"Four thousand a year. Something more nominally, but four thousand to
spend."

"You are sure about that?"

"Quite sure."

"And for ever?"

"I believe so. Of that I am not sure."

"It makes a great difference, Frederic."

"A very great difference indeed. I think it is her own. But at any rate
she is much younger than I am, and there need be no settlement out of my
property. That is the great thing. Don't you think she's--nice?"

"She is very lovely."

"And clever?"

"Certainly very clever. I hope she is not self-willed, Frederic."

"If she is, we must try and balance it," said Lord Fawn, with a little
smile. But in truth, he had thought nothing about any such quality as that
to which his mother now referred. The lady had an income. That was the
first and most indispensable consideration. She was fairly well-born, was
a lady, and was beautiful. In doing Lord Fawn justice, we must allow that,
in all his attempted matrimonial speculations, some amount of feminine