they were born into; who could not or dared not fling themselves out
of it upon the simple, steadfast, everlasting verities, and--be
broken; upon whom, therefore, these must fall, and grind them to
powder.

"How will it be with them?" she asked.

"Do you mean there isn't anything left, sir? Nothing to carry out
the will?"

Rodney had dropped his spoon and left his soup untasted, since his
father first spoke: he had lifted up his eyes quickly, and listened
with his whole face, but he had kept silence until now.

Amy had looked up also; startled by the news, and waiting to hear
more. The young people were both too really interested, from their
intimate knowledge of the first misfortune, to reply with any common
"Is it possible?" to this.

"The will, I am afraid, is only a magnificent 'might have been,'"
said Mr. Sherrett. "There may be something secured; there ought to
be. Mrs. Argenter had a small property, I believe. Otherwise, as
such things turn out, I should suppose there would be less than
nothing."

"What will they do?" The question came from Aunt Euphrasia, again.
"Can't somebody help them? There is so much money in the world."

"Yes, Effie. And there is gold in the mines. And there are plenty of
kind affections in the world, too; but there's loneliness and broken