g desired to put his head into the fire--a perfect coward!"

"And where did you get your moral courage, Mr. Norman?" said Hamilton,
with deliberate gravity; "we may send you to the heathen for reproof:

'If thou hast strength, 'twas heaven that strength bestowed,
For know, vain man, thy valor is from God.'"

Norman was on the point of speaking, but Hamilton continued in the
same calm, irresistible manner:

"If Louis is vain, we are proud; and I should like to know which is
the worst,--having an exalted opinion of ourselves, or craving the
exalted opinion of others? We have not behaved well to Louis, poor
fellow! we first spoiled him by over-indulgence and flattery, and
when this recoils upon us, we visit all the evil heavily on him."

"I only want to remark," said Meredith, "that we had a right to expect
more consistency in a professed saint."

"Perhaps so," said Hamilton; "yet, though I am sure Louis is a sincere
Christian, he is not free from faults, and had still a hard work to do
in overcoming them; and, because he has for a time forgotten that he
had this work to do, shall we cast him off as a reprobate? Remember it
was his former blameless conduct that made us expect more from him than
another: the Power that guided him then can restore him again. But we
have sadly forgotten that great duty, of bearing one another's burdens,
which he taught us so sweetly a few months ago. Let us forgive him,"
continued Hamilton, with tears in his eyes, "as we would be forgiven;
considering how we should act in temptation ourselves."

There was a dead silence, for Hamilton's address had something solemn
in it. He added, after a short pause--

"I feel that we seniors have an immense responsibility: the power of
doing much good or harm lies with us. I have been far too selfish and
indifferent: Trevannion, will you forgive the thoughtless words that
so justly offended you, but which, I assure you, had only the meaning
of an angry emotion?"

"Willingly!" said Trevannion, starting up to meet the proffered hand
of his friend; "I am sorry I should have been so much offended."

Reginald was making some acknowledgments to Hamilton and Frank, when a
messenger came to summon Hamilton to a short turn with the doctor, and
after gladly accepting Reginald's offer of performing his task towards
Alfred, he took up his poem, and went away full of deep thoughts and
regrets, that the late scene had called forth.

CHAPTER XXI