A Dark Night's Work Read Free Page B

he expressed himself.
    He liked, too, to see what was doing in art, or in literature; and as he
gave pretty extensive orders for anything he admired, he was almost sure
to be followed down to Hamley by one or two packages or parcels, the
arrival and opening of which began soon to form the pleasant epochs in
Ellinor's grave though happy life.
    The only person of his own standing with whom Mr. Wilkins kept up any
intercourse in Hamley was the new clergyman, a bachelor, about his own
age, a learned man, a fellow of his college, whose first claim on Mr.
Wilkins's attention was the fact that he had been travelling-bachelor for
his university, and had consequently been on the Continent about the very
same two years that Mr. Wilkins had been there; and although they had
never met, yet they had many common acquaintances and common
recollections to talk over of this period, which, after all, had been
about the most bright and hopeful of Mr. Wilkins's life.
    Mr. Ness had an occasional pupil; that is to say, he never put himself
out of the way to obtain pupils, but did not refuse the entreaties
sometimes made to him that he would prepare a young man for college, by
allowing the said young man to reside and read with him. "Ness's men"
took rather high honours, for the tutor, too indolent to find out work
for himself, had a certain pride in doing well the work that was found
for him.
    When Ellinor was somewhere about fourteen, a young Mr. Corbet came to be
pupil to Mr. Ness. Her father always called on the young men reading
with the clergyman, and asked them to his house. His hospitality had in
course of time lost its
recherche
and elegant character, but was always
generous, and often profuse. Besides, it was in his character to like
the joyous, thoughtless company of the young better than that of the
old—given the same amount of refinement and education in both.
    Mr. Corbet was a young man of very good family, from a distant county. If
his character had not been so grave and deliberate, his years would only
have entitled him to be called a boy, for he was but eighteen at the time
when he came to read with Mr. Ness. But many men of five-and-twenty have
not reflected so deeply as this young Mr. Corbet already had. He had
considered and almost matured his plan for life; had ascertained what
objects he desired most to accomplish in the dim future, which is to many
at his age only a shapeless mist; and had resolved on certain steady
courses of action by which such objects were most likely to be secured. A
younger son, his family connections and family interest pre-arranged a
legal career for him; and it was in accordance with his own tastes and
talents. All, however, which his father hoped for him was, that he might
be able to make an income sufficient for a gentleman to live on. Old Mr.
Corbet was hardly to be called ambitious, or, if he were, his ambition
was limited to views for the eldest son. But Ralph intended to be a
distinguished lawyer, not so much for the vision of the woolsack, which I
suppose dances before the imagination of every young lawyer, as for the
grand intellectual exercise, and consequent power over mankind, that
distinguished lawyers may always possess if they choose. A seat in
Parliament, statesmanship, and all the great scope for a powerful and
active mind that lay on each side of such a career—these were the
objects which Ralph Corbet set before himself. To take high honours at
college was the first step to be accomplished; and in order to achieve
this Ralph had, not persuaded—persuasion was a weak instrument which he
despised—but gravely reasoned his father into consenting to pay the
large sum which Mr. Ness expected with a pupil. The good-natured old
squire was rather pressed for ready money, but sooner than listen to an
argument instead of taking his nap after dinner he would have yielded
anything. But this did not satisfy Ralph; his father's reason must be
convinced of the desirability of the step, as well