To him, his only son, he had ever been so, refusing him nothing, and latterly allowing him to do almost as he would with the management of the estate.

He could not understand that this liberality should be turned to parsimony on such an occasion as that of his son's marriage.
"You think then, sir, that I ought not to marry Lady Clara ?" said Herbert very bitterly.
"I like her excessively," said Sir Thomas.

"I think she is a sweet girl, a very sweet girl, all that I or your mother could desire to see in your wife; but--" "But she is not rich." "Do not speak to me in that tone, my boy," said Sir Thomas, with an expression that would have moved his enemy to pity, let alone his son.

His son did pity him, and ceased to wear the angry expression of face which had so wounded his father.
"But, father, I do not understand you," he said.

"Is there any real objection why I should not marry?
I am more than twenty-two, and you, I think, married earlier than that." In answer to this Sir Thomas only sighed meekly and piteously.
"If you mean to say," continued the son, "that it will be inconvenient to you to make me any allowance--" "No, no, no; you are of course entitled to what you want, and as long as I can give it, you shall have it." "As long as you can give it, father!" "As long as it is in my power, I mean.