up　this　breach　of　kindness；　and　reunite　two　hearts。　　But
  alas！　the　Squire　was　sick　and　peevish；　he　had　been　all　day
  glooming　over　Dick's　estrangement　…　for　so　he　put　it　to
  himself；　and　now　with　growls；　cold　words；　and　the　cold
  shoulder；　he　beat　off　all　advances；　and　entrenched　himself　in
  a　just　resentment。
  CHAPTER　V　…　THE　PRODIGAL　FATHER　MAKES　HIS　DEBUT　AT　HOME
  THAT　took　place　upon　a　Tuesday。　　On　the　Thursday　following；
  as　Dick　was　walking　by　appointment；　earlier　than　usual；　in
  the　direction　of　the　cottage；　he　was　appalled　to　meet　in　the
  lane　a　fly　from　Thymebury；　containing　the　human　form　of　Miss
  M'Glashan。　　The　lady　did　not　deign　to　remark　him　in　her
  passage；　her　face　was　suffused　with　tears；　and　expressed　much
  concern　for　the　packages　by　which　she　was　surrounded。　　He
  stood　still；　and　asked　himself　what　this　circumstance　might
  portend。　　It　was　so　beautiful　a　day　that　he　was　loth　to
  forecast　evil；　yet　something　must　perforce　have　happened　at
  the　cottage；　and　that　of　a　decisive　nature；　for　here　was　Miss
  M'Glashan　on　her　travels；　with　a　small　patrimony　in　brown
  paper　parcels；　and　the　old　lady's　bearing　implied　hot　battle
  and　unqualified　defeat。　　Was　the　house　to　be　closed　against
  him？　　Was　Esther　left　alone；　or　had　some　new　protector　made
  his　appearance　from　among　the　millions　of　Europe？　　It　is　the
  character　of　love　to　loathe　the　near　relatives　of　the　loved
  one；　chapters　in　the　history　of　the　human　race　have　justified
  this　feeling；　and　the　conduct　of　uncles；　in　particular；　has
  frequently　met　with　censure　from　the　independent　novelist。
  Miss　M'Glashan　was　now　seen　in　the　rosy　colours　of　regret；
  whoever　succeeded　her；　Dick　felt　the　change　would　be　for　the
  worse。　　He　hurried　forward　in　this　spirit；　his　anxiety　grew
  upon　him　with　every　step；　as　he　entered　the　garden　a　voice
  fell　upon　his　ear；　and　he　was　once　more　arrested；　not　this
  time　by　doubt；　but　by　indubitable　certainty　of　ill。
  The　thunderbolt　had　fallen；　the　Admiral　was　here。
  Dick　would　have　retreated；　in　the　panic　terror　of　the　moment；
  but　Esther　kept　a　bright　look…out　when　her　lover　was
  expected。　　In　a　twinkling　she　was　by　his　side；　brimful　of
  news　and　pleasure；　too　glad　to　notice　his　embarrassment；　and
  in　one　of　those　golden　transports　of　exultation　which
  transcend　not　only　words　but　caresses。　　She　took　him　by　the
  end　of　the　fingers　（reaching　forward　to　take　them；　for　her
  great　preoccupation　was　to　save　time）；　she　drew　him　towards
  her；　pushed　him　past　her　in　the　door；　and　planted　him　face　to
  face　with　Mr。　Van　Tromp；　in　a　suit　of　French　country
  velveteens　and　with　a　remarkable　carbuncle　on　his　nose。
  Then；　as　though　this　was　the　end　of　what　she　could　endure　in
  the　way　of　joy；　Esther　turned　and　ran　out　of　the　room。
  The　two　men　remained　looking　at　each　other　with　some
  confusion　on　both　sides。　　Van　Tromp　was　naturally　the　first
  to　recover；　he　put　out　his　hand　with　a　fine　gesture。
