The Three Clerks

his name as a candidate; but he had hardly done so when his attention was called off from the

Hardlines for a week or so, he was at once to go over to that gentleman's office; and Alaric could perceive that

country, had named him. He was to go down to Tavistock with another gentleman from the Woods and Forests, for the purpo

out mining, I presum

hatever,'

and plain common sense, and one also who can write English; for it will fall to your lot to draw up

rbend!' s

public servant, and one in whom the fullest confidence can be plac

stand mining?'

ed; but, Tudor, the Government will look to you to get the true common-sense view of

the Woods and Forests, having received an assurance that the examination in his own office should not take place till after his return from Tavistock. He was not slow to

cupine does with its quills. He had theories and axioms as to a man's conduct, and the conduct especially of a man in the Queen's Civil Ser

f salary into hourly portions, and tell him to a fraction of how much he was defrauding the public. If he ate a biscuit in the middle of the

selves for so sending him. But Mr. Neverbend was no fool. He was not a disciple of Sir Gregory's school. He had never sat in that philosopher's porch, or listened to the high doctrines prevalent at the Weights and Measures. He could not write with all Mr. Precis' conventional correctness, or dispose of any

e's abilities. It was his object that Tudor should altogether take the upper hand in the piece of work which was to be done

, when he was told that a young clerk named Tudor was to accompany him, conceived that he might look on his companion rather in the light of a temporary private se

s not slow to perceive the sort of man with whom he had to act. Of course, on this occasion, little more than grimaces and civility passed bet

f starting on Tuesday. Tuesday will no

e that we are expected to be at

that may be all very well for Sir Gregory, but I

'I haven't looked at the papers yet, so

h which you need trouble yourself. I believe I am pretty well up in the case.

at, I fancy,' said Tudo

r me to see, a great many conflicting interests for me to reconcile; and

ll be good fun

however, he spared the stranger his reproaches, and merely remarked that the work he surmised

holders and directors of neighbouring mines taught themselves to believe. Some question had arisen as to the limits to which the happy possessors of this new tin El Dorado were entitled to go; squabbles, of course, had been the result, and miners and masters had fought and bled, each side in defence of its own rights. As a portion of these mines were on Crown property it became necessary that the matter sh

the projected trip to Devonshire. But the other party was too strong, and her raillery failed to have the intended effect. Gertrude especially expressed her opinion that it was a great thing for so young a man to have been selected for such employment by such a person; and Lind

like to go with yo

ld not repay the trouble

the greatest possible service to you as an officer of the Crown. It w

' said Alaric, trembling at the id

old Hardaport, and Sir Jib Boom-why, d--n me, they wo

tion with any one during the time that he was employed on this special service. Poor Captain Cuttwater, grieved to have his good nature checke

for you,' said Uncle Bat. 'I'll write a note to-night, and you can take it with you. Sir Jib is a rising man, and you'll regret it for ever if you miss the opportunity.' Now

ve him no encouragement whatever; she would not absolutely swear to him that she did not now, and never could, return his passion; but she would point out how very imprudent any engagement between two young persons, situated as they were, must be-how foolish it would be for them to bind themselves, for any number of years, to a marriage which must be postponed; she would tell Alaric all this, and make him understand that he was not to regard himself as affianced to her;

t that you are to do do

they sat togeth

rd-it is to be all below the surfa

you ever come up

ingly rich-perhaps I may be

oomy gnome, that lives in d

s, going down into thos

ry day of their lives, and what ot

water, 'What sort of a figure would you make on

are of yourself

s settled that Mr. Neverbend was to go down, an

y, perhaps, be unsettled again,' said Alaric, with a

ly peep at you, we should find you both sitting comfortably at your inn

to say is, that if Neverb

, mind you bring up a bit o

ty, and with a note for Sir Jib Boom, which the captain made him promise that he wou

aisle, they talked with something like mutual confidence of their future prospects. This was a favourite resort with Norman, who had schooled himself to feel an interest in works of art. Alar

