“No, dad darling, you are not to know.”
Mr. Cardew considered for a minute.
“I hope you are not going to be a really extravagant woman, Merry,” he said. “To tell the truth, I hate extravagance, although I equally hate stinginess. You will have no lack of money, child, but money is a great and wonderful gift and ought to be used to the best of best advantages. It ought never to be wasted, for there are so many people who haven’t half enough, and those who are rich, my child, ought to help those who are not rich.”
“Yes, darling father,” said Merry; “and that is what I should so awfully like to do.”
“Well, I think you have the root of the matter in you,” said Mr. Cardew, “and I, for one, am the last person to pry on my child. Does Cicely also want her money in advance?”
“Oh no, no! I want it for a very special reason.” 74
“Very well, my little girl. Come to me in the study to-night before you go to bed, and you shall have your money.”
“In sovereigns, please, father?”
“Yes, child, in sovereigns.”
“Thank you ever so much, darling.”