d to
have had occasion to break his heart. But not the less, because he was
thus early blighted, would he struggle for success in the world. He
would show her that, as his wife, she might have had a worthier position
than Lord Ongar could give her. He, too, might probably rise the quicker
in the world, as now he would have no impediment of wife or family.
Then, as he rode along, he composed a sonnet, fitting to his case, the
strength and rhythm of which seemed to him, as he sat on horseback, to
be almost perfect. Unfortunately, when he was back at Clavering, and sat
in his room with the pen in his hand, the turn of the words had escaped
him.

He found Mr. Burton at home, and was not long in concluding his
business. Messrs. Beilby & Burton were not only civil engineers, but
were land surveyors also, and land valuers on a great scale. They were
employed much by Government upon public buildings, and if not architects
themselves, were supposed to know all that architects should do and
should not do. In the purchase of great properties Mr. Burton's opinion
was supposed to be, or to have been, as good as any in the kingdom, and
therefore there was very much to be learned in the office at Stratton.
But Mr. Burton was not a rich man like his partner, Mr. Beilby, nor an
ambitious man. He had never soared Parliamentwards, had never
speculated, had never invented, and never been great. He had been the
father of a very large family, all of whom were doing as well in the
world, and some of them perhaps better, than their father. Indeed, there
were many who said that Mr. Burton would have been a richer man if he
had not joined himself in partnership with Mr. Beilby. Mr. Beilby had
the reputation of swallowing more than his share wherever he went.

When the business part of the arrangement was finished Mr. Burton talked
to his future pupil about lodgings, and went out with him into the town
to look for rooms. The old man found that Harry Clavering was rather
nice in this respect, and in his own mind formed an idea that this new
beginner might have been a more auspicious pupil, had he not already
become a fellow of a college. Indeed, Harry talked to him quite as
though they two were on an equality together; and, before they had
parted, Mr. Burton was not sure that Harry did not patronize him. He
asked the young man, however, to join them at their early dinner, and
then introduced him to Mrs. Burton, and to their youngest daughter, the