r Adrian sent in a satisfactory report of his
pupil's advancement, which he did pretty liberally, diversions were
planned, just as prizes are given to diligent school-boys, and Richard
was supposed to have all his desires gratified while he attended to his
studies. The System flourished. Tall, strong, bloomingly healthy, he took
the lead of his companions on land and water, and had more than one
bondsman in his service besides Ripton Thompson--the boy without a
Destiny! Perhaps the boy with a Destiny was growing up a trifle too
conscious of it. His generosity to his occasional companions was
princely, but was exercised something too much in the manner of a prince;
and, notwithstanding his contempt for baseness, he would overlook that
more easily than an offence to his pride, which demanded an utter
servility when it had once been rendered susceptible. If Richard had his
followers he had also his feuds. The Papworths were as subservient as
Ripton, but young Ralph Morton, the nephew of Mr. Morton, and a match for
Richard in numerous promising qualities, comprising the noble science of
fisticuffs, this youth spoke his mind too openly, and moreover would not
be snubbed. There was no middle course for Richard's comrades between
high friendship or absolute slavery. He was deficient in those
cosmopolite habits and feelings which enable boys and men to hold
together without caring much for each other; and, like every insulated
mortal, he attributed the deficiency, of which he was quite aware, to the
fact of his possessing a superior nature. Young Ralph was a lively
talker: therefore, argued Richard's vanity, he had no intellect. He was
affable: therefore he was frivolous. The women liked him: therefore he
was a butterfly. In fine, young Ralph was popular, and our superb prince,
denied the privilege of despising, ended by detesting him.

Early in the days of their contention for leadership, Richard saw the
absurdity of affecting to scorn his rival. Ralph was an Eton boy, and
hence, being robust, a swimmer and a cricketer. A swimmer and a cricketer
is nowhere to be scorned in youth's republic. Finding that manoeuvre
would not do, Richard was prompted once or twice to entrench himself
behind his greater wealth and his position; but he soon abandoned that
also, partly because his chilliness to ridicule told him he was exposing
himself, and chiefly that his heart was too chivalrous. And so he was
dragged into the lists by Ralph, and