Ravenshoe

father know. Non-University men sneer at rustication; they can't see any particular punishment in having to absent yourself from your studies for a term or two. But do they

s sprung under the parents' feet, and their eyes are opened to things they little dreamt of. This, it appears, is not the first offence. The college has been long-suffering, and has pardoned when it should have punished repeatedly. The lad who was thought to be doi

mptation is strong. It is very unwise to ask too many questions. Home questions are, in some cases, unpardonable. A son can't tell a father, as one man can tell another, to min

at his being in debt. He wasn't much afraid of his father's anger. They two had always been too familiar to be much afraid of one another. He was

et the room into some order, but it was hopeless. Will

ir; I'd better go for H

nd prepare my horses for a journey. Ward, you may pack

k, especially William, who

hen I see my lord--" here William paused abruptly, and, look

ardly pleasing in consequence of a certain lowering of the eyebrows which he indulged in every moment-as often, indeed, as he looked at any one-and also of a slight cynic

so drunk as you. I did all I could for you, more fool I, for things couldn't be worse than they are, an

all my confounded folly, and I shall write to your fat

m Ranford, you know. Yes, I think I'll say yes. William, you can take the horses ov

g to an end next year. I hope there'll be another Derby. She has cut hom?opathy and taken to vegetable practice. She has deuced near slaughtered her maid with an overdose of Lin

the change in Lady Ascot's op

won't stand that. She has pretty much her own way with the old lady, I can tell you, and with every

, looking very grave. He returned Welter's salutation, and that gentleman sauntered out of the room, after having enga

, "and only two days after our good resolution

N

capitally in the schools and in the world, who is now always either lolling about reading novels, or else flying off in the opposite extreme, and running, or ri

on; it's all true as

fellow? Try to be captain of the University Eight or the Eleven; get a good degree; anything. Think of last Easter vacation, Charley. Well, then, I won't--Be sure that pot-house wo

fault of the men I'm with. That Easter vacation business was planned by Welte

ormances. I entertain the strongest personal dislike for him. He leads yo

can

elation? Nonsense. Your br

sn't

owe hi

lose the run of Ranford. I must go there. There's a girl there I care a

ever told me of this," he said; "and s

did you g

at Charles Ravenshoe would have gone o

the last time I left Ranford I asked her-you know-and she laughed in my face, and said we were getting too old for that sort of nonsens

arston. "Don't be a fool, Charl

you, no; she's a depen

her. Very likely she has got tired of you. By your own confession, you have been making love to her for te

m going f

. Yours is a quiet, staid, wholesome house; not such a bear-garden a

wh

ng down, and he wants you to row four.

w after this business. Get a waterman; do, Mar

ellows you were with last night, and to see what effect three such gentlemen and schola

ourtesy. He was sorry to hear Ravenshoe was going down-had hoped to have had him in the Eight at Easter; however, it couldn't be helped; hoped to get him at Henley; and so on. The others were very courteous too, and Cha

n with them for a time. And before any man was warm-Iffley. Then across the broad mill-pool and through the deep crooks, out into the broads, and past the withered beds of reeds which told of coming winter. Bridges, and a rushing lasher-Sandford. No rest here. Ou

ll midnight to see the Eight come in-could not see them, but heard afar off the measured throb and rush of eig

ife. What a splendid stroke Musgrave gives you, so marked, and so long, and ye

some of the second-rate ones. I have set my brains to learn steering, being a small weak man; but

to-day. So he broke out into sudden and furious rebellion, much to Marston's amusement, who treas

is, take him all in all, the most despicable little wretch I know! If you are very diligent you may raise yourself to his level! And when you have got your precious first, you will find yourself utterly unfit for any trade or profession whatever (except the Church,

d his hands and said, "hear, hear!

d my rustication, and keeping up appearances. I wish I was a billiard marker; I wish I was a jockey; I wish I was Alick Reed's Novice; I wi

ish she was a cabman?"

tly. "She wished she was a milkmaid, and

try another Easter vacation with Welter. Mrs. Sherrat will get you a suit of cast

as not brilliant in conversation; he did not dress well, though he was always neat; he was not a cricketer, a rower, or a rider; he never spoke at

ave exhausted the means of approach to good University society. First, He had been to Eton as a town boy, and had been popular th

ury, and Marston hoped that he would have done something; but no. Charles took up with riding, rowing, driving, &c., &c., not to mention the giving and receiving of parties, w

e night before he went down Marston came to his rooms, and tried to persuade him to go home, and not to "the training stables," as he irreverently called