much the better for me. Much pleasure to you at the races."

"I am not going to the races; I am going to do Marvel a service."

"Charity begins at home: that's my maxim," replied Goodenough.

"It is quite fitting that charity should _begin_ at home," said Wright;
"but then it should not _end_ at home; for those that help nobody will
find none to help them in time of need."

"Those that help nobody will not be so apt to come to need," replied
Goodenough. "But yonder's my men standing idle. If I but turn my head,
that's the way of them. Good morrow to you, cousin Wright; I can't stand
argufying here about charity, which won't plough my ground, nor bring me
a jot nearer to the ten thousand pounds' legacy: so good morrow to you.
My service to cousin Marvel."

Goodenough proceeded to his men, who were in truth standing idle, as it
was their custom to do when their master's eye was not, as they thought,
upon them; for he kept them so hard at work, when he was present, that
not a labouring man in the country would hire himself to Goodenough,
when he could get employment elsewhere. Goodenough's partizans, however,
observed that he got his money's worth out of every man he employed;
and that this was the way to grow rich. The question, said they, is not
which of the three nephews will be the best beloved, but which will
be the richest at the end of ten years; and, on this ground, who can
dispute that Goodenough's maxim is the best, "Charity begins at home?"
Wright's friends looked rather alarmed when they heard of this journey
to York; and Marvel's advocates, though they put a good face upon the
matter, heartily wished him safe home.