If Barbara marries against my will before she is five and twenty, that is within the next two years, her entire fortune, with the exception of a pittance, goes elsewhere.

This I am sure is a fact that will influence you, who have nothing and even if it did not, I presume that you are scarcely so selfish as to wish to beggar her." "No," answered Alan, "you need not fear that, for it would be wrong.

I understand that you absolutely refuse to sanction my suit on the ground of my poverty, which under the circumstances is perhaps not wonderful.
Well, the only thing to do is to wait for two years, a long time, but not endless, and meanwhile I can try to better my position." "Do what you will, Alan," said Mr.Haswell harshly, for now all his _faux bonhomme_ manner had gone, leaving him revealed in his true character of an unscrupulous tradesman with dark ends of his own to serve.

"Do what you will, but understand that I forbid all communication between you and my niece, and that the sooner you cease to trespass upon a hospitality which you have abused, the better I shall be pleased." "I will go at once," said Alan, rising, "before my temper gets the better of me and I tell you some truths that I might regret, for after all you are Barbara's uncle.

But on your part I ask you to understand that I refuse to cut off from my cousin, who is of full age and has promised to be my wife," and he turned to go.
"Stop a minute, Alan," said Barbara, who all this while had sat silent.
"I have something to say which I wish you to hear.