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"O! he is the sweetest-tempered, kindest-hearted creature in the world!" exclaimed Lady Barbara. "My aunt's woman has heard, from Miss Arbe's maid, all his history. He has quite ruined himself by serving poor people in distress. He is so generous, he can never pronounce a refusal."

"But he dresses so meanly," said Miss Brinville, "that mamma and I have begged Miss Arbe not to bring him any more to see us. Besides,—he tells every thing in the world to every body."

"Poor Miss Arbe a'n't to blame, I assure you, Miss Brinville," said Selina; "for she dislikes him as much as you do; only when her papa invited him to live with them, he was very rich; and it was thought he would leave all his fortune to them. But, since then, Miss Arbe says, he is grown quite poor; for he has dawdled away almost all his money, in one way or another; letting folks out of prison, setting people up in business, and all that."