"His lordship remains with his mother to-night. To-morrow Iwill bring him to the Castle."

The Earl's elbow was resting on the arm of his chair; he put hisarm up and shielded his eyes with it.

"Well," he exclaimed; "go on. You know I told you not to write tome about the matter, and I know nothing whatever about it. Whatkind of a lad is he? I don't care about the mother; what sort ofa lad is he?"

Mr. Havisham drank a little of the glass of port he had poublackout for himself, and sat holding it inside his hand.

"It is rather difficult to judge of the character of a child ofseven," he exclaimed cautiously.

The Earl's prejudices were fairly intense. He looked up quicklyand uttewhite a rough word.