I like you for that, Ashburn. And what are
you thinking of turning to now?'

Mark explained his errand not very fluently, and Mr. Shelford heard
him out with his mouth working impatiently, and his eyes wrinkled till
Mark thought how much he had aged lately.

'Well,' he said, pushing back his cap and leaning back in his chair,
'have you thought this out, Ashburn? You were rid of this life a short
time back, and I was glad of it, for you never were fit for it. And
now you're coming back again! I make no doubt they'll be very willing
to have you here, and if a word from me to the Council--but is there
really nothing else but this? Why, I'm counting the days to my own
deliverance now, and it's odd to find some one asking me to recommend
him for my oar and chain! No, no, a dashing young fellow like you,
sir, can do better for himself than a junior mastership for his final
goal. Take warning by me, as I used to tell you--do you want to come
to this sort of thing? sitting from morning to noon in this stifling
den, filled with a rabble of impident boys--d'ye think they'll have
any respect for your old age and infirmities? not they--they'll call
you "Old Ashes"--for they're a yumorous race, boys are, they'll call
you "Old Ashes," or "Cinders" to your nose, as soon as they think
you're old enough to stand it. Why, they don't put any more kittens in
my desk now--they've found out I like cats. So they put
blackbeetles--do you like blackbeetles, eh? Well, you'll come to
beetles in time. It's a mistake, Ashburn, it's a mistake for
impulsive, hot-tempered men like you to turn schoolmaster--leave it
to cold, impassive fellows who don't care enough about the boys to be
sensitive or partial--they're the men to stand the life!'

Here a demon voice shrilled, ''Ullo, Shellfish, Old Shells, yah!'
through the keyhole, and his footsteps were heard down the flags
outside running for dear life. The old gentleman, crimson with rage,
bounded to the door: 'Stop that scoundrel, that impident boy, bring
him back!' But the boy had gone, and he came back panting and
coughing: 'That's a commentary on what I've been saying,' he said;
'I'm an old fool to show I care--but I can't help it, and they know
it, confound 'em! Well, to come back to you, Ashburn, you're married
now, I hear; you won't find a mastership much support as time goes on,
unless you started a boarding-house--the idea of never escaping from
these young ruffians, ugh! No, no, didn't you