ld recommend
itself to all who do not consider the humorous element in literature
as uncanny, if not personally offensive. The situations were strong,
too, and as nearly new as situations can be and retain any probability
in this over-plagiarised world; and at least one of the characters was
obviously studied from life with a true and tender observation.

All of this Mark did not see, nor was he capable of seeing, but he
thought that, with a little 'weeding' and 'writing-up,' the book would
do, and set himself to supply what was wanting with a laudable
self-devotion. His general plan of accomplishing this may be described
here once for all.

He freshened up chapters with touches of satire, and gave them a more
scholarly air by liberal allusions to the classics; he rewrote some of
the more descriptive and romantic passages, putting his finest and
most florid epithets into them with what he felt was very like
disinterestedness, and a reckless waste of good material. And he cut
down the dialogue in places, or gave it a more colloquial turn, so as
to suit the tastes of the average reader, and he worked up some of the
crises which struck him as inadequately treated.

After that he felt much easier; either considering that these
improvements constituted a sort of atonement, or that they removed any
chance of failure. As this book was to go forth and herald his own, it
was vitally important that it should make as imposing an appearance as
possible.

CHAPTER XI.

REVOLT.

One afternoon, early in the year, Mark had betaken himself to the
'Cock,' where he was to lunch with his uncle by appointment before
going with him to the steward's office of his Inn to pay his fees for
the privilege of being called to the Bar. For Mark had duly presented
himself for the not very searching ordeal by which the public is
guaranteed against the incompetence of practitioners, and, rather to
his own surprise, had not been required to try again. 'Call night' was
announced in the windows of the law wig-makers, and Uncle Solomon, in
high delight, resolved that his nephew should join the next batch of
barristers, had appointed this day for choosing the wig and gown and
settling all other preliminaries--he had been so much pleased, in
fact, as to inclose a handsome cheque in the letter which conveyed his
desires.

So Mark waited by the hoardings of the New Law Courts, until his
relative should join him. Mark was not at ease--he was ner