"My dear," he gently replied, "Mr. Thornton means to send you to school, where you will learn many things."
"She will not be troubled with much learning," drily observed Mr.
Thornton.
"Surely, Sir," remonstrated Cornelius, "the poor child is to be educated?"
"Sir, she is not to be a fine lady."
"Allow me to observe—"
"Sir, I will allow you to take her away and do what you like with her; but not to observe."
"I take you at your word," warmly replied Cornelius, on whom Mr. Thornton bestowed an astonished look; "take her I will, and educate her too. It would be strange if I could not do for her father's child what that father did for me! I thank you, Sir, for that which brought me here, but which I scarcely knew how to ask for."
My grandfather looked at me, and made an odd grimace, as if not considering me a particularly valuable present. Still, and though taken at his word, he seemed scarcely pleased.
"Well," he said at length, "be it so. I certainly do not care much about the child myself, not being able to forget where that face of hers came from—you do; you want to make a penniless lady of her; she wants to go with you: have both your wish. If she should prove troublesome or in the way, send her back to me, or, in my absence, to Mrs. Marks. You distinctly understand that I am willing to provide for her; though, I suppose," he added, looking at Cornelius, "I must not propose—"
"No, Sir," gravely interrupted the young man.