His forbears, the blood--" "His mother was a healthy Italian peasant--a famous singer in her time.
His fortune, I take it, was his inheritance from her.

She made a fortune singing in the capitals of Europe and speculating from time to time.
She sent the boy, at the age of ten, to England.

Afraid of the home influence.

He remained there, under the name of Hawksley, for something like fourteen years, under the guardianship of this fellow Gregory.

Of Gregory I know positively nothing.