I say, what's to prevent,' repeated the other with a steadiness of

manner, of the effect of which upon his companion he was well

assured by long experience, 'what's to prevent your marrying her?'

And she 'nearly fourteen'!' cried Dick.

I don't mean marrying her now' - returned the brother angrily; 'say in

two year's time, in three, in four. Does the old man look like a long-

liver?'

'He don't look like it,' said Dick shaking his head, 'but these old people

there's no trusting them, Fred. There's an aunt of mind down in

Dorsetshire that was going to die when I was eight years old, and

hasn't kept her word yet. They're so aggravating, so unprincipled, so

spiteful - unless there's apoplexy in the family, Fred, you can't

calculate upon 'em, and even then they deceive you just as often as

not.'

Look at the worst side of the question then,' said Trent as steadily as

before, and keeping his eyes upon his friend. 'Suppose he lives.'

'To be sure,' said Dick. 'There's the rub.'

I say,' resumed his friend, 'suppose he lives, and I persuaded, or if the

word sounds more feasible, forced Nell to a secret marriage with you.

What do you think would come of that?'

A family and an annual income of nothing, to keep 'em on,' said

Richard Swiveller after some reflection.

I tell you,' returned the other with an increased earnestness, which,

whether it were real or assumed, had the same effect on his

companion, 'that he lives for her, that his whole energies and

thoughts are bound up in her, that he would no more disinherit her

for an act of disobedience than he would take me into his favour again

for any act of obedience or virtue that I could possibly be guilty of. He

could not do it. You or any other man with eyes in his head may see

that, if he chooses.'

It seems improbable certainly,' said Dick, musing.

It seems improbable because it is improbable,' his friend returned. 'If

you would furnish him with an additional inducement to forgive you,

let there be an irreconcilable breach, a most deadly quarrel, between

you and me - let there be a pretense of such a thing, I mean, of course

and he'll do fast enough. As to Nell, constant dropping will wear

away a stone; you know you may trust to me as far as she is

concerned. So, whether he lives or dies, what does it come to? That

The Old Curiosity Shop