t you say on that subject."

"And must aid me; for the first step in this modern march of
enlightenment is to leave the poor Parson behind; and if one calls out,
'Hold! and look at the sign-post.' the traveller hurries on the faster,
saying to himself, 'Pooh, pooh!--that is only the cry of the Parson!'
But my gentleman, when he doubts me, will listen to you--you're a
philosopher!"

"We philosophers are of some use now and then, even to Parsons!"

"If you were not so conceited a set of deluded poor creatures already, I
would say 'Yes,'" replied the Parson generously; and, taking hold of
Riccabocca's umbrella, he applied the brass handle thereof, by way of a
knocker, to the cottage door.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Certainly it is a glorious fever that desire To Know! And there are few
sights in the moral world more sublime than that which many a garret
might afford, if Asmodeus would bare the roofs to our survey--viz., a
brave, patient, earnest human being, toiling his own arduous way,
athwart the iron walls of penury, into the magnificent Infinite, which
is luminous with starry souls.

So there sits Leonard the Self-taught in the little cottage alone; for
though scarcely past the hour in which great folks dine, it is the hour
in which small folks go to bed, and Mrs. Fairfield has retired to rest,
while Leonard has settled to his books.

He had placed his table under the lattice, and from time to time he
looked up and enjoyed the stillness of the moon. Well for him that, in
reparation for those hours stolen from night, the hardy physical labor
commenced with dawn. Students would not be the sad dyspeptics they are
if they worked as many hours in the open air as my scholar-peasant. But
even in him you could see that the mind had begun a little to affect the
frame. They who task the intellect must pay the penalty with the body.
Ill, believe me, would this work-day world get on if all within it were
hard-reading, studious animals, playing the deuce with the ganglionic
apparatus.

Leonard started as he heard the knock at the door; the Parson's
well-known voice reassured him. In some surprise he admitted his
visitors.

"We are come to talk to you, Leonard," said Mr. Dale, "but I fear we
shall disturb Mrs. Fairfield."

"Oh no, sir! the door to the staircase is shut, and she sleeps soundly."

"Why, this is a French book--do you read French, Leonard?" asked
Riccabocca.

"I have not found French difficult, sir. Once over th