CHAPTER II. CLAYTON.

afrank,opencountenance,clearblueeyes,ahighforeheadshadedbyclustersofcurlingbrownhairhisflexiblelipsworeagood-naturedyethalf-sarcasticsmile.Hisfeelings,thoughnotinconvenientlydeep,wereeasilytouchedhecouldbemovedtotearsortosmiles,withthevaryinghumorofafriendbutneversofarastolosehisequipoise—or,ashephrasedit,forgetwhathewasabout. Butwelingertoolongindescription.Wehadbetterletthereaderhearthedramatisperson?,andjudgeforhimself. "Well,now,Clayton,"saidRussel,asheleanedbackinastuffedleatherchair,withacigarbetweenhisfingers,"howconsiderateofthemtogooffonthatmarooningparty,andleaveustoourselves,here!Isay,oldboy,howgoestheworldnow?—Readinglaw,hey?—bookedtobeJudgeClaytonthesecond!Now,mydearfellow,ifIhadtheopportunitiesthatyouhave—onlytostepintomyfather'sshoes—Ishouldbealuckyfellow." "Well,youarewelcometoallmychances,"saidClayton,throwinghimselfononeofthelounges"forIbegintoseethatIshallmakeverylittleofthem." "Why,what'sthematter?—Don'tyoulikethestudy?" "Thestudy,perhaps,wellenough—butnotthepractice.Readingthetheoryisalwaysmagnificentandgrand.'LawhathherseatinthebosomofGodhervoiceistheharmonyoftheworld.'Yourememberweusedtodeclaimthat.But,then,cometothepracticeofit,andwhatdoyoufind?Arelegalexaminationsanythinglikesearchingaftertruth?Doesnotanadvocatecommithimselftoone-sidedviewsofhissubject,andhabituallyignoreallthetruthontheotherside?Why,ifIpractisedlawaccordingtomyconscience,Ishouldbechasedoutofcourtinaweek." "Thereyouare,again,Clayton,withyoureverlastingconscience,whichhasbeenmyplagueeversinceyouwereaboy,andIhaveneverbeenabletoconvinceyouwhatahumbugitis!It'swhatIcallacrotchetyconscience—alwaysinthewayofyourdoinganythinglikeanybodyelse.Isuppose,then,ofcourse,youwon'tgointopoliticallife.—Greatpity,too.You'dmakeaveryimposingfigureassenator.Youhaveexactlythecutforaconscriptfather—oneoftheoldViriRom?." "AndwhatdoyouthinktheoldViriRom?woulddoinWashington?WhatsortofafiguredoyouthinkRegulus,orQuintusCurtius,orMuciusSc?vola,wouldmakethere?" "Well,tobesure,thestyleofpoliticalactionhasalteredsomewhatsincethosedays.Ifpoliticaldutieswerewhattheywerethen,—ifagulfwouldopeninWashington,forexample,—youwouldbethefellowtoplungein,horseandall,forthegoodoftherepublicor,ifanythingwastobedonebyputtingyourrighthandinthefireandburningitoff—or,iftherewereanyCarthaginianswhowouldcutoffyoureyelids,orrollyoudownhillinabarrelofnails,fortruthandyourcountry'ssake,—youwouldbeonhandforanysuchmatter.That'sthesortofforeignembassythatyouwouldbeafter.Alltheseold-fashionedgoingsonwouldsuityoutoaTbutastofiguringinpurpleandfinelinen,inParisorLondon,asAmericanminister,youwouldmakeadismalbusinessofit.Butstill,Ithoughtyoumightpractiselawinawholesome,sensibleway,—takefees,makepleaswithabundanceofclassicalallusions,showoffyourscholarship,marryarichwife,andmakeyourchildrenprincesinthegates—allwithouttreadingonthetoesofyourtoosensitivemoralwhat-d'-ye-call-ems.Butyou'vedoneonethinglikeotherfolks,atleast,ifall'struethatI'veheard." "Andwhatisthat,pray?" "What'sthat?Hearthefellow,now!Howinnocentweare!IsupposeyouthinkIhaven'theardofyourcampaigninNewYork—carryingoffthatprincessoflittleflirts,MissGordon." Claytonrespondedtothechargeonlywithaslightshrugandasmile,inwhichnotonlyhislipsbuthiseyestookpart,whilethecolormountedtohisforehead. "Now,doyouknow,Clayton,"continuedRussel,"Ilikethat.DoyouknowIalwaysthoughtIshoulddetestthewomanthatyoushouldfallinlovewith?Itseemedtomethatsuchaportentouscombinationofallthevirtuesasyouwereplanningforwouldbesomethinglikeacomet—analarmingspectacle.Doyouremember(Ishouldliketoknow,ifyoudo)justwhatthatwomanwastobe?—wastohaveallthelearningofaman,allthegracesofawoman(IthinkIhaveitbyheart)shewastobepractical,poetical,pious,andeverythingelsethatbeginswithapshewastobeelegantandearnesttakedeepandextensiveviewsoflifeandtherewastobeacertainairabouther,