He wondered at first that this should be so, for the rich generally have no want of friends; but the puzzle soon explained itself as he began to know his grandfather better.

Mr.Beresford had been a powerful and very active man; he had been proud of his strength and retained it to old age.

Then, suddenly, paralysis came, and he was all at once utterly helpless.

His son was dead, his granddaughter married, and away from him; his pride shrank from showing his infirmity to other relatives.

So he shut the world out altogether, and by-and-by the loneliness he thus brought upon himself, growing too oppressive, he began to long for his daughter's children.
The moment Maurice came, and he was satisfied that he should like him, he became perfectly content.