WEALTH WITHOUT WINGS. 191

 

tention, her hand shading her countenance so as to
conceal its varying expression, to a brief history of
her parentage. Of things subsequent to the time of
her entrance into her present home, but little was
said. ‘There was an instinctive delicacy on the part
of Claire and his wife, now that Fanny was about
coming into the possession of property, which kept
back all allusion to the sacrifices they had made, and
the pain they had suffered on her account, in their
contentions with her guardian. In fact, this matter
of property: produced with them a feeling of embar-
rassment. They had no mercenary thoughts in re-
gard to it—had no wish to profit by their intimate
and peculiar relation. And yet, restricted in their
own income, and with a family growing daily more
expensive, they understood but too well the embar-
rassment which would follow, if any very important
change were made in their present external relations.
To explain every thing to Fanny, would, they knew,
lead to an instant tender of all she possessed. But
this they could not do; nor had they a single selfish
desire in regard to her property. If things could
remain as they were, without injustice to Fanny,
they would be contented; but they were not alto-
gether satisfied as to the amount they were recelv-
ing for her maintenance. It struck them as being
too much; and they had more than once conferred
together in regard to its reduction.

The first thing to be done was to make Fanny
comprehend her relation to Mr. Jasper, her guar-
dian, and his wish to settle up the estate of her
father, and transfer to her, or her representative,
the property that remained in his hands.