if it had been assumed for
the purpose of showing how a great man could descend.

"Glad to see you, young man," he said. "I hope you and I shall get on
well together. But there was just one single question regarding you,
which I quite forgot to put to your father. Do you understand Latin
thoroughly?--that is, can you translate it readily?"

Feeling my own strength on this point, and delighted that he had
afforded me so early an opportunity of declaring it, I replied, with a
degree of exultation which I had some difficulty in repressing--"I
flatter myself, my lord, that you will not find me deficient in that
particular. I understand Latin very well, and will readily undertake to
translate anything in that language which may be presented to me."

"In that case," replied his lordship, gravely, "I am sorry to say, young
man, you will not suit me."

"How, my lord!" said I, with a look of mingled amazement and
disappointment--"because I understand Latin? I should have thought that
a recommendation to your lordship's service."

"Quite otherwise, sir," replied his lordship, coolly. "It may appear to
you, indeed, sir, rather an odd ground of disqualification. But the
thing is easily explained. I have often occasion, sir," he went on, with
increasing dignity, "to write on matters of importance to my friends in
the cabinet; and, when I have anything of a very particular nature to
say, I always write my sentiments in Latin. It would therefore, sir, be
imprudent of me to employ any one in transcribing such letters, who is
conversant with the language alluded to; or, indeed, otherwise exposing
them to the eye of such a person. You will, therefore, young man,"
continued the peer--now rising from his seat, as if with a desire that I
should take the movement as a hint that he wished the interview to
terminate--"present my respects to your father, and say that I am very
sorry for this affair--very sorry, indeed."

Saying this, he edged me towards the door; and, long before I reached
it, bowed me a good morning, which there was no evading. I acknowledged
it the best way I could, left the house, and returned home--I leave you,
gentlemen, to conceive with what feelings. My Latin, you see, of which I
was so vain, and which, with anybody else, would have been a help to
success in the world in many situations, and in none could have been
against it, was the very reverse to me.

That there was luck in the caul, gentlemen, nevertheless,