CHAPTER VI.

lieveIhalflikedhimatthemoment,notwithstandinghisprovisothatwhathehaddonewasnotoutofregardforme.Buthumannatureisperverse.Impossibletoanswerhisbluntquestionintheaffirmative,soIdisclaimedalltendencytogratitude,andadvisedhimifheexpectedanyrewardforhischampionship,tolookforitinabetterworld,ashewasnotlikelytomeetwithithere.Inreplyhetermedme“adry-heartedaristocraticscamp,”whereuponIagainchargedhimwithhavingtakenthebreadoutofmymouth. “Yourbreadwasdirty,man!”criedHunsden—“dirtyandunwholesome!Itcamethroughthehandsofatyrant,forItellyouCrimsworthisatyrant,—atyranttohisworkpeople,atyranttohisclerks,andwillsomedaybeatyranttohiswife.” “Nonsense!breadisbread,andasalaryisasalary.I’velostmine,andthroughyourmeans.” “There’ssenseinwhatyousay,afterall,”rejoinedHunsden.“ImustsayIamratheragreeablysurprisedtohearyoumakesopracticalanobservationasthatlast.Ihadimaginednow,frommypreviousobservationofyourcharacter,thatthesentimentaldelightyouwouldhavetakeninyournewlyregainedlibertywould,forawhileatleast,haveeffacedallideasofforethoughtandprudence.Ithinkbetterofyouforlookingsteadilytotheneedful.” “Lookingsteadilytotheneedful!HowcanIdootherwise?Imustlive,andtoliveImusthavewhatyoucall‘theneedful,’whichIcanonlygetbyworking.Irepeatit,youhavetakenmyworkfromme.” “Whatdoyoumeantodo?”pursuedHunsdencoolly.“YouhaveinfluentialrelationsIsupposethey’llsoonprovideyouwithanotherplace.” “Influentialrelations?Who?Ishouldliketoknowtheirnames.” “TheSeacombes.” “Stuff!Ihavecutthem.” Hunsdenlookedatmeincredulously. “Ihave,”saidI,“andthatdefinitively.” “Youmustmeantheyhavecutyou,William.” “Asyouplease.TheyofferedmetheirpatronageonconditionofmyenteringtheChurchIdeclinedboththetermsandtherecompenceIwithdrewfrommycolduncles,andpreferredthrowingmyselfintomyelderbrother’sarms,fromwhoseaffectionateembraceIamnowtornbythecruelintermeddlingofastranger—ofyourself,inshort.” Icouldnotrepressahalf-smileasIsaidthisasimilardemi-manifestationoffeelingappearedatthesamemomentonHunsden’slips. “Oh,Isee!”saidhe,lookingintomyeyes,anditwasevidenthedidseerightdownintomyheart.Havingsataminuteortwowithhischinrestingonhishand,diligentlyoccupiedinthecontinuedperusalofmycountenance,hewenton: “Seriously,haveyouthennothingtoexpectfromtheSeacombes?” “Yes,rejectionandrepulsion.Whydoyouaskmetwice?Howcanhandsstainedwiththeinkofacounting-house,soiledwiththegreaseo