Frank Fairlegh

Wha

a strang

you kno

ir! n

uth

bear... or

ement: if you

he statue m

er's

l not be entreated,

. You shall tr

ou Li

or was opened by Thomas

n! The new pupil's arrived, and ain

n? what's he like, t

ing himself comfortable, too!-that's all. But come in, gents, you'll soon see what I mean. He chucked the flyman who brought him here half a guinea, an

account we hastened into the pupils' room, anxious to be

an expression of languor and indifference, must have been pronounced unusually handsome. His complexion was a rich nut-brown; the high forehead, white as snow, contrasting well with the dark hue of his hair, which, in short clustering curls, harmonised well with the classical outline of his head, reminding one involuntarily of the young Antinous. The short curling upper-lip, and well-chisell

s, I suppose-how do

of address, that he made no reply, but turning on his heel proceeded to leave the room, in orde

man, he winked at me by way of preliminary, and, making a l

h pleasure in informing you that we are all in perfect health and very tolerable spirits; and now, sir, in return for your k

figure to its utmost height, and, folding his arm

I'm so done up, tired as a dog-the least thing fatigues me; I'm as w

he solicitor, finding it pays best, I suppose. Regarding the sofa, we have not one at present, but Dr. Mildman went to town this morning; I did not till this moment know why. But now I see it all-he was doubtless aware you would arrive to-day, and, fin

arnest, penetrating gaze, that it appeared as if he would read his very soul. Having apparently satisfi

him; I am not particular.

seemed to have had the wonderful effect

one must dress. Will you be so kind as to tell the servant to bring some hot water, and to look

y his side, and, murmuring something about "talking b

in which he had behaved to me about the mare, and that Cumberland professed himself exceedingly sorry that the affair had so nearly t

a good laugh at you-nothing more. It was a thoughtless thin

certainly gave me the impression that he intended me to ride her. He went t

I daresay, as I did, that you were a mere molly-coddle, brought up at your mo

t," replied I; "it will never happen agai

to break your neck, I should have fallen out with him; that would ha

lt far from satisfied in my own mind as to

the moment of my entrance Mrs. Mildman, who had not seen the new arrival, and who, like the rest of her sex, was somewhat curious, was examinin

ge eyes," continued Mrs. Mildman;

he were half-asl

e look he gave me? he seemed wide-awake eno

des, I don't think you would be at all nice to e

on the very edge of his chair, and looked thoroughly uncomf

he perfect symmetry and proportion of his limbs, prevented his appearing too tall. He went through the ceremony of introduction with the greatest ease and self-possession; and though he infused rather more courtesy into his manner towards Mrs. Mildman than he had taken the trouble to bestow on us, his behaviour was still characterised by the same indolence and l

day this has been; ha

warm travelling: I'm afraid, in that case, Dr. Mildman will

n" (the first two adjectives he pronounc

" insinuated

t," whispered

eplied I, "he

gentleman will be quite knocked up. I wonde

d," observed Mrs. Mildman, in

all tutors were between sixty and seventy-very absurd of me. My father sent all kind of civil

et with before was he) was evidently preparing to hand Mrs. Mildman down to dinner, as soon as he could summon sufficient energy to move, but, perceiving Cumbe

properly bemuslined"; adding, as we went downstairs together, "You and I shall be great friends, I'm sur

he left home in the morning, and proceeded to open it forthwith. Scarcely had he glanced his eye over it, when he was seized with so violent a fit of l

is not the very best thing you ever heard

ps, but the simple fact (to which I was myself witness) of your leaving my house in the low disguise of a carter's smock-frock, affords in itself sufficient proof that your associates must belong to a class of persons utterly unfitted for the companionship of a gentleman. Let me hope this hint may be enough, and th

nt who were aware of the true state of the case, which lasted wit

to Smithson; a Macintosh made by him to be ta

said Coleman, "if that was the notion he had g

o undeceive him?"

vil courses! why, the old boy would go into fits! I wonder what he means by his 'scenes of vulgar dissipation'? I daresay he fancies me playing all-fours with a beery coalheaver, and kissing his sooty-face

