“He is not what a man should be.  I cannot say more than that.  It would not be for the young lady’s happiness that she should select such a partner for her life.”

“She is very much attached to him.”

“I am sorry that it should be so.  But it will be better that she should—­live it down.  At any rate, I am bound to communicate to you Mr. Grey’s decision.  Though he does not at all mean to withhold his bounty in regard to any other proposed marriage, he cannot bring himself to pay money to Mr. Juniper.”

“Nothing at all?” asked Mrs. Carroll.

“He will make no payment that will go into the pocket of Mr. Juniper.”

Then Mr. Barry went, and there was weeping and wailing in the house in Bolsover Terrace.  So cruel an uncle as Mr. Grey had never been heard of in history, or even in romance.  “I know it’s that old cat, Dolly,” said Amelia.  “Because she hasn’t managed to get a husband for herself, she doesn’t want any one else to get one.”

“My poor child,” said Mr. Carroll, in a maudlin condition, “I pity thee from the bottom of my heart!”

“I wish that Mr. Barry may be made to marry a hideous old maid past forty,” said Georgina.

“I shouldn’t care what they said, but would take him straight off,” said Sophie.

Upon this Mrs. Carroll shook her head.  “I don’t suppose that he is quite all that he ought to be.”

“Who is, I should like to know?” said Amelia.

“But my brother has to give his money according to his judgment.”  As she said this the poor woman thought of those other five who in process of time might become claimants.  But here the whole family attacked her, and almost drove her to confess that her brother was a stingy old curmudgeon.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

“GURNEY & MALCOLMSON’S.”

In Red Lion Square, on the first floor of a house which partakes of the general dinginess of the neighborhood, there are two rooms which bear on the outside door the well-sounding names of Gurney & Malcolmson; and on the front door to the street are the names of Gurney & Malcolmson, showing that the business transacted by Messrs. Gurney & Malcolmson outweighs in importance any others conducted in the same house.  In the first room, which is the smaller of the two occupied, sits usually a lad, who passes most of his time in making up and directing circulars, so that a stranger might be led to suppose that the business of Gurney & Malcolmson was of an extended nature.

But on the occasion to which we are about to allude the door of the premises was closed, and the boy was kept on the alert posting, or perhaps delivering, the circulars which were continually issued.  This was the place of business affected by Mr. Tyrrwhit, or at any rate one of them.  Who were Gurney & Malcolmson it is not necessary that our chronicle should tell.  No Gurney or no Malcolmson was then visible; and though a part of the business of the firm in which it is to be supposed that Gurney & Malcolmson were engaged was greatly discussed, their name on the occasion was never mentioned.