The Three Cutters | Page 4

hands
behind him under his coat, so as to allow the tails to drop their
perpendicular about three inches clear of his body, `I may say, without
contradiction, be the finest property in the country--five thousand acres
in a ring-fence.'
"`I dare say it will, uncle,' replied William, tapping his foot as he
lounged in a green morocco easy-chair; `and so, because you have set
your fancy upon having these two estates enclosed together in a
ring-fence, you wish that I should also be enclosed in a ring-fence.'
"`And a beautiful property it will be,' replied Mr Ponsonby.
"`Which, uncle? The estate or the wife?'
"`Both, nephew, both; and I expect your consent.'
"`Uncle, I am not avaricious. Your present property is sufficient for me.
With your permission, instead of doubling the property, and doubling
myself, I will remain your sole heir, and single.'
"`Observe, William, such an opportunity may not occur again for
centuries. We shall restore Forest Wild to its ancient boundaries. You
know it has been divided nearly two hundred years. We now have a
glorious, golden opportunity of re-uniting the two properties; and when
joined, the estate will be exactly what it was when granted to our
ancestors by Henry the Eighth, at the period of the Reformation. This
house must be pulled down, and the monastery left standing. Then we
shall have our own again, and the property without encumbrance.'
"`Without encumbrance, uncle! You forget that, there will be a wife.'

"`And you forget that there will be five thousand acres in a ring-fence.'
"`Indeed, uncle, you ring it too often in my ears that I should forget it.
But, much as I should like to be the happy possessor of such a property,
I do not feel inclined to be the happy possessor of Miss Percival; and
the more so, as I have never seen the property.'
"`We will ride over it to-morrow, William.'
"`Ride over Miss Percival, uncle! That will not be very gallant. I will,
however, one of these days ride over the property with you, which, as
well as Miss Percival, I have not as yet seen.'
"`Then I can tell you she is a very pretty property.'
"`If she were not in a ring-fence.'
"`In good heart, William. That is, I mean an excellent disposition.'
"`Valuable in matrimony.'
"`And well tilled--I should say well educated--by her three maiden
aunts, who are the patterns of propriety.'
"`Does any one follow the fashion?'
"`In a high state of cultivation; that is, her mind highly cultivated, and
according to the last new system--what is it?'
"`A four-course shift, I presume,' replied William, laughing; `that is,
dancing, singing, music, and drawing.'
"`And only seventeen! Capital soil, promising good crops. What would
you have more?'
"`A very pretty estate, uncle, if it were not the estate of matrimony. I
am sorry, very sorry, to disappoint you; but I must decline taking a
lease of it for life.'

"`Then, sir, allow me to hint to you that in my testament you are only a
tenant-at-will. I consider it a duty that I owe to the family that the estate
should be re-united. That can only be done by one of our family
marrying Miss Percival; and as you will not, I shall now write to your
cousin James, and if he accept my proposal, shall make him my heir.
Probably he will more fully appreciate the advantages of five thousand
acres in a ring-fence.'
"And Mr Ponsonby directed his steps towards the door.
"`Stop, my dear uncle,' cried William, rising up from his easy-chair;
`we do not quite understand one another. It is very true that I would
prefer half the property and remaining single, to the two estates and the
estate of marriage; but at the same time I did not tell you that I would
prefer beggary to a wife and five thousand acres in a ring-fence. I know
you to be a man of your word. I accept your proposal, and you need not
put my cousin James to the expense of postage.'
"`Very good, William; I require no more: and as I know you to be a
man of your word, I shall consider this match as settled. It was on this
account only that I sent for you, and now you may go back again as
soon as you please. I will let you know when all is ready.'
"`I must be at Tattersall's on Monday, uncle; there is a horse I must
have for next season. Pray, uncle, may I ask when you are likely to
want me?'
"`Let me see--this is May--about July, I should think.'
"`July, uncle! Spare me--I cannot marry in the dog-days. No, hang it!
Not July.'
"`Well, William, perhaps, as you must come down once or twice