nt."

"Would it be any better there, though?" said Tom, gently, for he
felt that he was in a gunpowder magazine.

"Better! yes, it must be better," said Hardy; "at any rate the
youngsters there are marchers and fighters; besides, one would be
in the ranks and know one's place. Here one is by way of being a
gentleman--God save the mark! A young officer, be he never such a
fop or profligate, must take his turn at guard, and carry his
life in his hand all over the world wherever he is sent, or he
has to leave the service. Service!--yes, that's the word; that's
what makes every young red-coat respectable, though he mayn't
think it. He is serving his Queen, his country--the devil, too,
perhaps--very likely--but still the other is some sort. He is
bound to it, sworn to it, must do it; more or less. But a
youngster up here, with health, strength, and heaps of
money--bound to no earthly service, and choosing that of the
devil and his own lusts, because some service or other he must
have--I want to know where else under the sun you can see such a
sight as that?"

Tom mumbled something to the effect that it was by no means
necessary that men at Oxford, either rich or poor, need embark in
the service which had been alluded to; which remark, however,
only seemed to add fuel to the fire. For Hardy now rose from his
chair, and began striding up and down the room, his right arm
behind his back, the hand gripping his left elbow, his left hand
brought round in front close to his body, and holding the bowl of
his pipe, from which he was blowing off clouds in puffs like an
engine just starting with a heavy train. The attitude was one of
a man painfully trying to curb himself. His eyes burnt like coals
under his deep brows. The man altogether looked awful, and Tom
felt particularly uncomfortable and puzzled. After a turn or two,
Hardy burst out again--

"And who are they, I should like to know, these fellows who dare
to offer bribes to gentlemen? How do they live? What do they do
for themselves or for this University? By heaven, they are
ruining themselves body and soul, and making this place, which
was meant for the training of learned and brave and righteous
Englishmen, a lie and a snare. And who tries to stop them? Here
and there a don is doing his work like a man; the rest are either
washing their hands of the business, and spending their time in
looking after those who don't want looking after, and cramming
those who would be