taking place in his ways of looking
at men and things. Hitherto a framed engraving of George III had
hung over his mantle-piece; but early in this, his third year,
the frame had disappeared for a few days, and when it reappeared,
the solemn face of John Milton looked out from it, while the
honest monarch had retired into a portfolio. A facsimile of Magna
Charta soon displaced a large colored print of "A Day With the
Pycheley", and soon afterwards the death warrant of Charles I.
with its grim and resolute rows of signatures and seals, appeared
on the wall in a place of honour, in the neighbourhood of Milton.

Squire Brown was passing through Oxford, and paid his son a visit
soon after this last arrangement had been completed. He dined in
hall, at the high table, being still a member of the college, and
afterwards came with Hardy to Tom's rooms to have a quiet glass
of wine, and spend the evening with his son and a few of his
friends, who had been asked to meet "the governor."

Tom had a struggle with himself whether he should not remove the
death-warrant into his bedroom for the evening, and had actually
taken if down with this view; but in the end he could not stomach
such a backsliding, and so restored it to its place. "I have
never concealed my opinions from my father," he thought, "though
I don't think he quite knows what they are. But if he doesn't, he
ought, and the sooner the better. I should be a sneak to try to
hide them. I know he won't like it, but he is always just and
fair, and will make allowances. At any rate, up it goes again."

And so he re-hung the death-warrant, but with the devout secret
hope that his father might not see it.

The wine-party went off admirably. The men were nice,
gentlemanly, intelligent fellows; and the Squire, who had been
carefully planted by Tom with his back to the death-warrant,
enjoyed himself very much. At last they all went, except Hardy;
and now the nervous time approached. For a short time longer the
three sat at the wine-table while the squire enlarged upon the
great improvement in young men, and the habits of the University,
especially in the matter of drinking. Tom had only opened three
bottles of port. In his time the men would have drunk certainly
not less than a bottle a man; and other like remarks he made, as
he sipped his coffee, and then, pushing back his chair, said,
"Well, Tom, hadn't your servant better clear away, and then we
can draw round the fire, and