Down the centre of the room ran a long wide table, whereon, and on a
huge sideboard, was spread the whole of the Caresfoot plate, which,
catching the light of the suspended candles, threw it back in dazzling
gleams till the beholder was positively bewildered with the brilliancy
of the sight.

"Oh, how beautiful!" said Maria, in astonishment.

"Yes," answered the old gentleman as he took his seat at the head of
the table, placing Maria on his right, "the plate is very fine, it has
taken two hundred years to get together; but my father did more in
that way than all of us put together, he spent ten thousand pounds on
plate during his lifetime; that gold service on the sideboard belonged
to him. I have only spent two. Mind, my love," he added in a low
voice, "when it comes into your keeping that it is preserved intact;
but I don't recommend you to add to it, there is too much already for
a simple country gentleman's family."

Maria blushed and was silent.

The dinner, which was served on a most magnificent scale, wore itself
away, as all big county-dinners do, in bursts of sedate but not
profoundly interesting conversation. Indeed, had it not been for the
novelty of the sight, Maria would have been rather bored, the squire's
stately compliments notwithstanding. As it was, she felt inclined to
envy the party at the other end, amongst whom, looking down the long
vista of sparkling glass and silver, she could now and again catch
sight of Philip's face beaming with animation, and even in the pauses
of conversation hear the echo of his distant laughter.