  'And　you　know　my　little　lass；　my　Esther？'　he　said。　　'This　is
  pleasant；　this　is　what　I　have　conceived　of　home。　　A　strange
  word　for　the　old　rover；　but　we　all　have　a　taste　for　home　and
  the　home…like；　disguise　it　how　we　may。　　It　has　brought　me
  here；　Mr。　Naseby；'　he　concluded；　with　an　intonation　that
  would　have　made　his　fortune　on　the　stage；　so　just；　so　sad；　so
  dignified；　so　like　a　man　of　the　world　and　a　philosopher；　'and
  you　see　a　man　who　is　content。'
  'I　see；'　said　Dick。
  'Sit　down；'　continued　the　parasite；　setting　the　example。
  'Fortune　has　gone　against　me。　　（I　am　just　sirrupping　a　little
  brandy　…　after　my　journey。）　　I　was　going　down；　Mr。　Naseby；
  between　you　and　me；　I　was　DECAVE；　I　borrowed　fifty　francs；
  smuggled　my　valise　past　the　concierge　…　a　work　of
  considerable　tact　…　and　here　I　am！'
  'Yes；'　said　Dick；　'and　here　you　are。'　　He　was　quite　idiotic。
  Esther；　at　this　moment；　re…entered　the　room。
  'Are　you　glad　to　see　him？'　she　whispered　in　his　ear；　the
  pleasure　in　her　voice　almost　bursting　through　the　whisper
  into　song。
  'Oh　yes；'　said　Dick；　'very。'
  'I　knew　you　would　be；'　she　replied；　'I　told　him　how　you　loved
  him。'
  'Help　yourself；'　said　the　Admiral；　'help　yourself；　and　let　us
  drink　to　a　new　existence。'
  'To　a　new　existence；'　repeated　Dick；　and　he　raised　the
  tumbler　to　his　lips；　but　set　it　down　untasted。　　He　had　had
  enough　of　novelties　for　one　day。
  Esther　was　sitting　on　a　stool　beside　her　father's　feet；
  holding　her　knees　in　her　arms；　and　looking　with　pride　from
  one　to　the　other　of　her　two　visitors。　　Her　eyes　were　so
  bright　that　you　were　never　sure　if　there　were　tears　in　them
  or　not；　little　voluptuous　shivers　ran　about　her　body；
  sometimes　she　nestled　her　chin　into　her　throat；　sometimes
  threw　back　her　head；　with　ecstasy；　in　a　word；　she　was　in　that
  state　when　it　is　said　of　people　that　they　cannot　contain
  themselves　for　happiness。　　It　would　be　hard　to　exaggerate　the
  agony　of　Richard。
  And；　in　the　meantime；　Van　Tromp　ran　on　interminably。
  'I　never　forget　a　friend；'　said　he；　'nor　yet　an　enemy：　of　the
  latter；　I　never　had　but　two　…　myself　and　the　public；　and　I
  fancy　I　have　had　my　vengeance　pretty　freely　out　of　both。'　　He
  chuckled。　　'But　those　days　are　done。　　Van　Tromp　is　no　more。
  He　was　a　man　who　had　successes；　I　believe　you　knew　I　had
  successes　…　to　which　we　shall　refer　no　farther；'　pulling　down
  his　neckcloth　with　a　smile。　　'That　man　exists　no　more：　by　an
  exercise　of　will　I　have　destroyed　him。　　There　is　something
  like　it　in　the　poets。　　First；　a　brilliant　and　conspicuous
  career　…　the　observed；　I　may　say；　of　all　observers；　including
  the　bum…bailie：　and　then；　presto！　a　quiet；　sly；　old；　rustic
  BONHOMME；　cultivating　roses。　　In　Paris；　Mr。　Naseby　…　'
  'Call　him　Richard；　father；'　said　Esther。
  'Richard；　if　he　will　allow　me。　　Indeed；　we　are　old　friends；
  and　now　near　neighbours；　and；　A　PROPOS；　how　are　we　off　for
  neighbours；　Richard？　　The　cottage　stands；　I　think；　upon　your
  father's　land　…　a　family　which　I　respect　…　and　the　wood；　I
