determined to "make a gentleman." With this view John was sent to a
good public school, and to college. But of him nothing could make a
gentleman, because true gentility and his nature were far apart. He
remained, notwithstanding all his advantages, a cunning, and in his
way an able man of business, like his father before him. For the rest,
he was big, florid and presentable, with the bluff and hearty manner
which sometimes distinguishes a /faux bonhomme/. "Honest John" they
called him in the neighbourhood, a soubriquet which was of service to
him in many ways.

Suddenly Honest John's father died, leaving him well off, though not
so rich as he would have liked to be. At first he thought of leaving
Hawk's Hall and going to live at Harwich, where most of his business
interests were. But, remembering that the occupation of it gave him a
certain standing in the county, whereas in Harwich he would have been
only a superior tradesman, he gave up the idea. It was replaced by
another--to marry well.

Now John Blake was not an idealist, nor in any sense romantic;
therefore, from marriage he expected little. He did not even ask that
his wife should be good-looking, knowing that any aspirations which he
had towards beauty could be satisfied otherwise. Nor did he seek
money, being well aware that he could make this for himself. What he
desired were birth and associations. After a little waiting he found
exactly what he wanted.

A certain Lord Lynfield from the South of England, who lived in
London, and was a director of many Boards, took a pheasant-shooting in
the neighbourhood of Hawk's Hall, and with it a house. Here he lived
more or less during the winter months, going up to town when