d. Everywhere he leaves behind him an
odd regret for his presence, as he in turn wonders sometimes at the
deference paid to one so unimportant as himself by those he meets by
accident perhaps; at the ease, for example, with which he attains to
the social privileges denied to others.

They tell him, he knows it already, he would "do for the army." "Yes!
that would suit you," people observe at once, when he tells them what
"he is to be"--undoubtedly suit him, that dainty, military, very
English kind of pride, in seeming precisely what one is, neither more
nor less. And the first mention of Uthwart's purpose defines also the
vague outlooks of James Stokes, who will be a soldier too. Uniforms,
their scarlet and white and blue, spruce leather and steel, and gold
lace, enlivening the old oak stalls at service time--uniforms and
surplices were always close together here, where a military garrison
had been established in the suburbs for centuries past, and there were
always sons of its officers in the school. If you stole out of an
evening, it was like a stage scene-- [223] nay! like the Middle Age,
itself, with this multitude of soldiers mingling in the crowd which
filled the unchanged, gabled streets. A military tradition had been
continuous, from the days of crusading knights who lay humbly on their
backs in the "Warriors' Chapel" to the time of the civil wars, when a
certain heroic youth of eighteen was brought to rest there, onward to
Dutch and American wars, and to Harry, and Geoffrey, and another James
also, in hac ecclesia pueri instituti. It was not so long since one of
them sat on those very benches in the sixth form; had come back and
entered the school, in full uniform, to say good-bye! Then the
"colours" of his regiment had been brought, to be deposited by Dean and
Canons in the cathedral; and a few weeks later they had passed,
scholars and the rest in long procession, to deposit Ensign--himself
there under his flag, or what remained of it, a sorry, tattered fringe,
along the staff he had borne out of the battle at the cost of his life,
as a little tablet explained. There were others in similar terms.
Alas! for that extraordinary, peculiarly-named, Destiny, or Doom,
appointed to walk side by side with one or another, aware from the
first, but never warning him, till the random or well-considered shot
comes.

Meantime however, the University, with work in preparation thereto,
fills up the thoughts, the hours