Born in Exile

et impu

found in Martial, his rebellious spirit would have enjoyed the consecration of a phrase from such an unlikely author. Even as he must ha

the golden sunlight form what shapes it would-heavenly beam, mystic aureole-before his mind's eye. Architecture had no special interest for him, and the history of church or faith

et impu

sible of the coast and of that inland scenery which had geological significance. His costume declared him bent on holiday, but, at the same time, distinguished him with delicate emphasis from the tourist of the season. Trustwor

ce, subdued yet very clear,

ll!-Si

n the backward direction, and observed a group of four persons, who were occupied with a tablet on the wall: a young man (not long out of boyhood), a girl who might be a year or two youn

intance with the name of the saint. Had not Buckland Warricombe a sister called Sidwell? And-did he only surmise a connection between the Warricombes and Devon? No, no; on that remote day, when he went out with Buckland to the hou

t be confused with the companion of her own age; she was slimmer, shorter (if but slightly), more sedate in movemen

mething back? Now, as he smiled, it seemed to recall Buckland Warricombe-with a

perhaps ten minutes they lingered about the aisle, then, after a glance at the west window, went forth. With quick step, G

m of beauty especially English. Now, the impression was irrecoverable; he could see nothing but those four persons, and their luxurious carriage, and the two beautiful horses which had borne them-whither? As likely as not the identity

ed to h

a gentleman of position, with grown-up sons and daughters? To such a description answered Martin Warricombe, Esquire, well known in the

, having made inquiry, walked towards the Old Tiverton Road. He was now quite beyond the town limits, and few pedestrians came in sight; if he really wished to find the abode of Martin Warricombe, he must stop the

Buckland he had never written; he had never since heard of him; that name was involved in the miserable whirl of circumstances which brought his College life to a close, and it was always his hope that Buckland thou

No harm in asking where Mr. Warricombe lived. The reply was prompt: second

izon of blue sea. Fair, rich land, warm under the westering sun. The house itself seemed to be old, but after all was not very large; it stood amid laurels, and i

d many a summer flower, it led again up a hill thick planted with firs; at the lowest point was a bridge over a streamlet, offering on

m; to meet with Buckland would only revive the shame long ago outlived. After resting for a few minutes he turned back, passed the silen

the Cathedral, where people were entering for morning service; he moved idly within sight of the carriages which drew up. Several had discharged their freightage of tailoring and millinery, when two vehicles, which seemed companions, stopped at the edge of the pavement, and from the second alighted the young ladies whom Godwin had yesterday observed; their male companion, however, was different. The carria

he could not get a place that allowed him to see Sidwell. Her companion, however, the one who seemed to be of much the same age, was well in view. Sisters they could not be; nothing of the Warricombe countenance revealed its

amid the laurels, had caught brief glimpse of two female figures, in one of which he merely divined Sidwell. Why he tarried thus he did not p

m. Packed away in his wallet lay geological hammer, azimuth compass, clinometer, miniature microscope,-why should he drag all that lumber about with him? What to him were th

ut resolved to take, one might perchance form acquaintances. He had heard of such things; not impossibly, a social circle might open to him a

of new novels; he had half a mind to buy one of Hardy's and read himself into the temper which suited summer rambles. But just as his hand was stretched forth, a full voice, speaking beside hi

man of his own years, but in splendid health and with bright

Peak-s

rricombe, no

r's faces; then, after a moment's pause, Warricombe

a glance at Godwin's costume. 'Why didn't you write to me

in London a

ear. Well, I rejoice to h

g towards

at my father's house. It's only a mile or two off.

side by side through the town. In appearance, Warricombe showed nothing of the revolutionary which, in old days, he aimed at making himself, and his speech had a suavity which no doubt resulted from much intercourse with the polished world; Godwin was filled

st record for the

o his old athletic pastime and its present applic

e. By-the-bye, haven't you become a stronger man than used

the circumstances which tormented Godwin's memory. On leaving the College perchance he had lost all connection with those common friends who might have informed him of subsequent jokes and rumours. Unlikely, to be sure; for doubtless some of his Whitelaw contemporaries encountered him at Cambridge; and again, was it not probable that the younger Warricombe had become

s part of the country?' Warricomb

of you in connecti

e house I am taking you to has been in our family for three generations. I have often tried to be

imagined he was meeting Godwin on equal ground, but the sensibility of the proletarian could

geology?' was Warric

that I haven't f

get rid of that old man of the sea, the Book of Genesis. A few years ago I wasn't too considerate in argument, and I talked as I oughtn't to have done, called names, and so on. The end of it was, I dropped science altogether, having got as much out of it as I needed.

e instant, and his companion pro

On Wednesday morning I must go back to town. I act

was how life had dealt with Buckland. The announcement was made with a certain satisfaction, as if it implied more than the hearer would readily appreciate. Again there was a slight shri

see any of th

e or two of th

inquiry had been a mistake, Warricom

some years ago, a pony accident; cut up my father dreadfully. Then there's my sister Sidwell, and my sister Fanny-that's all of

lance at him, keenly scrutinising. Their eye

bout politic

very

stick to the practical fairly well. I shall never go into the House on my own account. But there's a sort of pleasure in being in the thick of public movemen

bliged Godwin to

ears I have worked in a manufact

day with you, after all. I

interpreting necessity. Godwin fel

g, I am sick of town. Perhaps I shall travel for a year or t

mation; his face told that h

d thoughts o

give

ld perhaps r

; but I t

was reached. With quick-beating heart, Godwin found himself at the gate by which he had already twice passed. Secure in the decency of his apparel, and no longer oppressed by bashfulness, he would have gone joyously forward but for the dread of