but it was at Hampton that the suspicion had been engendered, and there he found himself unable to be genial, kindly, and contented. Surbiton Cottage was becoming to him anything but the abode of happiness that it had once been. A year ago he had been the hero of the Hampton Sundays; he could not but now feel that Alaric had, as it were, supplanted him with his own friends. The arrival even of so insignificant a person as Captain Cuttwa

that he had been surly with Alaric, he was much more angry with himself than Alaric was with him. Alaric, indeed, was indifferent about it. He had

great thing for

le I should be just as well pleased to have been spared. If I get through it

't kno

slush of a Cornish mine

give you

ve a colleague with me of whom I can only learn that he is not weak enough to be led, or wise enough to lead; who is so self-opinionated that he think

anage him,'

done,' replied Alaric. 'I wish

ry, when he chose you,

ull of compliments to-day. I re

. I feel all this; and Alaric, you must not be surprised that, to a certain degree, it is painful to me to feel it. But, by God's help I will get over it; and if you succeed it shall

him in his office. He was made of a more plastic clay than they, and despite the inferiority of his education, he knew himself to be fit for higher work than they could do. As the acknowledgement was

er Harry, and to answer hi

out and destroy myself, poor frog that I am, in trying to loom as largely as that great cow, Fi

is nothing,

ucation is nothing-mind, mind is everything; mind and the will.' So he express

of yourself. But the proof of what we each can do is yet to be seen. Years alone can decide that. That

wer what the other said, 'in following up your high ambition-and I know you have a high ambition-do not allow yours

to do so?' said Alaric

fancy, not that you do so, but that your mind is turning that way; that in your eage

short, even though the hillside be miry. Well

efile yoursel

his bag well stuffed with game, the women do not qu

ch is evil is evi

m I a

bid that I should have to think so! but it is b

having mud

the means in lo

getables, by filling their minds with usele

your quotation

ld be more base or unjust. But, nevertheless, I think you may be too over-scrupulous. What great man ever rose to greatness,' continued Alaric, a

not be great

ds that there shall be

that there should be

a man be goo

you certainly can be, if you look to Him for assistance. Let

be too base to live. Look at Jacob-how did he achieve the tremendous rights of patriarchal primogeniture? But, come, the policemen are trying to get rid of us; it is time for

n a cab, brought to him at the moment of his departure. Neverbend's enemies were wont to declare that a messenger, a cab, and a big packet always rushed up at the moment of his starting on any of his official trips. Then he ha

n as the train was in motion, 'and how are

' said Alaric. 'One has to get up

r should be considered either early or la

else of us, I suppose, but that we should

curred in the Forest of Dean. I was sent down there, and that is the report which I then wrote. I propose to take it for the model of that which we shall have to draw up when we return from Tavistock;'

ng to Tavistock in order that the joint result of his and Mr. Neverbend's l

pages of close folio writing, and he felt that he r

id Alaric. 'Mary Jane seems to be exclusively in

similar,' said Neverbend, 'and

ong to read a word of such a report, for fear I might be prejudiced by your view of the case. It would, in my

lly, Mr.

e to have the benefit of your experience, but my conscience

to reprobate his idleness in refusing to make himself master of the report. While he was settling the question in his

Neverbend, 'that I shall go

ught of stopping short of it;' and, taking out a book,

o me to do as I please

is subject as soon as t

whole I rather think

ock to

assed by Taunton; and on reaching Exeter he declare

aise at Plymout

be a public conveyan

ll be the quicke

dearest,' sa

h to us,' said Alaric;

aid Neverbend, with a look of ferocious

gage was strapped on, and Mr. Neverbend, before his time for expostulation had fairly come, found hims

le to protect his dignity, and maintain the superiority of his higher rank, felt the ground sinking from beneath his feet from hour to hour. He could not at all understand how it was, but even the ser

d, who was tired with hi

go to

infernal mass of papers. I have hardly looked at them yet. Now that I

the rich mines that had then been opened in that district; that the, or its, or her shares (which is the proper way of speaking of them I am shamefully ignorant) were at an enormous premium; that these two Commissioners woul