‘I never did till to-day,’ said Mr. Kendal.  ’It was all of a piece—­ the whole street—­the room—­the furniture—­why the paper was coming off the walls!  What could they be dreaming of!  And there he was, trying to read a little edition of Prodentius, printed at Salamanca, which he picked up at a bookstall at Galway.  It must have belonged to some priest educated in Spain.  He says any Latin book was invaluable to him.  He is infinitely too good for his situation, and the Goldsmiths are neglecting him infamously.  Look out some rooms fit for him, Albinia.’

’I will try.  Let me see—­if I could only recollect any; but Mr. Hope has the only really nice ones in the place.’

‘Somewhere he must be, if it is in this house.’

’There is poor old Madame Belmarche’s still empty, with Bridget keeping it.  I wish he could have rooms there.’

’Well, why not?  Pettilove told me it must be let as two tenements.  If the old woman could take half, a lodger would pay her rent,’ said Mr. Kendal, promptly.  ‘You had better propose it.’

‘And the Goldsmiths?’ asked Albinia.

‘I will show him the Lower Wharf.’

The next afternoon Mr. Kendal desired his wife to go to the Bank and borrow young O’More for her walking companion.

‘Really I don’t know whether I have the impudence.’

’I will come and do it for you.  You will do best alone with the lad; I want you to get into his confidence, and find out whether old Goldsmith treats him properly.  I declare, but that I know John Kendal so well, this would be enough to make me rejoice that Gilbert is not thrown on the world!’

Albinia knew herself to be so tactless, that she saw little hope other doing anything but setting him against his relations; but her husband was in no frame to hear objections, so she made none, and only trusted she should not be very foolish.  At least, the walk would be a positive physical benefit to the slave of the desk.

Ulick O’More was at his post, and said his head was well, but his hair stuck up as if his fingers had been many times run through it; he was much thinner, and the wearied countenance, whitened complexion, and spiritless sunken eyes, were a sad contrast to the glowing freshness and life that had distinguished him in the summer.

Mr. Kendal told the Banker that it had been decided that his nephew needed exercise, and that Mrs. Kendal would be glad of his company in a long walk.  Mr. Goldsmith seemed rather surprised, but consented, whereupon the young clerk lighted up into animation, and bounded out of his prison house, with a springy step learnt upon mountain heather.  Mr. Kendal only waited to hear whither they were bound.

‘Oh! as far as we can go on the Woodside road,’ said Albinia.  ’I think the prescription I used to inflict on poor Sophy will not be thrown away here.  I always fancy there is a whiff of sea air upon the hill there.’