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'Is he at home？'
'Yes； sir but he is not up yet。 He was very late last night。 Did you
want to speak to him？ I'll tell Mrs。 Dixon。'
'Is Mrs。 Dixon here？ Then tell her Sir Guy Morville would be glad to
speak to her。'
The maid curtseyed； hurried off； and returned with a message from Mrs。
Dixon to desire he would walk in。 She conducted him through a dark
passage； and up a still darker stair； into a dingy little parlour； with
a carpet of red and green stripes； a horsehair sofa； a grate covered
with cut paper； and a general perfume of brandy and cigars。 There were
some preparations for breakfast； but no one was in the room but a
little girl； about seven years old； dressed in shabby…genteel mourning。
She was pale and sickly…looking； but her eyes were of a lovely deep
blue； with a very sweet expression； and a profusion of thick flaxen
curls hung round her neck and shoulders。 She said in a soft； little；
shy voice；
'Mamma says she will be here directly； if you will excuse her a
moment。'
Having made this formal speech； the little thing was creeping off on
tip…toe； so as to escape before the maid shut the door； but Guy held
out his hand； sat down so as to be on a level with her； and said；
'Don't go； my little maid。 Won't you come and speak to your cousin
Guy？'
Children never failed to be attracted； whether by the winning beauty of
his smile； or the sweetness of the voice in which he spoke to anything
small or weak； and the little girl willingly came up to him； and put
her hand into his。 He stroked her thick； silky curls； and asked her
name。
'Marianne；' she answered。
It was his mother's name； and this little creature had more resemblance
to his tenderly…cherished vision of his young mother than any
description Dixon could have given。 He drew her closer to him； took
the other small； cold hand； and asked her how she liked St。 Mildred's。
'Oh！ much better than London。 There are flowers！' and she proudly
exhibited a cup holding some ragged robins； dead nettles； and other
common flowers which a country child would have held cheap。 He admired
and gained more of her confidence； so that she had begun to chatter
away quite freely about 'the high； high hills that reached up to the
sky； and the pretty stones；' till the door opened； and Mrs。 Dixon and
Bustle made their entrance。
Marianne was so much afraid of the dog； Guy so eager to console； and
her mother to scold her； and protest that it should not be turned out；
that there was nothing but confusion； until Guy had shown her that
Bustle was no dangerous wild beast； induced her to accept his offered
paw； and lay a timid finger on his smooth； black head； after which the
transition was short to dog and child sitting lovingly together on the
floor； Marianne stroking his ears； and admiring him with a sort of
silent ecstasy。
Mrs。 Dixon was a great； coarse； vulgar woman； and Guy perceived why his
uncle had been so averse to taking him to his home； and how he must
have felt the contrast between such a wife and his beautiful sister。
She had a sort of broad sense； and absence of pretension； but her
manner of talking was by no means pleasant； as she querulously accused
her husband of being the cause of all their misfortunes； not even
restrained by the presence of her child from entering into a full
account of his offences。
Mrs。 Dixon said she should not say a word； she should not care if it
was not for the child； but she could not see her wronged by her own
father； and not complain； poor little dear！ she was the last； and she
supposed she should not keep her long。
It then appeared that on her husband's obtaining an engagement for a
series of concerts at the chief county town； Mrs。 Dixon had insisted on
coming with him to St。 Mildred's in the hope that country air might
benefit Marianne； who； in a confined lodging in London； was pining and
dwindling as her brothers and sisters had done before her。 Sebastian；
who liked to escape from his wife's grumbling and rigid supervision；
and looked forward to amusement in his own way at the races； had
grudgingly allowed her to come； and； as she described it； had been
reluctant to go to even so slight an expense in the hope of saving his
child's life。 She had watched him as closely as she could； but he had
made his escape； and the consequences Guy already knew。
If anything could have made it worse； it was finding that after parting
last night； he had returned； tried to retrieve his luck； had involved
himself further； had been drinking more； and at the very hour when his
nephew was getting up to see what could be done for him； had come home
in a state； which made it by no means likely that he would be
presentable； if his wife called him； as she offered to do。
Guy much preferred arranging with her what was to be done on the
present emergency。 She was disappointed at finding thirty pounds was
all the help he could give； but she was an energetic woman； full of
resources； and saw her way； with this assistance； through the present
difficulty。 The great point was to keep the gambling propensities out
of sight of the creditors； and as long as this was done； she had hope。
Dixon would go the next morning to the town where the musical meeting
was to be held； and there he would be with his employers； where he had
a character to preserve； so that she was in no fear of another
outbreak。
It ended； therefore； in his leaving with her Mr。 Edmonstone's draft；
securing its destination by endorsing it to the person who was to
receive it； and wishing her good morning； after a few more kind words
to little Marianne； who had sat playing with Bustle all the time；
sidling continually nearer and nearer to her new cousin； her eyes bent
down； and no expression on her face which could enable him to guess how
far she listened to or comprehended the conversation so unfit for her
ear。 When he rose to go； and stooped to kiss her； she looked wistfully
in his face； and held up a small sparkling bit of spar； the most
precious of all her hoards； gleaned from the roadsides of St。
Mildred's。
'What； child； do you want to give it to Sir Guy？' said her mother。 'He
does not want such trumpery； my dear； though you make such a work with
it。'
'Did you mean to give it to me； my dear？' said Guy； as the child hung
her head； and； crimsoned with blushes； could scarcely whisper her timid
'Yes。'
He praised it； and let her put it in his waistcoat pocket； and promised
he would always keep it； and kissed her again； and left her a happy
child； confident in his promise of always keeping it； though her mother
augured that he would throw it over the next hedge。
He was at South Moor by eleven o'clock； in time for his morning's
business； and made up for the troubles of the last few hours by a long
talk with Mr。 Wellwood in the afternoon； while the other two pupils
were gone to the races； for which he was not inclined； after his two
ten…mile walks。
The conversation was chiefly on Church prospects in general； and in
particular on Miss Wellwood and her plans； how they had by degrees
enlarged and developed as the sin； and misery； and ignorance around had
forced themselves more plainly on her notice； and her means had
increased and grown under her hand in the very distribution。 Other
schemes were dawning on her mind； of which the foremost was the
foundation of a sort of school and hospital united； under the charge of
herself； her sister； and several other ladies； who were desirous of
joining her； as a sisterhood。 But at present it was hoping against
hope； for there were no funds with which to make a commencement。 All
this was told at unawares； drawn forth by different questions and
remarks； till Guy inquired how much it would take to give them a
start？'
'It is impossible to say。 Anything； I suppose； between one thousand
and twenty。 But； by the bye； this design of Elizabeth's is an absolute
secret。 If you had not almost guessed it； I should never have said one
word to you about it。 You are a particularly dangerous man； with your
connection with Mrs。 Henley。 You must take special good care nothing
of it reaches her。'
Guy's first impression was； that he was the last person to mention it
to Mrs。 Henley； but when he remembered how often her brother was at
Hollywell； he perceived that there might be a train for carrying the
report back again to her； and recognized the absolute necessity of
silence。
He said nothing at the time； but a bright scheme came into his head；
resulting in the request for a thousand pounds； which caused so much
astonishment。 He thought himself rather shabby to have named no more；
and was afraid it was an offering that cost him nothing； but he much
enjoyed devising beforehan