Born in Exile

stic promise whom he might associate with himself in the conduct of that long established Radical paper. The tale of his years warned him

owned two or three country newspapers, and had reaped from them a considerable fortune; in consequence, his attention was directed to one John Earwaker, then editing the Wattleborough Courier. Mr. Malkin's eldest son had recently stood as Liberal candidate for Wattleborough, and though defeated was loud in his praise of the Courier; with its editor he had come to be on terms of intimate friendship. Earwaker was well acquainted with journalistic lif

ourse with active men; had given him an every-day aspect; perhaps the sole peculiarity he retained from student times was his hollow chuckle of mirth, a laugh which struggled vainly for enlargement. He dressed with conventional decency, even submitting to the chimney-pot hat. His features betrayed connection with a physically coarse stock; but to converse with him was to disco

he provided for the subsistence of his parents, old people domiciled in a quiet corner of their native Kingsmill. The strict sobriety of life which is indispensable to success in such a career as this cost him no effort. He smok

as interrupted whilst equipping himself for

he murmured placidly, as he began to strugg

repeated, and

sed, elaborating the bow of his white tie. 'He, I should imagine, is in B

low-tail, then crossed his sitting-room

I was reminded of y

aw hat of spacious brim, had seized both

d you for the evening. How the deuce are you? And why the devil h

owed his tumultuous friend t

was again vociferated, amid bursts of boy

e journalist. 'Since you left Buenos Ayres, I have had two letters, each containing tw

you! How do you do? Do I look well? Have I a tropical colour? I say, what a blessed thing it was that I got beaten down at W

rank resonant voice, declared a youth passed amid the wholesome conditions which wealth alone can command. The hearty extravagance of his friendliness was only possible in a man who has never been humiliated by circumstances, never restricted in his natural n

e said, 'that I have

we can get di

, but I a

ho is she? Why didn't

ll men would have rushed at the wrong one. I mean to say-if your excitement can take in so common

at his mistak

ere near Fulham? We'll take a ca

t be on the

explanation was cut sho

want to get rid of me! I should h

rong feminine element in you, Malkin; that's exactly

er with hot face. 'What do you mean? I

stance are nothing to you, and I shall be v

was instant

te? What the devil was the use of my writing, when words are powerless to describe-? What a rum old place this seems, after experiences like mine; how the deuce can you live here? I say, I've brought

ey drove westward. Having at length effervesced, Malkin began to exchange ques

ou get on wit

a single subject of agreement,' Earwaker repl

deuce do

corn swore that, if I did not, I should go out. I offered to retire that moment. "We must write for our public," he bellowed. "True," said I, "but not necessarily for the basest among them. The standard at the best is low enough." "Do you call yo

nee violently. 'Raise the tone! To the devil with mercenary cons

t. The other declared his intention of driving on to F

again. When shall yo

past eleven,

me out to Staple Inn, and we

ly of easy means. As he was taking off his overcoat, a door opened and Christian Moxey came forwar

oment?' said Moxey. 'I should like to show

. A stranger to the pursuits represented might have thought that the general disorder and encumberment indicated great activity, but the experienced eye perceived at once that no methodical w

s a girl's. He stepped with peculiar lightness, and the harmonious notes of his voice were in keeping with these other characteristics. Ten year

he Thames. It's positively loaded with diatomaceoe,-you remember our talking about th

ntive smile, follow

s he told you his theory of their locomotion? Nobody has found o

f intellect and character that, after the first moment, one became indifferent to its lack of feminine beauty. As if with the idea of compensating for personal disadvantages, she was ornately dressed; her abundant tawny hair had submitted to much m

med Chilvers?' she asked of Earwaker, with

it Bruno Chilv

f the guests, a young married lady

ge, but I had no idea he

ey again

at clerical reputation? Mrs. Morton was as

ot to know him. I only happened to mention a very ridiculous sermon of his, that was forced upon me by

he door opened to admit another arrival, and a servant's voice announced 'Mr. Peak'. Miss Moxey rose, an

dull and rather husky voice, which made strong contra

company, giving merely a nod and a smile as rep

, 'that Bruno Chilvers is exciting the orthodox world

vers?

at all the Church newspa

look as before, 'that I read such papers. We never have such

made no other answer. T

re i

y. Perhaps

re in Norfolk,' replied the

guest, and Earwaker did the same courtesy to the hostess. Mr. Morton, a meditative young man wh

riefly and absently. As Moxey, Earwaker, and Mrs. Morton kept up lively general talk, this muteness was not much no

ter with you? D

impatiently, and

in upon me, just as I was leaving home-as mad as a M

ou pl

wall opposite. This attitude gave sufficient proof of the change that had been wrought in him by the years between nineteen and nine-and-twenty; even in a drawing-ro

orm does not allow a man much scope in the matter of adornments; it was plain, however, that Godwin no longer scorned the tailor and haberdasher. He wore a suit

