Morton;--but at the same time desired that gentleman to pay Lord
Silverbridge's electioneering expenses, feeling it to be his duty
as a father to do so much for his son.

But though he endeavoured to engage his thoughts in these
parliamentary matters, though he tried to make himself believe
that this political apostasy was the trouble which vexed him, in
truth that other misery was so crushing, as to make the affairs of
his son insignificant. How should he express himself to her? That
was the thought present to his mind as he went down to Matching.
Should he content himself with simply telling her that such a wish
on her part was disgraceful, and that it could never be fulfilled;
or should he argue the matter with her, endeavouring as he did so
to persuade her gently that she was wrong to place her affections
so low, and so to obtain from her an assurance that the idea
should be abandoned?

The latter course would be infinitely the better,--if only he could
accomplish it. But he was conscious of his own hardness of manner,
and was aware that he had never succeeded in establishing
confidence between himself and his daughter. It was a thing for
which he had longed,--as a plain girl might long to possess the
charms of an acknowledged beauty;--as a poor little fellow, five
feet in height, might long to a cubit added to his stature.

Though he was angry with her, how willingly would he take her into
his arms and assure her of his forgiveness! How anxious he would
be to make her understand that nothing should be spared by him to
add beauty and grace to her life! Only, as a matter of course, Mr
Tregear must be abandoned. But he knew of himself that he would