These nightly torments helped him to brave what the morning brought.  Insensibly also, as Time hardened his sufferings, Evan asked himself what the shame of his position consisted in.  He grew stiff-necked.  His Pagan virtues stood up one by one to support him.  Andrew, courageously evading the interdict that forbade him to visit Evan, would meet him by appointment at City taverns, and flatly offered him a place in the Brewery.  Evan declined it, on the pretext that, having received Old Tom’s money for the year, he must at least work out that term according to the conditions.  Andrew fumed and sneered at Tailordom.  Evan said that there was peace in Mr. Goren’s shop.  His sharp senses discerned in Andrew’s sneer a certain sincerity, and he revolted against it.  Mr John Raikes, too, burlesqued Society so well, that he had the satisfaction of laughing at his enemy occasionally.  The latter gentleman was still a pensioner, flying about town with the Countess de Saldar, in deadly fear lest that fascinating lady should discover the seat of his fortune; happy, notwithstanding.  In the mirror of Evan’s little world, he beheld the great one from which he was banished.

Now the dusk of a winter’s afternoon was closing over London, when a carriage drew up in front of Mr. Goren’s shop, out of which, to Mr. Goren’s chagrin, a lady stepped, with her veil down.  The lady entered, and said that she wished to speak to Mr. Harrington.  Mr. Goren made way for her to his pupil; and was amazed to see her fall into his arms, and hardly gratified to hear her say:  ’Pardon me, darling, for coming to you in this place.’

Evan asked permission to occupy the parlour.

‘My place,’ said Mr. Goren, with humble severity, over his spectacles, ‘is very poor.  Such as it is, it is at the lady’s service.’

Alone with her, Evan was about to ease his own feelings by remarking to the effect that Mr. Goren was human like the rest of us, but Caroline cried, with unwonted vivacity: 

’Yes, yes, I know; but I thought only of you.  I have such news for you!  You will and must pardon my coming—­that’s my first thought, sensitive darling that you are!’ She kissed him fondly.  ’Juliana Bonner is in town, staying with us!’

‘Is that your news?’ asked Evan, pressing her against his breast.

’No, dear love—­but still!  You have no idea what her fortune—­ Mrs. Bonner has died and left her—­but I mustn’t tell you.  Oh, my darling! how she admires you!  She—­she could recompense you; if you would!  We will put that by, for the present.  Dear! the Duke has begged you, through me, to accept—­I think it ’s to be a sort of bailiff to his estates—­I don’t know rightly.  It’s a very honourable post, that gentlemen take:  and the income you are to have, Evan, will be near a thousand a year.  Now, what do I deserve for my news?’

She put up her mouth for another kiss, out of breath.