we have
vigour too; and for a wonder, you haven't made any mistakes."

"I'm afraid I shall be `stumped' in the Greek `Iambi,' sir, as Mr
Clarke calls them."

"Ah! well, you must take pains. You've improved, though, since you had
to translate Milton's--

"Smoothing the raven down
Of darkness, till it smiled;

"when, you remember, I gave you a literal version of your `Iambi,' which
meant `pounding a pea-green fog.' Eh?"

"Oh, yes," said Julian, "I remember too that I rendered `the moon-beams'
by `the moon's rafters.'"

"Never mind," said Mr Carden, laughing, "improve in them as much as you
have in Latin verse, and we shall see you Newry scholar yet."

A thrill of joy went through the boy's heart as he heard these words.

CHAPTER FOUR.

HOW JULIAN LOST A FORTUNE.

"Most like a step-dame or a dowager
Long withering out a young man's revenue."
_Shakespeare_.

I must not chronicle Julian's school-life, much as I should have to tell
about him, and strong as the temptation is, but another event happened
during his stay at Harton which affected so materially his future years
that I must proceed to narrate it now.

Julian's father had a sister much older than himself, who many years
before had married a baronet-farmer, Sir Thomas Vinsear of Lonstead
Abbey. It was certainly not a love match on the lady's side, for the
baronet was twenty years her senior, and his tastes in no respect
resembled hers. But she was already of "a certain age," and despairing
of a lover, accepted the good old country squire, and was located for
the rest of her life as mistress of Lonstead Abbey.

As long as he lived all was well; Lady Vinsear, like a sensible wife,
conformed herself to all his wishes and peculiarities, and won in no
slight degree his gratitude and affection. But he did not long survive
his marriage, and after a few years the lady found herself alone and
childless in the solitary grandeur of her husband's home.

Her brother Henry, the Rector of Ildown, had always been her special
favourite, and she looked to his frequent visits to enliven her
loneliness. But she was piqued by his having married without consulting
her, and behaved so uncourteously to Mrs Home, that for a long time the
intercourse between them was broken.

One day, however, shortly before his death, she had written to announce
an intended visit, and in due time her carriage stood before the rectory
door. It so happened that it was