of it. He thanked the great man for his kindness
and sympathy, but declined to reconsider his decision.

In the outer office,--in the room, for instance, in which Mr.
Jerningham sat with Crocker and Bobbin and Geraghty, the feeling
was very much stronger in favour of the title, and was expressed in
stronger language. Crocker could not contain himself when he heard
that there was a doubt upon the subject. On Roden's first arrival at
the office Crocker almost flung himself into his friend's arms, with
just a single exclamation. "Duca, Duca, Duca!" he had said, and had
then fallen back into his own seat overcome by his emotions. Roden
had passed this by without remark. It was very distasteful to him,
and disgusting. He would fain have been able to sit down at his own
desk, and go on with his own work, without any special notice of the
occasion, other than the ordinary greeting occasioned by his return.
It was distressing to him that anything should have been known about
his father and his father's title. But that it should be known
was natural. The world had heard of it. The world had put it into
the newspapers, and the world had talked about it. Of course Mr.
Jerningham also would talk of it, and the two younger clerks,--and
Crocker. Crocker would of course talk of it louder than any one else.
That was to be expected. A certain amount of misconduct was to be
expected from Crocker, and must be forgiven. Therefore he passed over
the ecstatic and almost hysterical repetition of the title which
his father had borne, hoping that Crocker might be overcome by the
effort, and be tranquil. But Crocker was not so easily overcome. He
did sit for a moment or two on his seat with his mouth open; but he
was only preparing himself for his great demonstration.

"We are very glad to see you again,--sir," said Mr. Jerningham;
not at first quite knowing how it would become him to address his
fellow-clerk.

"Thank you, Mr. Jerningham. I have got back again safe."

"I am sure we are all delighted to hear--what we have heard," said
Mr. Jerningham cautiously.

"By George, yes," said Bobbin. "I suppose it's true; isn't it? Such a
beautiful name!"

"There are so many things are true, and so many are false, that I
don't quite know how to answer you," said Roden.

"But you are--?" asked Geraghty; and then he stopped, not quite
daring to trust himself with the grand title.

"No;--that's just what I'm not," replied the other.

"But he is,