She seemed more impressed by Mrs. Best's bounty than by Magdalen's,
but probably she took the latter as a matter of course and
obligation; besides, the sense of it involved a sum in subtraction.
However, this was not observed by her sister, who did not want to
feel obliged.

"Now that this property has come in," continued Magdalen, "we can
live comfortably together upon it for the present, and your expenses
at Oxford can be paid, as well as masters in what may be needful for
the others, and an allowance for dress. I suppose you will want the
40 pounds while you are at St. Robert's, besides the regular
expenses?"

"Thank you," warmly said.

"But I want you to understand, as I think you do, about the future,
for you must be prepared to be independent."

"I should have wished for a career if I had been a millionaire," said
Agatha.

"I believe you would, and it is well that you should have every
advantage. But the others. If I left you all this property, it
would not be a comfortable maintenance divided among four; and you
would not like to be dependent, or to leave the last who might not
marry to a pittance alone."

"Certainly not," said Agatha, with flashing eyes.