elf to-night," said Duncan, interrupting, but
speaking in the kindest tone; and taking Eric's hand, he looked him
steadily in the face.

Their eyes met; the boy's false self once more slipped off. By a strong
effort he repressed the rising passion which the fumes of drink had
caused, and flinging him self on his chair, refused to speak again, or
even to go down stairs when the prayer-bell rang.

Seeing that in his present mood there was nothing to be done with him,
Duncan, instead of returning to the study, went after prayers into
Montagu's, and talked with him over the recent events, of which the
boys' minds were all full.

But Eric sat lonely, sulky, and miserable, in his study, doing nothing,
and when Montagu came in to visit him, felt inclined to resent
his presence.

"So!" he said, looking up at the ceiling, "another saint come to cast a
stone at me! Well! I suppose I must be resigned," he continued, dropping
his cheek on his hand again; "only don't let the sermon be long."

But Montagu took no notice of his sardonic harshness, and seated himself
by his side, though Eric pettishly pushed him away.

"Come, Eric," said Montagu, taking the hand which was repelling him; "I
won't be repulsed in this way. Look at me. What? won't you even look? Oh
Eric, one wouldn't have fancied this in past days, when we were so much
together with one who is dead. It's a long long time since we've eyen
alluded to him, but _I_ shall never forget those happy days."

Eric heaved a deep sigh.

"I'm not come to reproach you. You don't give me a friend's right to
reprove. But still, Eric, for your own sake, dear fellow, I can't help
being sorry for all this. I did hope you'd have broken with Brigson
after the thrashing I gave him, for the way in which he treated me. I
don't think you _can_ know the mischief he is doing."

The large tears began to soften the fire of Eric's eye, "Ah!" he said,
"it's all of no use; you're all giving me the cold shoulder, and I'm
going to the bad, that's the long and short of it."

"Oh, Eric! for your own sake, for your parents' sake, for the school's
sake, for all your real friends' sake, don't talk in that bitter
hopeless way. You are too noble a fellow to be made the tool or the
patron of the boys who lead, while they seem to follow you. I _do_ hope
you'll join us even yet in resisting them."

Eric had laid his head on the table, which shook with his emotion. "I
can't talk, Monty," he said, in an a