oo. "Of course it was my fault. I got him to
come. He hadn't the slightest intention of staying. I think you will
believe what I say about that, sir."

"I believe every word you say, my Lord."

"I got into a row at Oxford. I daresay you heard. There never was
anything so stupid. That was a great grief to my father,--a very
great grief. It is so hard upon him because he never did anything
foolish himself."

"You should try to imitate him." Silverbridge shook his head. "Or at
least not to grieve him."

"That is it. He has got over the affair about me. As I'm the eldest
son I've got into Parliament, and he thinks perhaps that all has been
forgotten. An eldest son may, I fancy, be a greater ass than his
younger brother." The Master could not but smile as he thought of
the selection which had been made of a legislator. "But if Gerald is
sent down, I don't know how he'll get over it." And now the tears
absolutely rolled down the young man's face, so that he was forced to
wipe them from his eyes.

The Master was much moved. That a young man should pray for himself
would be nothing to him. The discipline of the college was not in
his hands, and such prayers would avail nothing with him. Nor would
a brother praying simply for a brother avail much. A father asking
for his son might be resisted. But the brother asking pardon for the
brother on behalf of the father was almost irresistible. But this man
had long been in a position in which he knew that no such prayers
should ever prevail at all. In the first place it was not his
business. If he did anything, it would only be by asking a favour
when he knew that no favour should be granted;--and a favour which
he of all men should not ask, because to him of all men it could
not be refused. And then the very altitude of the great statesman
whom he was invited to befriend,--the position of this Duke who had
been so powerful and might be powerful again, was against any such
interference. Of himself he might be sure that he would certainly
have done this as readily for any Mr. Jones as for the Duke of
Omnium; but were he to do it, it would be said of him that it had
been done because the man was Duke of Omnium. There are positions
exalted beyond the reach of benevolence, because benevolence would
seem to be self-seeking. "Your father, if he were here," said he,
"would know that I could not interfere."

"And will he be sent down?"

"I do not know all the circumstances. From your