ting you have gotten or hope to get
out of a man, the snug things in his gift, and his powers of
procuring enjoyment of one kind or another to miserable body or
intellect--why, such a friendship as that is to be appraised
easily enough, if you find it worth your while; but you will have
to pay your pound of flesh for it one way or another--you may
take your oath of that. If you follow my advice, you will take a
10L note down, and retire to your crust of bread and liberty.

Tom was rapidly falling into friendship with Hardy. He was not
bound hand and foot and carried away captive yet, but he was
already getting deep in the toils.

One evening he found himself as usual at Hardy's door about eight
o'clock. The oak was open, but he got no answer when he knocked
at the inner door. Nevertheless he entered, having quite got over
all shyness or ceremony by this time. The room was empty, but two
tumblers and the black bottle stood on the table, and the kettle
was hissing away on the hob. "Ah," thought Tom, "he expects me, I
see;" so he turned his back to the fire and made himself at home.
A quarter of an hour passed, and still Hardy did not return.
"Never knew him out so long before at this time of night,"
thought Tom. "Perhaps he's at some party. I hope so. It would do
him a good deal of good; and I know he might go out if he liked.
Next term, see if I won't make him more sociable. It's a stupid
custom that freshmen don't give parties in their first term, or
I'd do it at once. Why won't he be more sociable? No, after all
sociable isn't the word; he's a very sociable fellow at bottom.
What in the world is it that he wants?"

And so Tom balanced himself on the two hind legs of one of the
Windsor chairs, and betook himself to pondering what it was
exactly which ought to be added to Hardy to make him an
unexceptional object of hero-worship; when the man himself came
suddenly into the room, slamming his oak behind him, and casting
his cap and gown fiercely on to the sofa before he noticed our
hero.

Tom jumped up at once. "My dear fellow, what's the matter?" he
said; "I'm sorry I came in; shall I go?"

"No--don't go--sit down," said Hardy, abruptly; and then began to
smoke fast without saying another word.

Tom waited a few minutes watching for him, and then broke silence
again.--

"I am sure something is the matter, Hardy; you look dreadfully
put out--what is it?"

"What is it?" said Hardy, bitterly; "Oh, nothing at al