ate, bring an income.

And this brings us to the period at which we may resume our story.
One word we must say as to Caroline. During the winter she had seen
her lover repeatedly, and had written to him repeatedly. Their
engagement, therefore, had by no means been broken. But their
meetings were cold, and their letters equally so. She would have
married him at once now if he would ask her. But he would not ask
her. He was quite willing to marry her if she would herself say that
she was willing so far to recede from her former resolution. But she
could not bring herself to do this. Each was too proud to make the
first concession to the other, and therefore no concession was made
by either.

Sir Lionel once attempted to interfere; but he failed. George gave
him to understand that he could manage his own affairs himself. When
a son is frequently called on to lend money to his father, and that
father is never called on to repay it, the parental authority is apt
to grow dull. It had become very dull in this case.

CHAPTER IV.

RICHMOND.

It was in the midst of this noise about Bertram's new book that the
scene is presumed to be re-opened. He had resigned his fellowship,
and pocketed his thousand pounds. Neither of these events had much
depressed his spirits, and he appeared now to his friends to be a
happy man in spite of his love troubles. At the same time, Harcourt
also was sufficiently elate. He had made his great speech with
considerable _eclat_, and his sails were full of wind--of wind of a
more substantial character than that by which Bertram's vessel was
wafted.

And just now Harcourt and Bertram were again much together. A few
months since it had appeared to Harcourt that Bertram intended to
do nothing in the world, to make no figure. Even now there was but
little hope of his doing much as a barrister; but it seemed probable
that he might at any rate make himself known as an author. Such
triumphs, as Harcourt well knew, were very barren; but still it was
well to know men who were in any way triumphant; and therefore the
barrister, himself so triumphant, considered it judicious not to drop
his friend.

It may be said that Bertram had given up all idea of practising as a
barrister. He still intended to go through the form of being called;
but his profession was to be that of an author. He had all manner
of works in hand: poems, plays, political pamphlets, infidel essays,
histories, and a narrative of