Everything that everybody did around him he would call heartless. The
man pitied himself so much in his own misery, that he expected to live
in an atmosphere of pity from others; and though the pity doubtless was
there, he misdoubted it. He thought that Farmer Stovey was cruel in
that he had left the hay-cart near the house, to wound his eyes by
reminding him that he was no longer master of the ground before his own
hall door. He thought that the women and children were cruel to chatter
so near his ears. He almost accused his daughter of cruelty, because
she had told him that she liked the contiguity of the hay-making. Under
such circumstances as those which enveloped him and her, was it not
heartless in her to like anything? It seemed to him that the whole
world of Belton should be drowned in woe because of his misery.

'Where is it from, papa?' she asked.

'There, you may read it. Perhaps it is better that you should know that
it has been written.' Then she read the letter, which was as follows

'Plaistow Hall

July, 186'

Though she had never before seen the handwriting, she knew at once from
whence came the letter, for she had often heard of Plaistow Hall. It
was the name of the farm at which her distant cousin, Will Belton,
lived, and her father had more than once been at the trouble of
explaining to her, that though the place was called a hall, the house
was no more than a farmhouse. He had never seen Plaistow Hall, and had
never been in Norfolk; but so much he could take upon himself to say,
'They call all the farms halls down there.' It was not wonderful that