"My dear Peter," replied he, "your grandfather has one idea which absorbs most others--the peerage, the estate, and the descent of it in the right line.

As long as your uncles were alive, we were not thought of, as not being in the line of descent; nor should we now, but that your uncle William has only daughters.

Still we are not looked upon as actual, but only contingent, inheritors of the title.

Were your uncle to die to-morrow, the difference in his behaviour would be manifested immediately." "That is to say, instead of _two fingers_ you would receive the _whole_ hand, and instead of _one_ finger, I should obtain promotion to _two_." At this my father laughed heartily, saying, "Peter, you have exactly hit the mark.

I cannot imagine how we ever could have been so blind as to call you the fool of the family." To this I made no reply, for it was difficult so to do without depreciating others or depreciating myself; but I changed the subject by commenting on the beauties of the park, and the splendid timber with which it was adorned.