hate it because it lowers still more my opinion of this
miserable humanity. I see everywhere rascality, and fraud, and lies;
and because there is danger of becoming the color of the stuff I work
in, 'like the dyer's hand.' I hate it," growled Mr. Rushton.

"But you must see many noble things, sir, too,--a great deal of
goodness, you know."

"Well, sir, so I do. I don't deny it. There are _some_ men who are not
entirely corrupt,--some who do not cheat systematically, and lie by
the compass and the rule. But these are the exceptions. This life and
humanity are foul sin from the beginning. Trust no one, young man--not
even me; I may turn out a rogue. I am no better than the rest of the
wretches!"

"Oh, Mr. Rushton!"

"There you are with your exclamations!"

"Oh, I'm sure, sir--"

"Be sure of nothing; let us end this jabber. How is your mother?" said
Mr. Rushton, abruptly.

"She's very well, sir."

"A good woman."

"Oh, indeed she is, sir--I love her dearly."

"Hum! there's no harm in that, though much selfishness, I do not
doubt--all humanity is narrow and selfish. There are some things I
procured for her."

And Mr. Rushton pointed to a large bundle lying on the chair.

"For _ma mere_!" said Verty.

"Yes; I suppose that, in your outlandish lingo, means _mother_. Yes,
for her; the winter is coming on, and she will need something warm to
wrap her--poor creature--from the cold."

"Oh, how kind you are, Mr. Rushton!"

"Nonsense; I suppose I am at liberty to spend my own money."

Verty looked at the lawyer with a grateful smile, and said:

"I don't think that what you said about everybody's being selfish and
bad is true, sir. You are very good and kind."

"Flummery!" observed the cynic, "I had a selfish motive: I wished to
appear generous--I wished to be praised--I wished to attach you to my
service, in order to employ you, when the time came, in some rascally
scheme."

"Oh, Mr. Rushton!"

"Yes, sir; you know not why I present that winter wardrobe to your
mother," said the lawyer, triumphantly; "you don't even know that it
is my present!"

"How, sir?"

"May I not stop it from your salary, I should like to know, sir?"

And Mr. Rushton scowled at Verty.

"Oh!" said the young man.

"I may do anything--I may have laid a plot to have you arrested for
receiving stolen goods," said the shaggy cynic, revelling in the
creations of his invention; "I may have wrapped up an infernal
machine, sir, in that