Kenelm Chillingly, Book 3.

ircuit of his demesne, wound his way back towards the lawn through a sequestered rocky hollow in the rear of the marquee, which had been devoted to a fernery. Here he came to a sudden pause; for,

e had come on him at last. He approached gently; and, being much concealed by the tall ferns, Kenelm (for that itinerant it was) d

g you to be the gentleman whom Mr. Lethbridge promised to intr

ld, and not in keeping with the Sunday costume of a petty farmer. "Nay," said he, "let

inews, whenever it would have been a great convenience to terminate dispute or chastise insolence by a resort to man's primitive weapons; but I never more lamented my physical inferiority than on certain occasions when I would have given m

persons who do not like to hear ill of their friends

s, aghast. "'Frien

ave felt that there are few friends one likes more cordially, and ought to

t him. To turn to another subject less provocative. Mr. Lethbridge has told me of your amiable desire to serve two of his young parishioners, Will Somers and Jessie Wiles, and of your

reasons may adm

n excellent canvasser, and has always voted straight with the party. Mrs. Fourstars, a most benevolent woman, entreats me not to dismiss another tenant, because he is in distressed circumstances and has a large family; very good reasons perhaps for my excusing him an arrear, or allowing him a retiring pension, but the worst reasons in the world for letting him continue to ruin himself and my land. Now, Mrs. Bawtrey has a small holding on lease at the inadequate rent of L8 a year. She asks L45 for its transfer, but she can't transfer the lease without my consent; and I can get L12 a year as a moderate rental from a large choice of competent tenants. It will better answer me to pay her the L45 myself, which I have no doubt the incoming tenant would pay me back, at least in part; and if he did not, the additional rent would be good interest for my expenditure. Now, you happen to take a sentimental interest, as you pass through the village, in the loves of a needy cripple whose utmost industry has but served to save himself from parish relief, and a giddy girl without a sixpence, and you ask me to accept these very equivocal tenants instead

the utter disregard of individual welfare. By Natural Laws creatures prey on each other, and big fishes eat little ones upon system. It is, nevertheless, a hard thing for the little fish. Every nation, every town, every hamlet, every occupation, has a system, by which, somehow or other, the pond swarms with fishes, of which a great many inferiors contribute to increase the size of a superior. It is an idle benevolence to keep one solitary gudgeon out of the jaws of a pike. Here am I doing what I thought the simplest thing in the world, asking a gentleman, evidently as good-natured as myself, to allow an old woman to le

ers. "Do you mean to s

to leave th

rried the basket-maker; but, as that is out of the qu

n; his little place is a freehold; the only house in the village that does not bel

as a partner to his uncle, I suppose he would be too glad to sell a house of which he can have no ple

entiment, I gained an advantage; and, to say truth, I should b

interfere. I leave the neighbourhood to-morrow: see if you can nego

e thus. You have declined apparently to join the da

me here merely on the business

in rank to myself, but as I enjoy the melancholy privilege of being the older man, do not think I take an unwarrantable liberty in asking if you object to tell me your name. I should

atured criticism or a generous sentiment, would that be the fitting occasion to throw off the mask, and parade myself to a mocking world as the imbecile violator of an established system? Should I not, in a moment so untoward, more than ever desire to merge my insignificant unit in the mysterious importance which the smallest Singular obtains

found himself suddenly face to face with George Belvoir, behind whom followed, with a throng of guests, the fair for

avers from behind. "Are you the

in his rear, and whispered, "If my father was your friend, do not disgrace his son. Do not say I am a failure. Deviate from your sys

knight-errant of whose gallant conduct on behalf of your protegee Jessie Wiles we have heard so much, but the eloquent arguer who has conquered my be

"May it be in my power to do a kind thing to

to my daughter. You will not