“And you would request me to look after this?” broke in the earl, with a surprise which he did not attempt to hide. “My dear Sir William, do you suppose—”
“My lord! My dear father—!” cried the baronet, as soon as he could gain the power of speech—for his powers were failing rapidly, “how could you mistake me? Bless my soul! I should as soon have thought of asking you to be kind and merciful to little Cordelia! Oh! no, no: I will tell you what I had to ask, and I pointed out the sum and substance of the dear one’s wealth to show that my request was reasonable—that the cost would not stand in the way of its fulfillment.
“My lord—listen: It is my earnest desire that my child shall never be sent away from your immediate care—never from your castle while you find home in it—never away from your daily loving sight—for the purpose of attending any school. She can have tutors here; and she shall be taught whatever she desires to know.”
And he then went on to enumerate the more important branches of education that had occurred to him. In the end, said the earl, holding his friend’s hand while he spoke:
“My dear William, it shall be as you have said; and, I may add, it would have been so if you had not spoken. Expense! Pshaw! Why bless and save us! I can’t spend the twentieth part of my income in the ordinary way of living. If I spend a portion of it for the good of our little cherub, I shall be happy. However, that is all understood. And now, is there not something more?”
“No, I think of nothing, It is growing dark.”
“Yes; the sun is near its setting.”
“Near its setting? What do you mean? It must have set long ago.”
“Certainly not. Open your eyes—there. Do you see where the sunbeams fall upon the wainscot, near the door?”
The baronet turned his face in the direction pointed out and shook his head in disappointment.