to be tedious (here Ferdinand smiled) there we were, when presently the Count entered the library with Peter; they were speaking as they shut the door; we heard your name mentioned, and I put my finger to my mouth; we were silent and listened. I see, Sir, you look displeased; it was a liberty and a meanness if I could not justify it to my own heart, but I had my reasons.
"Well, Sir, we heard Count Rhodophil say, 'the world has in general thought my father very cruel in his treatment of Ferdinand, his whole fortune being given to me, they would be apt to censure and suspect me of taking an advantage of his resentments; it is therefore to avoid any unpleasant reflections, to do away any prejudices that might be conceived against me, and to humble Ferdinand's spirit into a sense of obligation, added to another view I look forward to still more gratifying, that I have made him and his family an offer of my house, which perhaps he will presume from what I said just now, to think is to be his also; but I