Moxey, who was just then without a companion. Her glance answered to his, and

ing,' she said, in a voice su

y. 'One has such moods, you know. But how would you take it if, at the la

ppose I shoul

nly you

less of me th

room, their smile betokening

inued, 'that you are going to

ave town at all. It wouldn't be worth whi

glanced at him. 'Wh

er has a friend, who has just come back from travel in the tropics; the talk about it

ella replied, turning a bracelet o

now how impossible it would be for me to put up

s tone. The listener still smiled

s you pretend,' she remark

etences of any kind,'

gracious th

can't h

. But at least tell

sible,' Peak

nothing,' said Marcella, w

. How often could you tell me what it is

yes fell; a moment after, there was

asked abruptly, but in a vo

ll H

r power of

y concerned about the locomoti

nd they laughed-n

aid Peak. 'After all, there are ways mo

Moxey and Earwaker were again talking of the Rev. Bruno Chilvers. Straightway disregarding Marce

hat Chilvers is really coming to the front. At Whitelaw it used to be prophesied that he would be a bishop,

pistle, if

egan to speak caustically of the form of intel

in a style which would have scandalised the orthodox of

ice drew

d form". Then there's the other lot of people-a much larger class-who won't give up dogma, but have learnt that bishops, priests, and deacons no longer hold it with the old rigour, and that one must be "broad"; these are clamorous for treatises which pretend to reconcile revelation and science. It's quite pathetic to watch the enthusiasm with which they hail any man who distinguishes himself by this kind of apologetic skill, this pious jugglery. Never mind how washy the book from a scientific point of view. Only let it obtain vogue, and it will be glorified as th

himself into eloquent nervousness; he leaned forward with his

ella, 'in how short a time this apol

a triumphan

kasses who brayed against Darwin from ten to twenty years ago should live to be regarded as benea

Peak,' interposed Earwaker. 'Thi

ctive. They would have persecuted, but too gladly! There were, and are, men who would have committed Darwin to penal servitude, if they had had the power. Men li

the retrospect of their idiocy. To convert a mind is a subject

, 'but I suspect you of often feeli

spiration on his forehead. With pleasant tact, Moxey struck into a new subject, and for the next quarter of an hour Peak sat apart in the same attitude as before his outburst of sat

rwaker, as they walked away. 'Farrin

when they had proceeded a littl

mancipate

stopped and

d, with deliberation. 'Women ought neither to be e

al brutality

u know wh

woman who is neither enlightened nor dogmatic is only too

in kept

d his friend, 'needn't be a Mis

t she grows more antipathetic to me the better I know her. She has not a single fem

woman. But her mind is of no low order. I had rather talk with her than with one of the imbecile prett

ible. In s

. I have no great attraction to women of an

he added, abruptly. 'I shall be off to the Pacific.

h I had rather have you in sight. Come and see M

D

rds before Earwaker's leaving the train at Farringdon Street

lit a pipe with long stem, and began to glance over an evening newspaper. He had not long reposed in h

landlady. The rooms are occupied by a married couple, but I think we shall succeed in persuading

why not take the ne

like there, you know. Confound it! Now I shall have to spend all tomorrow lodging-hunting for other

, with grave countenance, 'would feel bou

shall hunt conscientiously. Oh, I say; I have broug

d, do y

care. I should think you might keep the creature

d hurt. There needed a good deal of genial explanation

traveller. 'Moxey's-ah, I remember. Bu

about six months. Got t

ld me about-who disappeared from Whitelaw

s-meat ma

et him again? Why on earth didn't you tell me in y

ne), happening to sit at the same table. Whilst eating, we stared at each other fitfully. "I'll be hanged if

ck. Walker-you remember my friend Walker?-tells the story in a side-splitting way. I wonder what has become of Walker? The last ti

He has been working for years at a chemical factory down o

remember that these are new names to me. I must k

as soon as you like. Peak wants to see you. He

in a month or two. I must just have time to look round. Oh, I haven't done with the tropics yet! I must tell him of a rattling

implest and least worrying

smile of yours

hey had got back to the s

way because of the eatin

very likely he will admit it. It was some ti

think he would come out strong, d

he Liberator, five

e atheist

t now. That belongs to a by

d orth

ker l

amed of the connection with

you that I debated with a parson on Mile-end Waste? Fact! That was in my hot-headed days. A crowd

me forget hospitality. Shall I make

n when I begin to talk.-Try this tobacco; the la

f with a full tumbler, and res

asting his time, th

ons. Of course I can't judge his progress in such matters; but

fic ideas, but I haven't the patience to work steadily. A confounded faul

ow and then

self better. And now tell me about

es with

d sister?

upplied with t

me to her. I do like

x or enl

ly enli

e an emancipated woman! How any man can marry the ordi

pense; not yet precipit

of conscious and unconscious humour which marked his personality. Two o'clock; three o'clock;-he would have talked till breakfast-time, but at last Earwaker declared that the hour had come for sl