n the evils can be overcome? Would not Hoggett
himself undergo any treatment which he believed to be specific for
rheumatism? Yes; Hoggett would undergo any treatment that was not in
itself opposed to his duty. The best treatment for rheumatism might
be to stay away from the brick-field on a rainy day; but if so,
there would be no money to keep the pot boiling, and Hoggett would
certainly go to the brick-field, rheumatism and all, as long as his
limbs would carry him there. Yes; he would send his letter. It was
his duty, and he would do it. Men looked askance at him, and pointed
at him as a thief. He would send the letter, in spite of Dr. Tempest.
Let justice be done, though the heaven may fall.

He had heard of Lady Lufton's offer to his wife. The offers of the
Lady Luftons of the world had been sorely distressing to his spirit,
since it had first come to pass that such offers had reached him in
consequence of his poverty. But now there was something almost of
relief to him in the thought that the Lady Luftons would, after some
fashion, save his wife and children from starvation;--would save his
wife from the poorhouse, and enable his children to have a start in
the world. For one of his children a brilliant marriage might be
provided,--if only he himself were out of the way. How could he take
himself out of the way? It had been whispered to him that he might be
imprisoned for two months,--or for two years. Would it not be a grand
thing if the judge would condemn him to be imprisoned for life? Was
there ever a man whose existence was so purposeless, so useless, so
deleterious, as his own? And yet he knew Hebrew well, whereas the
dean knew but very little Hebrew. He could make Greek iambics, and
doubted whether the bishop knew the difference between an iambus
and a trochee. He could disport himself with trigonometry, feeling
confident that Dr. Tempest had forgotten his way over the asses'
bridge. He knew "Lycidas" by heart; and as for Thumble, he felt
quite sure that Thumble was incompetent of understanding a single
allusion in that divine poem. Nevertheless, though all this wealth of
acquirement was his, it would be better for himself, better for those
who belonged to him, better for the world at large, that he should be
put an end to. A sentence of penal servitude for life, without any
trial, would be of all things the most desirable. Then there would
be ample room for the practice of the virtue that Hoggett had taugh