Those who pit their intelligences against the forces of Nature, and
try to search out her secrets, become humble. He could not altogether
respect his father; the gulf between them was too wide and deep. But
even at his present age of three and thirty he considered it a duty to
submit himself to him and his vagaries. Outside of other reasons, his
mother had prayed him to do so almost with her last breath, and, living
or dead, Morris loved his mother.

"Perhaps you are not aware," went on Colonel Monk, after a solemn pause,
"that the affairs of this property are approaching a crisis."

"I know something, but no details," answered Morris. "I have not liked
to interfere," he added apologetically.

"And I have not not liked to trouble you with such sordid matters,"
rejoined his parent, with sarcasm. "I presume, however, that you are
acquainted with the main facts. I succeeded to this estate encumbered
with a mortgage, created by your grandfather, an extravagant and
unbusiness-like man. That mortgage I looked to your mother's fortune
to pay off, but other calls made this impossible. For instance, the
sea-wall here had to be built if the Abbey was to be saved, and half a
mile of sea-walling costs something. Also very extensive repairs to the
house were necessary, and I was forced to take three farms in hand when
I retired from the army fifteen years ago. This has involved a net loss
of about ten thousand pounds, while all the time the interest had to be
paid and the place kept up in a humble fashion."

"I thought that my uncle Porson took over the mortgage after my mother's
death," interrupted Morris.