I had most things in my favour to start with, went to Cambridge, had
a good opening as a barrister. But it wasn't quick enough for me. I
was restless and wanted to jump the moon--now look at me! Same with
your father, only he's put all his imagination into money--same as
your aunts have put theirs into religion. We're not like ordinary
people, us Cardinals."

"And have I got a lot of imagination too?" Maggie had asked on one
occasion.

"I'm sure I don't know," her uncle had answered her. "You don't look
to me like a Cardinal at all--much too quiet. But you may have it
somewhere. Look out for a bad time if you have."

Today Maggie's abrupt checking of his projects had made him sulky
and he talked but little. "Damn it all!" he had started out with the
most charming intentions towards the girl and now look at her! Was
it natural conduct in the day after she had lost her only protector?
No, it was not. Had she been pretty he might have, even now,
forgiven her, but today she looked especially plain with her pale
face and shabby black dress and her obstinate mouth and chin. He was
uneasy, too, about the imminent arrival of his sister Anne, who
always frightened him and made him think poorly of the world in
general. No hope of getting any money out of her, nor would Charles
have left him a penny. It was a rotten, unsympathetic world, and
Uncle Mathew cursed God as he strutted sulkily along. Maggie also
had fallen into silence.

They came at last out of the wood and stood at the edge of it, with
the pine trees behind them, looking down over Polchester. On this