Denzil Quarrier

he Bar; he went so far in specification as to style himself Equity barrister. But the Courts had never heard his voice. Having begun the studies, he carried them through just for consistency

hing save the tasks that were set him. Inspired by Cooper and Captain Marryat, he came to the conclusion that his destiny was the Navy, and stuck so firmly to it that his father, who happened to have a friend on the Board of Admiral

ble welcome, and entertained him for half a year. The ex-seaman then resolved to join his parents abroad, as a good way of looking about him. He found his mother on her death-bed. In consequence of her decease, Denzil became possessed of means amply suff

uld throw himself with decided energy. The old Norsemen laid their spell upon him; he was bitten with a zeal for saga-hunting, studied vigorously the Northern tongues, went off to Iceland, returned to rummage in the libraries of Copenhagen, began to translate the Heimskri

that the young man should attach himself to some vocation that became a gentleman. Denzil, a little weary for the time of his Sea-Kings, at length consented to go to London and enter himself as a st

wedes, Norwegians, Danes, and men of Iceland; when they came to England he entertained them with hearty hospitality, and searched with them at the British Mus

e was invited. Old Mr. Quarrier knew not of its existence; neither did Mr. Sam Quarrier of Polterham, nor any other of Denzil's kinsfolk. The first

ost his father, who died suddenly on a journey from Christiania up

is time in the rooms at Clement's Inn, and cultivated domesticity at Clapham. He was again working in earnest at

, Quarrier had spoken nothing less than truth. "The lady with whom you chanced to see me the other day was my wife. I have been married for a year and a half-a

comforts and ornaments; on his shelves were quaint collections of crockery; coins of historical value displayed themselves in cases on the walls; shoes and garments of outlandish fashion lay here and there. Probably few private librarie

friend, who sat at the writing-table in evening costume,

our book?" as

ea-Kings just now. They're rather re

ly, I sho

k so to them. But I like their spirit. You're

think

of some son of a"--(Denzil's language occasionally reminded one that he had been a sailor) "who had cheated a lot of poor servant-girls

Arry of the

opy of their paper returned to them by a subscriber in Russia. Two columns are completely obliterated with the censor's lamp-black,-that's how it reaches the subscriber's hands. As I stood looking at that

g and loud in

d, smiling calmly, "and perhaps knows noth

le, he should be kicked out of the back-door of his palace. I have no objection to an autocra

her, with a fine curl of the lips. "Who

tured merriment, and thereu

ce and decorum. Though not a fluent talker, he fell at once into a strain of agreeable chat on subjects which seemed likely to be of interest; his success was soon manifest in the change of Lilian's countenance. Denzil, attentive to both, grew more genuinely at ease. When Lilian caught his eye, he smiled at her with warmth of approving kindness. It must have been a fastidious man who felt dissatisfied with the way in which the young hostess discharged her duties; timidity led her into no gaucherie,

salvation to the Sca

eresting literature of to-day; the old battle-stories

the novel. "'Marie Grubbe' doesn't sound a very aesthetic title, bu

lazzard, "that I am what is called an aes

. "True, you don't let your hair grow, and in general make an ass of

round. It seemed to her (she had already received the impression from Quarrier's talk of the evening before) that Denzil behaved to his friend with an air of bantering superiority which it was not easy to account for. Mr. Glazzard, so far as sh

en hastily supplied) appeared with summons to dinner. Mr. Glazzard offered

e meal than he had anticipated. If Mrs. Quarrier were responsible for the menu (he doubted it), she revealed yet another virtue. The mysterious circumstances of this h

eing him perhaps once a month, and it was long since he had heard the connoisseur discourse so f

lterham," he exclaimed, "we must set you c

ot impo

, "that he would see them all consumed in furnace

nd Denzil's exaggerations," said

mething worse than a high Tory. It's quite a mis

lterham I shall call myself a Radical. What sensible man swears by a party? There's more foolery and dishonesty than enough on both sides, when you come to party quarrelling; but as for the broad princip

zil," said Lilian, with a rallying smile. "N

the country should hear of it! Do you think I would go whining to individuals? If I hadn't food, it would be the duty of society to provide me with it-and I wou

lass, and went on in

ture, and as civilized beings we have rights. Every man is justified in claiming food and shelter and repose. As things are, many thousands of people in every English county either lack these necessaries altogether, or g

me to time. But when the necessity of appeasing his robust appetite held Quarrier silent for a

low them lately," she repl

at you have no vote and no cha

really

superstitions that hold a great part of the people in a degrading bondage. Our need is of statesmen who are bold enough and strong enough to cast off the restraints of party, of imbecile fears, of words that answer

ast-end club," interposed Glazzard,

ss!-what right has he to be sitting in a national assembly? Call himself what he may, it's clearly our business to get rid of him. There's somethin

essed with the times

so attentively that s

d so much about politics

n. I suppose Glazzard's aesth

nor neutral," remarked t

l lau

declaration from Glazzard, which d

urself so vehem

I should very likely get hooted down as an insolent aristocrat. I don't go in for crazy extremes. There'll never be a Utopia, and it's only a form of lying to set such ideals before the multitude. I believe in the distinction of classes; the only class I would altogether abolish is th

ng it, and thereupon broached a subject so totall

nutes in silence. They lighted cigarettes, and contemplatively wat

ay," he said, in a low friendly voice, his eye

murmured

she impress yo

posed to think

and pressed the one which

t they like, that isn't a common weakness in women, you know. Her imagination is painfully active; I'm afraid it causes her a great deal of misery. The other day I found her in tears, and what do you think was the reason?-she had been reading in some history about a poor fellow who was persecuted for his religion

bid, that,

t on her-not at all. That poor devil (his name, I remember, was Workman) was really and truly hounded to insanity and the grave, and

d rejoice when Laud w

e would forget, and make e

urning his eyes at length, and seeing Quarrier in a br

old i

ne-and-

have thoug

n, and very soon they went to

aid Lilian before long. "Will you let me hav

is," the guest made repl

y one with more technical knowledge than the hearers would have perceived that he was doi

puzzles me how such a lazy fellow as you are h

and, not deigning any other rep