第28部分(第3/7 頁)

amed　Louisa　Margitson；　the　only　surviving　child　of　Major　Margitson　of　the　19th　Regiment　and　of　Ditchingham　House　in　this　county；　where　we　now　live。　The　Margitsons　were　originally　yeomen　in　the　neighbourhood　of　North　Walsham；　crossed　with　Huguenot　blood　—　we　still　hold　their　property；　or　some　of　it。　They　intermarried　with　the　respected　Norwich　family　of　the　name　of　Beckwith；　and　also　with　a　descendant　of　Dr。　Robert　Hamilton　of　Lynn；　a　distinguished　man　in　his　day；　who　was　a　friend　of　Sir　Joshua　Reynolds。　There　still　hangs　in　this　house　a　portrait　of　Countess　Margaret　Georgiana　Spencer　and　child；　by　Reynolds；　which　is　said　to　have　been　given　by　him　to　Dr。　Robert　Hamilton；　my　wife’s　great…great…grandfather。　On　her　mother’s　side　she　is　also　directly　descended　from　the　great　Scottish　family　of　Hamilton；　thus　having　a　double　cross　of　that　blood　in　her　veins。　Her　parents　died　in　her　youth；　leaving　her　the　heiress　to　certain　landed　property　which　would　have　been　valuable　had　real　estate　in　Norfolk　retained　the　worth　which　it　had　at　the　time　of　their　death。　As　things　are　we　do　not　get　much　out　of　it；　indeed　I　believe　that　directly　and　indirectly　I　must　have　expended　nearly　as　much　upon　the　properties　as；　up　to　the　present；　we　have　received　during　our　tenure　of　them。　For　instance；　fifty　years　ago　the　estate　produced　sufficient　to　support　a　family　in　something　more　than　fort。　Now　its rentals；　although　it　is　totally　unencumbered；　about　pay　for　the　upkeep　of　the　house　and　gardens。　I　mention　these　facts　because　I　see　it　recorded　in　works　of　reference　that　I　married　an　“heiress；”　which　is　an　elastic　term。

My　dear　wife　was　a　schoolfellow　of　my　sister　Mary；　and　was　staying　with　her　at　Bradenham　when　we　met。　After　a　short　acquaintance　we　became　engaged；　and　at　first　all　went　well