CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY.

THEotherday,inlookingovermypapers,Ifoundinmydeskthefollowingcopyofaletter,sentbymeayearsincetoanoldschoolacquaintance:— “DEARCHARLES, “IthinkwhenyouandIwereatEtontogether,wewereneitherofuswhatcouldbecalledpopularcharacters:youwereasarcastic,observant,shrewd,cold-bloodedcreaturemyownportraitIwillnotattempttodraw,butIcannotrecollectthatitwasastrikinglyattractiveone—canyou?WhatanimalmagnetismdrewtheeandmetogetherIknownotcertainlyIneverexperiencedanythingofthePyladesandOrestessentimentforyou,andIhavereasontobelievethatyou,onyourpart,wereequallyfreefromallromanticregardtome.Still,outofschoolhourswewalkedandtalkedcontinuallytogetherwhenthethemeofconversationwasourcompanionsorourmastersweunderstoodeachother,andwhenIrecurredtosomesentimentofaffection,somevagueloveofanexcellentorbeautifulobject,whetherinanimateorinanimatenature,yoursardoniccoldnessdidnotmoveme.IfeltmyselfsuperiortothatcheckTHENasIdoNOW. “ItisalongtimesinceIwrotetoyou,andastilllongertimesinceIsawyou.Chancingtotakeupanewspaperofyourcountytheotherday,myeyefelluponyourname.IbegantothinkofoldtimestorunovertheeventswhichhavetranspiredsinceweseparatedandIsatdownandcommencedthisletter.WhatyouhavebeendoingIknownotbutyoushallhear,ifyouchoosetolisten,howtheworldhaswaggedwithme. “First,afterleavingEton,Ihadaninterviewwithmymaternaluncles,LordTynedaleandtheHon.JohnSeacombe.TheyaskedmeifIwouldentertheChurch,andmyunclethenoblemanofferedmethelivingofSeacombe,whichisinhisgift,ifIwouldthenmyotheruncle,Mr.Seacombe,hintedthatwhenIbecamerectorofSeacombe-cum-Scaife,Imightperhapsbeallowedtotake,asmistressofmyhouseandheadofmyparish,oneofmysixcousins,hisdaughters,allofwhomIgreatlydislike. “IdeclinedboththeChurchandmatrimony.Agoodclergymanisagoodthing,butIshouldhavemadeaverybadone.Astothewife—ohhowlikeanight-mareisthethoughtofbeingboundforlifetooneofmycousins!Nodoubttheyareaccomplishedandprettybutnotanaccomplishment,notacharmoftheirs,touchesachordinmybosom.Tothinkofpassingthewintereveningsbytheparlourfire-sideofSeacombeRectoryalonewithoneofthem—forinstance,thelargeandwell-modelledstatue,Sarah—noIshouldbeabadhusband,undersuchcircumstances,aswellasabadclergyman. “WhenIhaddeclinedmyuncles’offerstheyaskedme‘whatIintendedtodo?’IsaidIshouldreflect.TheyremindedmethatIhadnofortune,andnoexpectationofany,and,afteraconsiderablepause,LordTynedaledemandedsternly,‘WhetherIhadthoughtsoffollowingmyfather’sstepsandengagingintrade?’Now,Ihadhadnothoughtsofthesort.Idonotthinkthatmyturnofmindqualifiesmetomakeagoodtradesmanmytaste,myambitiondoesnotlieinthatwaybutsuchwasthescornexpressedinLordTynedale’scountenanceashepronouncedthewordTRADE—suchthecontemptuoussarcasmofhistone—thatIwasinstantlydecided.Myfatherwasbutanametome,yetthatnameIdidnotliketohearmentionedwithasneertomyveryface.Iansweredthen,withhasteandwarmth,‘Icannotdobetterthanfollowinmyfather’sstepsyes,Iwillbeatradesman.’MyunclesdidnotremonstratetheyandIpartedwithmutualdisgust.Inreviewingthistransaction,IfindthatI