"None on earth; and the most of it is entailed, too; not that Hugh would leave an acre away from the title. I'm as safe as wax as far as that is concerned. I don't suppose he ever borrowed a shilling or mortgaged an acre in his life."
"I should think he was a prudent man."
"We are both of us prudent. I will say that of myself, though I oughtn't to say it. And now, Julia,—a few words are the best after all. Look here,—if you'll take me just as I am, I'm blessed if I shan't be the happiest fellow in all London. I shall indeed. I've always been uncommon fond of you, though I never said anything about it in the old days, because,—because you see, what's the use of a man asking a girl to marry him if they haven't got a farthing between them. I think it's wrong; I do indeed; but it's different now, you know." It certainly was very different now.
"Captain Clavering," she said, "I'm sorry you should have troubled yourself with such an idea as this."
"Don't say that, Julia. It's no trouble; it's a pleasure."
"But such a thing as you mean never can take place."
"Yes, it can. Why can't it? I ain't in a hurry. I'll wait your own time, and do just whatever you wish all the while. Don't say no without thinking about it, Julia."
"It is one of those things, Captain Clavering, which want no more thinking than what a woman can give to it at the first moment."
"Ah,—you think so now, because you're surprised a little."
"Well; I am surprised a little, as our previous intercourse was never of a nature to make such a proposition as this at all probable."