  understand；　is　Lord　Trevanion's。　　Not　that　I　care；　I　am　an
  old　Bohemian。　　I　have　cut　society　with　a　cut　direct；　I　cut　it
  when　I　was　prosperous；　and　now　I　reap　my　reward；　and　can　cut
  it　with　dignity　in　my　declension。　　These　are　our　little
  AMOURS　PROPRES；　my　daughter：　your　father　must　respect
  himself。　　Thank　you；　yes；　just　a　leetle；　leetle；　tiny　…
  thanks；　thanks；　you　spoil　me。　　But；　as　I　was　saying；　Richard；
  or　was　about　to　say；　my　daughter　has　been　allowed　to　rust；
  her　aunt　was　a　mere　duenna；　hence；　in　parenthesis；　Richard；
  her　distrust　of　me；　my　nature　and　that　of　the　duenna　are
  poles　asunder　…　poles！　　But；　now　that　I　am　here；　now　that　I
  have　given　up　the　fight；　and　live　henceforth　for　one　only　of
  my　works　…　I　have　the　modesty　to　say　it　is　my　best　…　my
  daughter　…　well；　we　shall　put　all　that　to　rights。　　The
  neighbours；　Richard？'
  Dick　was　understood　to　say　that　there　were　many　good　families
  in　the　Vale　of　Thyme。
  'You　shall　introduce　us；'　said　the　Admiral。
  Dick's　shirt　was　wet；　he　made　a　lumbering　excuse　to　go；　which
  Esther　explained　to　herself　by　a　fear　of　intrusion；　and　so
  set　down　to　the　merit　side　of　Dick's　account；　while　she
  proceeded　to　detain　him。
  'Before　our　walk？'　she　cried。　　'Never！　　I　must　have　my　walk。'
  'Let　us　all　go；'　said　the　Admiral；　rising。
  'You　do　not　know　that　you　are　wanted；'　she　cried；　leaning　on
  his　shoulder　with　a　caress。　　'I　might　wish　to　speak　to　my　old
  friend　about　my　new　father。　　But　you　shall　come　to…day；　you
  shall　do　all　you　want；　I　have　set　my　heart　on　spoiling　you。'
  'I　will　just　take　ONE　drop　more；'　said　the　Admiral；　stooping
  to　help　himself　to　brandy。　　'It　is　surprising　how　this
  journey　has　fatigued　me。　　But　I　am　growing　old；　I　am　growing
  old；　I　am　growing　old；　and　…　I　regret　to　add　…　bald。'
  He　cocked　a　white　wide…awake　coquettishly　upon　his　head　…　the
  habit　of　the　lady…killer　clung　to　him；　and　Esther　had　already
  thrown　on　her　hat；　and　was　ready；　while　he　was　still　studying
  the　result　in　a　mirror：　the　carbuncle　had　somewhat　painfully
  arrested　his　attention。
  'We　are　papa　now；　we　must　be　respectable；'　he　said　to　Dick；
  in　explanation　of　his　dandyism：　and　then　he　went　to　a　bundle
  and　chose　himself　a　staff。　　Where　were　the　elegant　canes　of
  his　Parisian　epoch？　　This　was　a　support　for　age；　and　designed
  for　rustic　scenes。　　Dick　began　to　see　and　appreciate　the
  man's　enjoyment　in　a　new　part；　when　he　saw　how　carefully　he
  had　'made　it　up。'　　He　had　invented　a　gait　for　this　first
  country　stroll　with　his　daughter；　which　was　admirably　in　key。
  He　walked　with　fatigue；　he　leaned　upon　the　staff；　he　looked
  round　him　with　a　sad；　smiling　sympathy　on　all　that　he　beheld；
  he　even　asked　the　name　of　a　plant；　and　rallied　himself　gently
  for　an　old　town　bird；　ignorant　of　nature。　　'This　country　life
  will　make　me　young　again；'　he　sighed。　　They　reached　the　top
  of　the　hill　towards　the　first　hour　of　evening；　the　sun　was
  descending　hea