Having revived his system with soda-water, and finding no sign of his antagonist below, Mr. Raikes, to disperse the sceptical dimples on his friend’s face, alluded during breakfast to a determination he had formed to go forth and show on the cricket-field.

‘For, you know,’ he observed, ’they can’t have any objection to fight one.’

Evan, slightly colouring, answered:  ’Why, you said up-stairs, you thought fighting duels disgraceful folly.’

‘So it is, so it is; everybody knows that,’ returned Jack; ’but what can a gentleman do?’

‘Be a disgraceful fool, I suppose,’ said Evan:  and Raikes went on with his breakfast, as if to be such occasionally was the distinguished fate of a gentleman, of which others, not so happy in their birth, might well be envious.

He could not help betraying that he bore in mind the main incidents of the festival over-night; for when he had inquired who it might be that had reduced his friend to wear mourning, and heard that it was his father (spoken by Evan with a quiet sigh), Mr. Raikes tapped an egg, and his flexible brows exhibited a whole Bar of contending arguments within.  More than for the love of pleasure, he had spent his money to be taken for a gentleman.  He naturally thought highly of the position, having bought it.  But Raikes appreciated a capital fellow, and felt warmly to Evan, who, moreover, was feeding him.

If not born a gentleman, this Harrington had the look of one, and was pleasing in female eyes, as the landlady, now present, bore witness, wishing them good morning, and hoping they had slept well.  She handed to Evan his purse, telling him she had taken it last night, thinking it safer for the time being in her pocket; and that the chairman of the feast paid for all in the Green Dragon up to twelve that day, he having been born between the hours, and liking to make certain:  and that every year he did the same; and was a seemingly rough old gentleman, but as soft-hearted as a chicken.  His name must positively not be inquired, she said; to be thankful to him was to depart, asking no questions.

‘And with a dart in the bosom from those eyes—­those eyes!’ cried Jack, shaking his head at the landlady’s resistless charms.

’I hope you was not one of the gentlemen who came and disturbed us last night, Sir?’ she turned on him sharply.

Jack dallied with the imputation, but denied his guilt.

‘No; it wasn’t your voice,’ continued the landlady.  ’A parcel of young puppies calling themselves gentlemen!  I know him.  It’s that young Mr. Laxley:  and he the nephew of a Bishop, and one of the Honourables! and then the poor gals get the blame.  I call it a shame, I do.  There’s that poor young creature up-stairs-somebody’s victim she is:  and nobody’s to suffer but herself, the little fool!’

‘Yes,’ said Raikes.  ‘Ah! we regret these things in after life!’ and he looked as if he had many gentlemanly burdens of the kind on his conscience.