Born in Exile

holiday. Why haven't you replied to my letter of a fortnight ago? Nothing yet from The Critical. If you are really at work as usual, come and see me tomorrow evening, any ti

ackguardism keeps more than pace with the times. Come

mus, J

ht of cold and rainy weather, which did not enhance the cheerfulness of daily journeying between Peckham Rye and Rotherhithe. When it was necessary for him to set forth to the train,

, Reusch's Bibel und Natur. After a little dallying, he became absorbed in this work, and two or three hours passed before its hold on his attention slackened. He seldom changed his position; the volume was propped against othe

n-hour brooded darkly. A fit of yawning admonished him that it was time to quit the atmosphere of study. He betook himself to a r

rite,' thus he excused himself.

etter for your holida

forgotten all about

lad, yet I can't make up my mind to be ousted by Kenyon-that's what it means. They want to get me away, but I stick on, postponing holiday from week to week. Runcorn can't decide to send me about my business, yet every leader I write enrages him.

rculation?' i

n keep financially right by help of this kind, why not make a little sacrifice for the sake of raising our political tone? Runcorn

ver! Wash your hands, a

Let me have my way, and I can make the paper a decent one

ly. 'I half envy you. There must be a distinct pleasure in believin

njoy the experiment. The chief pleasure, I

Earwaker. They have the spir

he smiled, but the harassment

y on the table. 'Dolby has the trick of keeping manuscripts a long time. Everything that seems at the first

t is or not. What do you thin

rous stories, which had greatly

prejudice against the fellow, but he has overcome me. It's more t

ver the mob enjoys is at once spoilt for me, however good I should

k his head in

ust be able to judge a

a bad smell; it looks mauled with dirty fingers. I despise Oldwinkl

reserved a smiling equanimity. A tirade of virulent contempt, in which Godwin exhibit

he journalist; 'you'll

wl of curiosity at the man who presented himself, and when he shook hands, it was in silence. But Malkin made speech from the others unnecessary

ssure you! No doubt Earwaker has informed you of the circumsta

a word or two of scant excu

e minutes, Mr. Peak, to book, to register luggage, to do everything; not f

me enjoyment, and began to cram the bo

nyon and Co.?' he cried, as s

repeated what h

he abstract question? Is a popular paper likely, or not, to be damaged in its

rised if it were,' P

very man's first duty is to assert himself. At all events, this is how I regard the matter. I am all for individualism, for the development of one's personality at whatev

fight at all,' said Peak. 'He's in a f

. Here's a big Sunday newspaper practically in his hands; it seems to me that the circumstances give him a gran

ptical smile, and made ans

nd paid by certain capitalists to

have at heart the interests of the working classes; so has Earwaker, and he is far better able than they to promote those interests. His duty is to apply their money to the best use, morally sp

list, with a look of amusement, 'that

uld urge you just as strongly to assert yourself. Surely you agree with this point

t all sure

ace earnestly. He endeavoured to subdue his excitement to the tone of court

what are

noth

ng, I agree with you. But we have to live our lives, and I s

We may very well be guided by circumstances as they arise. To be sure, t

nces, not receive its impulse from them. How, then, a

as much satisfaction and a

Well and good! Then that is

it is

to under

ual and moral principles as likely as

ed Malkin, leaping from his

n't k

is happiness? Wh

w,' answered the jo

. Why is there so much suffering under our present social system? Because the majority of men are crushed to a dead level of mech

an by scope?' i

imitation of those other men who appear to be better off. That was what sent me off to South America. I got into politics, and found that I was in danger of growing di

n to both, snuffing the

ve no convictio

ess in any worthy sense! You may

in, after a moment's hesitation, allowed h

by increasing the circulation of your paper by whatever means. You would flourish, undoubtedly. In a short time you w

journalist. 'If I could take that line, I should be a

lled with

to jest!-Where's my hat? Where the devil is my hat? Sen

door, but Earwaker arr

eaving yo

?-Did I tell you wher

at's th

e minutes he was giving a rapturous description of tropical scenes, lau

care for a travelling companion-rather short-tempered, but you'll pardon that-pray giv

r I shall ever get so far,

e. Earwaker's protest that it was not

' he said, extending his hand to Malkin; and, i

e left of cours

because there's a good deal of indifferentism in both of us. Moral earne

her good manners. Suppose I write him a short letter,

ut happiness is a sore point with him; few men, I should think, have known less of it. I can't

mething of that in his face.

estion!-By the way

r make or ruin. You know my characteristics; the slightest check upon my independence, and all's up with me. The woman I marry must be perfe

is open

is to train some very young girl for the purpose. Don't misunderstand me, for heaven's sake! I mean that I must make a friendship with some schoolgirl

ut it deman

more monstrous can be imagined than the treatment to which this poor woman has been subjected! I couldn't have believed that such dishonesty and brutality were

re that she tell

d with sudde

shame, Earwaker! A poor widow toiling to support herself

you seem to know v

ectly, and all h

ldren, Bella and Lily, aged fourteen and twelve respectively, were about to undertake alone a journey to the Continent, the erratic hero felt it incumbent upon him to see them safe at their mother's side. Instead of returning forthwith, he lingered in Normandy for several weeks, striking off at

almly fronting the indignant outburst,

lied, with an air which forbade trivial comment. 'Bella and Lily will of cours

r of these young ladies seems suitable fo

He stood with his legs apart

pired me with no little interest. She is rather mature, unfortuna

g after one o'clock. Malkin was never known to retire willingly from

hristian was reading. He laid down the book and rose languidly. His face was flushed, and he spoke with a laugh which suggested that a fit of despondency (as occasionally happened) had tempted him

