have been the case had he been much
hurt.

"Then you say that I denied, in conversation with Augustus Scarborough,
that I had seen his brother on the night in question. I did deny it.
Augustus Scarborough, who was evidently well acquainted with the whole
transaction, and who had, I believe, assisted his brother in
disappearing, wished to learn from me what I had done, and to hide what
he had done. He wished to saddle me with the disgrace of his brother's
departure, and I did not choose to fall into his trap. At the moment of
his asking me he knew that his brother was safe. I think that the word
'lie,' as used by you, is very severe for such an occurrence. A man is
not generally held to be bound to tell everything respecting himself to
the first person that shall ask him. If you will ask any man who knows
the world,--my father, for instance,--I think you will be told that such
conduct was not faulty.

"But it is at any rate necessary that I should ask you what you intend
to do in reference to my future life. I am told that you intend to stop
the income which I have hitherto received. Will this be considerate on
your part?" (In his first copy of the letter Harry had asked whether it
would be "fair," and had then changed the word for one that was milder.)
"When I took my degree you yourself said that it would not be necessary
that I should go into any profession, because you would allow me an
income, and would then provide for me, I took your advice in opposition
to my father's, because it seemed then that I was to depend on you
rather than on him. You cannot deny that I shall have been treated
hardly if I now be turned loose upon the world.

"I shall be happy to come and see you if you shall wish it, so as to
save you the trouble of writing to me.

"Your affectionate nephew,

"HENRY ANNESLEY."

Harry might have been sure that his uncle would not see him,--probably
was sure when he added the last paragraph. Mr. Prosper enjoyed greatly
two things,--the mysticism of being invisible and the opportunity of
writing a letter. Mr. Prosper had not a large correspondence, but it was
laborious, and, as he thought, effective. He believed that he did know
how to write a letter, and he went about it with a will. It was not
probable that he would make himself common by seeing his nephew on such
an occasion, or that he would omit the opportunity of spending an entire
morning with pen and ink. The result was very short, but, to his