?" "None, uncle. He has not had it to send." "Yet you are in need of a little?" She looked at him, and her lips trembled slightly; and then again, a moment afterwards, the same expression of dreamy happiness stole into her face which he had observed before.