RODERICK HUDSON
but himself to consider. His relations are moving heaven and earth to prevent his marrying Miss Light, and they 've sent us word that he forfeits this, that and the other if he takes his wife out of a certain line. I 've investigated the question and I find this but a fiction to frighten us. He 's perfectly untrammelled; but the estates are such that it 's no wonder they wish to keep them in their own hands. It 's a rare case, among us, of unencumbered property. The Prince has been an orphan from his third year; he has therefore had a long minority and made no inroads upon his fortune. Besides, he 's very prudent and shrewd; I'm only afraid that some day he'll pull the purse-strings too tight. All these years his affairs have been in the hands of his reverend uncle, a man of wonderful head, who has managed them to perfection—paid off mortgages, planted forests, opened up mines. It is now a magnificent fortune; such a fortune as with his name would justify the young man in pretending to any alliance whatsoever. And he lays it all at the feet of that little person who 's wandering in yonder boschetto with a penniless artist."
"He 's certainly a phœnix of princes! The signora must be in the seventh heaven."
The Cavaliere looked imperturbably grave. "The signora has a high esteem for his personal merit."
"Well, his personal merit," Rowland returned with a smile; "what name do you give to it?"
"Eh, Prince Casamassima 's a real gran' signore! He 's a very good young man. He 's not brilliant nor witty, but he won't let himself be made a fool of. He 's a faithful son of the Church—and it 's lucky
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