I have heard that when people were in the grave they
'ceased from troubling,' but"--
"Alice!"
"I meant no harm, squire, I'm sure; and I would not say wrong of the
dead for any thing, specially of your mother; but I think about my own
girls."
"There, now, Alice, don't whimper and cry. I am not going to harm your
girls, not I. Only mother was promised that Tom's son should have the
first chance for their favor. I'm sure there's nothing amiss in that.
Eh?"
"A young man born in a foreign country among blacks, or very near
blacks. And nobody knows who his mother was."
"Oh, yes! his mother was a judge's daughter, and she had a deal of
money. Her son has been well done to; sent to the very best German and
French schools, and now he is at Oxford. I dare say he is a very good
young man, and at any rate he is the only Sandal of this generation
except our own boy."
"Your sisters have sons."
"Yes, Mary has three: they are _Lockerbys_. Elizabeth has two: they are
_Piersons_. My poor brother Launcie was drowned, and never had son or
daughter; so that Tom's Julius is the nearest blood we have."
"Julius! I never heard tell of such a name."
"Yes, it is a silly kind of a foreign name. His mother is called Julia:
I suppose that is how it comes. No Sandal was ever called such a name
before, but the young man mustn't be blamed for his godfather's
foolishness, Alice. Eh?"
"I'm not so unjust.
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