"FIVE THOUSAND ACRES IN A RING-FENCE"'

We shall not describe Mr. Seagrove's motions; they must be inferred from his words.

'"It will then, William," observed Mr. Ponsonby, stopping, and turning to his nephew, after a rapid walk up and down the room with his hands behind him under his coat, so as to allow the tails to drop their perpendicular about three inches clear of his body, "I may say, without contradiction, be the finest property in the county--five thousand acres in a ring-fence."

'"I daresay it will, uncle," replied William, tapping his foot, as he lounged in a green morocco easy-chair; "and so, because you have set your fancy upon having these two estates enclosed together in a ring-fence, you wish that I should be also enclosed in a _ring_-fence."

'"And a beautiful property it will be," replied Mr. Ponsonby.

'"Which, uncle? the estate or the wife?"

'"Both, nephew, both; and I expect your consent."

'"Uncle, I am not avaricious. Your present property is sufficient for me. With your permission, instead of doubling the property, and doubling myself, I will remain your sole heir and single."

'"Observe, William, such an opportunity may not occur again for centuries. We shall restore Forest Wild to its ancient boundaries. You know it has been divided nearly two hundred years. We now have a glorious, golden opportunity of reuniting the two properties; and when joined, the estate will be exactly what it was when granted to our ancestors by Henry VIII., at the period of the Reformation. This house must be pulled down, and the monastery left standing. Then we shall have our own again, and the property without enc.u.mbrance."

'"Without enc.u.mbrance, uncle! You forget that there will be a wife."

'"And you forget that there will be five thousand acres in a ring-fence."

'"Indeed, uncle, you ring it too often in my ears that I should forget it. But, much as I should like to be the happy possessor of such a property, I do not feel inclined to be the happy possessor of Miss Percival; and the more so, as I have never seen the property."

'"We will ride over it to-morrow, William."

'"Ride over Miss Percival, uncle! That will not be very gallant. I will, however, one of these days ride over the property with you, which, as well as Miss Percival, I have not as yet seen."

'"Then I can tell you she is a very pretty property."

'"If she were not in a ring-fence."

'"In good heart, William. That is, I mean an excellent disposition."

'"Valuable in matrimony."

'"And well tilled--I should say well educated--by her three maiden aunts, who are the patterns of propriety."

'"Does any one follow the fashion?"

"In a high state of cultivation; that is, her mind highly cultivated, and according to the last new system--what is it?"

'"A four-course shift, I presume," replied William, laughing; "that is, dancing, singing, music, and drawing."

'"And only seventeen! Capital soil, promising good crops. What would you have more?"

"A very pretty estate, uncle, if it were not the estate of matrimony. I am sorry, very sorry, to disappoint you; but I must decline taking a lease of it for life."

'"Then, sir, allow me to hint to you that in my testament you are only a tenant-at-will. I consider it a duty that I owe to the family that the estate should be re-united. That can only be done by one of our family marrying Miss Percival; and as you will not, I shall now write to your cousin James, and if he accept my proposal, shall make _him_ my heir.

Probably he will more fully appreciate the advantages of five thousand acres in a ring-fence."

'And Mr. Ponsonby directed his steps towards the door.

'"Stop, my dear uncle," cried William, rising up from his easy-chair; "we do not quite understand one another. It is very true that I would prefer half the property and remaining single, to the two estates and the estate of marriage; but at the same time I did not tell you that I would prefer beggary to a wife and five thousand acres in a ring-fence.

I know you to be a man of your word. I accept your proposal, and you need not put my cousin James to the expense of postage."

'"Very good, William; I require no more: and as I know you to be a man of your word, I shall consider this match as settled. It was on this account only that I sent for you, and now you may go back again as soon as you please. I will let you know when all is ready."

"I must be at Tattersall's on Monday, uncle; there is a horse I must have for next season. Pray, uncle, may I ask when you are likely to want me?"

'"Let me see--this is May--about July, I should think."

"July, uncle! Spare me--I cannot marry in the dog-days. No, hang it! not July."

'"Well, William, perhaps, as you must come down once or twice to see the property--Miss Percival, I should say--it may be too soon--suppose we put it off till October?"

'"October--I shall be down at Melton."

'"Pray, sir, may I then inquire what portion of the year is not, with you, _dog_-days?"

'"Why, uncle, next April, now--I think that would do."

'"Next April! Eleven months, and a winter between. Suppose Miss Percival was to take a cold and die."

'"I should be excessively obliged to her," thought William.

'"No, no!" continued Mr. Ponsonby: "there is nothing certain in this world, William."

'"Well then, uncle, suppose we arrange it for the first _hard frost_."

'"We have had no hard frosts lately, William. We may wait for years. The sooner it is over the better. Go back to town, buy your horse, and then come down here, my dear William, to oblige your uncle--never mind the dog-days."

'"Well, sir, if I am to make a sacrifice, it shall not be done by halves; out of respect for you I will even marry in July, without any regard to the thermometer."

'"You are a good boy, William. Do you want a cheque?"

'"I have had one to-day," thought William, and was almost at fault. "I shall be most thankful, sir--they sell horseflesh by the ounce nowadays."

'"And you pay in pounds. There, William."

'"Thank you, sir, I'm all obedience; and I'll keep my word, even if there should be a comet. I'll go and buy the horse, and then I shall be ready to take the ring-fence as soon as you please."

'"Yes, and you'll get over it cleverly, I've no doubt. Five thousand acres, William, and--a pretty wife!"

'"Have you any further commands, uncle?" said William, depositing the cheque in his pocket-book.

'"None, my dear boy; are you going?"

'"Yes, sir; I dine at the Clarendon."