acy provide for
him!"

The Parson's generous and patriotic warmth evaporated at once, at this
sudden inlet of cold air into the conversation. He perceived that he had
made a terrible blunder; and, as it was not his business at that moment
to vindicate the British constitution, but to serve Leonard Fairfield,
he abandoned the cause of the aristocracy with the most poltroon and
scandalous abruptness. Catching at the arm which Mr. Avenel had
withdrawn from him, he exclaimed:

"Indeed, sir, you are mistaken; I have never attempted to influence your
nephew's political opinions. On the contrary, if, at his age, he can be
said to have formed any opinion, I am greatly afraid--that is, I think
his opinions are by no means sound--that is, constitutional. I mean, I
mean--" And the poor Parson, anxious to select a word that would not
offend his listener, stopped short in lamentable confusion of idea.

Mr. Avenel enjoyed his distress for a moment, with a saturnine smile,
and then said,

"Well, I calculate he's a Radical. Natural enough, if he has not got a
sixpence to lose--all come right by-and-by. I'm not a Radical--at least
not a destructive--much too clever a man for that, I hope. But I wish to
see things very different from what they are. Don't fancy that I want
the common people, who've got nothing, to pretend to dictate to their
betters, because I hate to see a parcel of fellows, who are called lords
and squires, trying to rule the roast. I think, sir, that it is men like
me who ought to be at the top of the tree! and that's the long and short
of it. What do you say?"

"I've not the least objection," said the crest-fallen Parson, basely.
But, to do him justice, I must add that he did not the least know what
he was saying!

CHAPTER XV.

Unconscious of the change in his fate which the diplomacy of the Parson
sought to effect, Leonard Fairfield was enjoying the first virgin
sweetness of fame; for the principal town in his neighborhood had
followed the then growing fashion of the age, and set up a Mechanics'
Institute; and some worthy persons interested in the formation of that
provincial Athenaeum had offered a prize for the best Essay on the
Diffusion of Knowledge--a very trite subject, on which persons seem to
think they can never say too much, and on which there is, nevertheless,
a great deal yet to be said. This prize Leonard Fairfield had recently
won. His Essay had been publicly complimented by a full meeting of