"My dear Sir Peter, I have always regretted that my poor father was
misled--perhaps out of too paternal a care for my supposed
interests--into that unhappy and fruitless litigation, after which no
one could doubt that any generous intentions on your part would be
finally abandoned. It has been a grateful surprise to me that I have
been so kindly and cordially received into the family by Kenelm and
yourself. Pray oblige me by dropping all reference to pecuniary
matters: the idea of compensation to a very distant relative for the
loss of expectations he had no right to form, is too absurd, for me at
least, ever to entertain."

"But I am absurd enough to entertain it, though you express yourself
in a very high-minded way. To come to the point, Kenelm is of age,
and we have cut off the entail. The estate of course remains
absolutely with Kenelm to dispose of, as it did before, and we must
take it for granted that he will marry; at all events he cannot fall
into your poor father's error: but whatever Kenelm hereafter does with
his property, it is nothing to you, and is not to be counted upon.
Even the title dies with Kenelm if he has no son. On resettling the
estate, however, sums of money have been realized which, as I stated
before, enable me to discharge the debt which Kenelm heartily agrees
with me is due to you. L20,000 are now lying at my bankers' to be
transferred to yours; meanwhile, if you will call on my solicitor, Mr.
Vining, Lincoln's-inn, you can see the new deed and give to him your
receipt for the L20,000, for which he holds my cheque. Stop! stop!
stop! I will not hear a. word: no thanks; they are not due."

Here Gordon, who had during this speech uttered various brief
exclamations, which Sir Peter did not heed, caught hold of his
kinsman's hand, and, despite of all struggles, pressed his lips on it.