one,' said Warricombe, 'we'l

icombe and her friend of the striking countenance, whom Godwin now knew as

and brought home with me? Here

ale eyes, Godwin kept a ca

ing Mr. Peak,' said Sidwell, holding out her

eautiful coldness of her complexion, made it probable that she did not share the exuberant health manifest in her two brothers. She conversed with mature self-possession, yet showed a slight tendency to abstractedness. On being addressed, she regarded the speaker steadil

than is often found in English girls. Thus, though at times she looked so young that it might be doubted whether she had long been out of her te

her laughter with less than his usual volume of sound. In acuteness he was obviously inferior to her, and there were moments when he betrayed some nervous

though it was sufficiently courteous; he remembered that ten years ago Mrs. Warricombe had appeared to receive him with some restraint, and his sensation in renewing her acquaintance was one of dislike. But in a moment the master of the house joined them,

know the count

very little

of the river-mouth and a good prospect of Haldon-the ridge beyond the Exe; but t

delightful as luncheon is wont to be in a luxurious country-house, when brilliant sunshine gleams on the foliage visible from windows, and the warmth of the season sanctions clear colours in costume. The talk was wholly of country pleasures. It afforded the visitor no little satisfaction to be able to make known

nnerism. Though it was so long since he left Whitelaw, the accent of certain of the Professors still remained with him as an example: when endeavouring to be graceful, he was wont to hear the voice of Dr Nares, or of Professor Barber who lectured on English Literature. More recently he had been observant of Christian Moxey's speech, which had a languid elegance worth imitating in certain particulars. Buckland

were such as he had the habit of wearing. The Warricombes must have immediately detected any pretentiousness, were it but in a necktie; that would impress them more unfavou

obliterate from their minds such disagreeable thoughts as they might secretly entertain. Surely he could make good his claim to be deemed a gentleman. To Buckland he had declared his position, and

but residen

elf in abstraction, and only an

n the Cathedr

ed service there

he words were uttered, he felt strangely glad. Sidwell bestowed upon him an unmistakable look of approval; her mother gazed with colder int

f the family, with something in his tone which answered to

the nervousness evident in his fingers did not preven

k with the passage abou

ny at the expense of his questioner. Buckland could not but understand them in the latter sense; his face darkened. At that moment, Peak met his eye, and enc

about it?' Bucklan

he Cathedral, he had barely given ear; he remembered vaguely that the preacher (whose name he knew not till now) had dwelt for a few moments on the topic indicated, but at the time he was indisposed to listen seriously, and what chance was there that the chain of thought had fixed itself in his memory? Now, under the marvelling

f apology, 'you have made that clearer to

a muscle would obey his will. He was enervated; perspiration stood on his forehe

was sp

ped what Canon Grayl

gesis,' exclaimed Buckland

vanished, and he now gave way to frank amusement. Luncheon was over, and by a general movement all went forth on to the lawn

those ugly little houses stood in the mid-distance. A few years hence, I fear, there will be much more

sted that the afternoon

d, so as to let Mr. Peak have the famous view from the gate; then go on towards Silve

tly from the gravelled drive, Buckland holding the reins, he felt an animation such as no event had ever produced in him. No longer did he calculate phrases. A spontaneous aptness marked his dialogue with Miss Moorhouse, and the laughing words

cloudless sun, and where a dark pine-tree rose against the sky it

iding her look between Buckland and his friend, 'one

as Warricombe's reply, 'you w

joyment is unlimited. That philosophy is unworthy of you; it

u excel, Mis

eed Fanny-a laughing

ore copious in railing

em all to a joke

m. I am misunderstood. No on

Godwin's comment had elicited no remark from her. Did she belong to the ranks of emancipated women? With his experience of Marcella Moxey, he welcomed the possibility of this variation of the type, but at the same time, in obedience to a new spirit that had strange possession of him

edy, the Exe, and the Culm-spread their rural loveliness to remote points of the horizon; gentle undulations, with pasture and woodland, with long winding roads, and many a farm that gleamed white amid its orchard leafage, led the gaze into regions of evanescent hue and outline. Westward, a bolder swell pointed to the skirts of Dartmoor. No inappropriate det

surveyed these possessions of an English aristocrat with more or less bitterness; envy would, for a moment at all events, have perturbed his pleasure in the natural scene. Accompanied as he was, his emotion took a form which indeed was allied to envy, but had nothing painful. He exulted in the prerogatives of birth and opulence, felt proud of hereditary pride, gloried that his mind was capable of appreciating to the full those distinctions which, by the vulgar

his heart to overflowing. Moisture made his eyes dim, and at the impulse of a feeling of gratitude, s

have had a lonely and not very cheer

n Englishman does when he wi

omorrow. I only wish I were not obliged to go to London on W

?' asked Miss Moorhouse-who a moment ag

t-why do yo

at you felt

'until he has had a moment to recove

stinct. Thank you

taken of such refreshments as are lawful at five o'clock, and now welcomed with vivacity the later arrivals. Moorhouse was something older than Buckland, a sallow-cheeked man with forehead and eyes expressive of much intelligence. Till of late he h

ly caused her to smile with special graciousness, and their conversation was uninterrupted for some minutes. Then Fanny came fo

asked, when certain remarks of Godwin's had proved

the kind,' he answered; adding in a moment, 'excep

with the promptness of a schoolgirl who wishes t

win replied, smiling at her. 'An

put another question,

were once fon

of their acquaintance, ten years ago. Peak s

still

been much improved since

ricombe will le

ade an apology for dra

raps? You may just as well have

teau for a ramble to Land's End without stowing away a dress suit. He was thus saved what would have been an embarrassment of

em. If you would like to look up my father in his study, he'll be delighted

ly. How can y

ed, and gave

he way when you care to