'Disposed of!' said the colonel. 'Yes! I have done with him. I want no more of him.'
'Then, papa,' said Esther, sinking down on her knees beside her father, and affectionately laying one hand on his knee, 'don't you see this makes things easy for us? I have a proposition. Will you listen to it?'
'A proposition! Say on.'
'It is evident that we must take some step to bring our receipts and expenses into harmony. Your going without fruit and fish will not do it, papa; and I do not like that way of saving, besides. I had rather make one large change—cut off one or two large things—than a multitude of small ones. It is easier, and pleasanter. Now, so long as we live in this house we are obliged to keep a horse; and so long as we have a horse we must have Christopher, or some other man; and so long as we keep a horse and a man we must make this large outlay, that we cannot afford. Papa, I propose we move into the city.'
'Move! Where?' asked the colonel, with a very unedified expression.
'We could find a house in the city somewhere, papa, from which I could walk to Miss Fairbairn's. That could not be difficult.'
'Who is to find the house?'
'Could not you, papa? Buonaparte would take you all over; the driving would not do you any harm.'
'I have no idea where to begin,' said the colonel, rubbing his head in uneasy perplexity.
'I will find out that, papa. I will speak to Miss Fairbairn; she is a great woman of business. She will tell me.'