The subject was discussed for some time, and a plan arranged for enli

ause, when I heard Cole

that new fellow knows how to make h

an undertone; "I shall take the liberty of seeing whether his self-possessio

Harry Oaklands, who had, on re-entering the room, taken possession of the three chairs near the window, was still reclining, book in hand, in the same indolent posit

s mixture of bullying and cajollery, in persuading Mullins to assist him in whatever he was about to att

and then continued, glancing at Oaklands, "Not such a bad idea, that. Mullins, give us a chair; I

for some minutes gazing out of the window with a countenance of mock solemnity. Finding this did not produce any effect on Oaklands, who, having slightly rai

w-it's no go staring at that. I m

that he believed Mr. O

ok belongs to y

lied in the

objection to l

d be most ha

you-you have a right to do what you pl

ss was so strong as completely to overpower any dread of what might be the possible consequences of his act, it was no

written thereon, that it really belonged to Mullins, handed it to him without a word. I fancied, however, from the stern express

d himself, and saying, "Oh, you have got it at last, have you?" began turning over the pages, readin

t's a nice word to talk about. What does g-i-a-o-u-r spell,

whose every

er those ble

es, indeed;

but living G

or the barbers to stick on

he unforgot

morning, noon, and night, for everlasting, by old Sam, and all the other pastors and masters in the kingd

g the book d

old, I think. Mullin

and a threatening gesture from Lawless again decided him; and with slow unwilling steps he approached the window, and laid his hand on it, for the purpose of shutting it. As he did so, Oaklands raised his head, and regarded him for a moment with a glance like lightning, his large eyes glaring in the twilight like those of some wild animal, while the red flush of

at an interesting virtue patience is; it is a curious fact in Natural History that some of

ut in Mullins; "t

," suggest

Mullins. "Well, you know donkeys are ob

cannot make myself comfortable anyhow-the fact is, I must h

was the answer; "t

; "here, take one of these; the gentlema

person who might be insulted with impunity, and actuated by that general desire of retaliation, which is the certain effect bullying produces upon a mean disposition, Mullins proceeded, con amore, to fulfil Lawless's injunction. With a sudden snatch he withdrew the centre chair, on whi

lying exactly where he fell, he sprang upon Lawless, seized him by the collar of his coat, and after a short but severe struggle dragged him to the window, which was about eight feet from the ground, threw it open, and taking him in his arms with as much ease as if he had been a child flung him out. He then returned to the corner in which, paralys

g some stunted shrubs, turn round and shake his fist at Oaklands (who merely smiled), ere he regained his feet, and rang the bell in order to gain admittance. A minute afterwards we heard him stride upstairs, enter his bedroom, and close t

armony of the evening. Get up, Mr. Mullins," he continued, removing hi

he very image of sulkiness and terror. Cumberland, who appeared during the whole course of the affair absorbed in a book, though, in fact, not a single word or look had escaped him, now came forward

a little, I see the matter in quite a different light. Mr. Lawless was perfectly right; the carelessness of my mann

nd then continued, with a

in the world equal to me, and that nothing was too good for me. Of course, all our servants and people have taken their tone from him, so that I have never had any one to say to me, 'Nay,' and am

d so much exertion very fatigui

that tire me, somehow; but in general I am very easily knocked up-I am indeed-most

; "it struck me that you were so just now, when y

y," said Cumberl

ing it myself. But about this Mr. Lawless, I am exceedingly sorry that I handled him so roughly; would you mi

air, and bring him down with me in five minutes,

od-natured and amiable to-ni

t a bad move to begin with, eh? Besides, if a regular quarrel between Lawless and Oaklands were to ensue, Cumberland would have to take one side or the other; and it would not exactly suit him to b

at you mean by twigging; but how shocking it all is! why, Cumberlan

pted Coleman, "

mewhat angry, and particularly embarrassed and uncomfortable, which, as Coleman whispered to me, was not to be wondered at, considering how thoroughly he ha

wn that I am thoroughly ashamed of the part I have taken in it, and

etely overcome, and, probably for the first time in his life, felt himself thoroughly

ing me out of the window, you served me quite right for my abominable impertinence. I only wonder you did not do it ten minutes sooner, that's al

lands; "they never let me do anything at

ed Lawless; "and, by the way, that reminds me-Mullins! come here, stup

tered "shan't," w

ind; I don't indeed, Lawless; pray le

by the ears, and was forced by Lawless, who stood over him with the poker (which, he informed him, he was destined to eat red-hot if he became restive), to make Oaklands a long and formal apolog

conversation till ten o'clock, when Mrs. Mildman proceeded to read prayers, which, being a duty she was little accustomed to, and which consequently rend