the imponent; and
next, how he could have faith in her, her history and present condition
being what they were. The fact of these difficulties was a great source
of distress to him. It was aggravated by the circumstance that he had no
one to talk to, or to sympathize with him under them. And it was
completed by the necessity of carrying about with him a secret which he
dared not tell to others, yet which he foreboded must be told one day.
All this was the secret of that depression of spirits which his sisters
had observed in him.

He was one day sitting thoughtfully over the fire with a book in his
hand, when Mary entered. "I wish you would teach _me_ the art of reading
Greek in live coals," she said.

"Sermons in stones, and good in everything," answered Charles.

"You do well to liken yourself to the melancholy Jaques," she replied.

"Not so," said he, "but to the good Duke Charles, who was banished to
the green forest."

"A great grievance," answered Mary, "we being the wild things with whom
you are forced to live. My dear Charles," she continued, "I hope the
tittle-tattle that drove you here does not still dwell on your mind."

"Why, it is not very pleasant, Mary, after having been on the best terms
with the whole College, and in particular with the Principal and
Jennings, at last to be sent down, as a rowing-man might be rusticated
for tandem-driving. You have no notion how strong the old Principal was,
and Jennings too."

"Well, my dearest Charles, you must not brood over it," said Mary, "as I
fear you are doing."

"I don't see where it is to end," said Charles; "the Principal expressly
said that my prospects at the University were knocked up. I suppose they
would not give me a testimonial, if I wished to stand for a fellowship
anywhere."

"Oh, it is a temporary mistake," said Mary; "I dare say by this time
they know better. And it's one great gain to have you with us; we, at
least, ought to be obliged to them."

"I have been so very careful, Mary," said Charles; "I have never been to
the evening-parties, or to the sermons which are talked about in the
University. It's quite amazing to me what can have put it into their
heads. At the Article-lecture I now and then asked a question, but it
was really because I wished to understand and get up the different
subjects. Jennings fell on me the moment I entered his room. I can call
it nothing else; very civil at first in his manner, but there was
something