began, 'I had no choice but to come to

are you going to get h

ere and read, will you? If I feel tired I can lie down on

he Italian Renaissanc

a scrap of paper, used as a book-mark, on which Godwin had pen

'as the motto of those humanists who o

e Inquisition was flourishing

whether the sixteenth or the nineteenth cen

e honest,

nt as if in doubt, th

the dogma may possibly be true? This new morality of the agnostics is mere paltry conceit. Why must I make solemn declaration that I don't believe in absolute knowledge? I might as well be called upon to inform all my acqu

to Moxey, that his surprise at wh

ver seriously thought of a profession

had darkened, and he seated

doing,' resumed Moxey. 'Wh

ay or two. I thought you w

y. He leaned forward with his arms upon the table, a

win, with slow interest. '

ut much

hen he again spoke it w

to on the subject, and no doubt I both weary and disgust you; but I must speak to some one. My nerves

seen her

n the street. It's ten mont

ering-that's quite another thing. But die he must; and to curtail the life of a being who at length wholly ceases to exist is no injury. You can't injure a nonentity. Do you think I should take it ill if I knew that some persons were wishing my death? Why, look, if ever I crush a little green fly that crawls upon me in the fields, at once I

rooded for a long time, whilst Go

omorrow,' said the

rha

you ke

o mood fo

o one. Only M

long s

with the gentle tone in which he invariably spoke of his sister. 'W

said

nearer to our ideal of moral justice and purity. If it were not for her, I should long ago have gone to pe

t, I believe,' Peak answ

, of course I should have charged Constance with the blame of it. Now that I have struggled on, I can see that she has been a blessing to me in

red a sho

t in the course of circumstances has proved helpful. I en

life, you to the depressing. There's an unfortunate lack in you, Peak; you seem insensible

th of note. 'Come now, isn't it true?' urged the

haps

developed in a way of which you have no conception. It's no answer to tell me that I am still a mere trifler, never likely to do anything of account; I haven't it in me to be anything better,

so?' said Godwin

ses you. A woman's influence takes one out of oneself. No man can be a better authority on th

nterrupted Go

ption occu

e for asking what your interest was

averted his face with a

y that you knew an

, perhaps, that I happened to be present when a letter had just arrive

at I have never since seen any of the family. My uncle, when he found I had drawn back, was very savage-naturally enough. Marcella and I never again went to Twybridge. I liked Janet; she was a good, kind girl. I believed just then that my love for Constance was hopeless; my mood impelled

ace fall upo

after a silence. 'Have you any founded hope

ed and looked u

have the absolute a

s

friend's house; her eyes were red with weeping. I couldn't help holding my hand to her. She took it, and held it for a moment, and looked at me steadily, and whispered my name-that was all. I knew then that she repented of her marriage-who can say what led h

with passion

drily, 'to have wasted ten years o

e's mind? What can a man do better than, having found an admirable woman, to worship her thenceforth, and defy every temptation that could lead him astray? I don't like to seem boastfu

gh he could not declare his doubts, he thought it more than probable that this Laura of the voiceless Petrarch was unworthy of such constancy, and that she had no intention whatever of rewar

g from the subject. 'You can't sleep, neit

hat you will come home with m

y we

oken by long silences, made their way through

ds. One evening in October, as he sat studying at the British Museum, a friendly voice c

nce we parted down yonder I have been running about a go

on Saturday

n volume, and caught a head

at the

there till Chri

me? I shall be alone; perhaps you don't mind that? We could

on, and Warricombe, unable t

note of these quarters. Peak wondered that a man who had it in his power to surround himself with evidences of t

he whole, what does it matter where one lives? There's something in the atmosphere of our time that makes one indisposed to strike roots in the old way. Who kn

make a good fight for the

rsuasions to conservatism. In those who have anything, that's to say. Let the families who

ng your best to

and s

ame time. One isn't necessar

ust have in the metaphysic

e aim of practical Radicalism is to instruct men's selfishness. Astonishing how capable it is of being instructed! The mistake of the Socialist lies i

e; he had imagined him less acute. Gratified

hem. But they are only dangerous so long as privilege allies itself with h

th you,' Go

o speak of an indifferent topic of the day,

aroma with that of coffee did a frankly p

e,' said Warricombe. 'You st

d to go down i

sea

,' Godwin replied, with deliberation

y of the eccles

on with anything but contempt?' Peak aske

how tolerant the Church is becoming: I know what latitude it

the work of the civilis

r inst

the mob,' answer

alism is pol

great

s. You regard the Church formulas as merely s

the purposes

human

very

tituted should justify a seeming acceptance of dogmas, which in the strict sense it despised. But he was made uneasy by his ignorance of Peak's private life during the years since their parting at College. He did not like to think of the possible establishment of intimacy between this man of low origin, uncertain career, boundless ambition, and the household of Martin Warricombe. There could be no doubt that Peak had decided to go to Exeter because of the social p

nterrupted this

a friend of yours. Am I guilty of presumption in hoping that your parents will continue to regard

ng a correspondent frankness, he might explain that Peak's position was so distasteful to him that it disturbed the future with many kinds of un

nctly invited you to go and see them whenever you are in the neighbourhood.

at once to a safe topic-that of contemporary fiction, and

which the editor of The Critical Review signified his acceptance of a paper entitled 'The New Sophistry'. The communicatio

ozen times he had read over the proofs, with throbbing pulse, with exultant self-admiration: but the printer's errors which had caught his eye, and a few faults of phras

the gloom of nightfall obliged him to light his lamp did he at length sit down to the table and car

nyone, and attention thus excited. We shall see paragraphs attributing it to men of mark-perhaps scandal will fix it on a bishop. In any case, don't let out the secre