Mr. Liversedge and his relative
allowed Glazzard to keep silence, save when he exchanged a few words
with his hostess or Miss Pope. He had a look of extreme weariness; his
eyes were heavy and without expression, the lines of face slack,
sullen; he seemed to maintain with difficulty his upright position at
the table, and his eating was only pretence. At the close of the meal
he bent towards Mrs. Liversedge, declared that he was suffering from an
intolerable headache, and begged her to permit his immediate departure.

Denzil went with him out into the road.

"I could see you were not well," he said, kindly. "I want to have a
long and very serious talk with you; it must wait till after to-morrow.
You know, of course, what I have on my mind. Come and hear my
balderdash if you are all right again."

All the next day Denzil was in extravagant spirits. In the morning he
made a show of shutting himself up to meditate the theme of his
discourse, but his sister presently saw him straying about the garden,
and as soon as her household duties left her at leisure she was called
upon to gossip and laugh with him. The Polterham Examiner furnished
material for endless jesting. In the midst of a flow of grotesque
fancies, he broke off to say:

"By-the-bye, I shall have to run over to Paris for a few weeks."

"What to do there?"

"A private affair. You shall hear about it afterwards."

And he went on with his mirthful fantasia. This mood had been frequent
with him in earlier years, and his sister was delighted to see that he
preserved so much of youth. After all, it might be that he had found
his vocation ere it was too late. Certainly he had the gift of speech,
and his personality was not a common one. He might strike out a special
line for himself in Parliament. They must make his election a sure
thing.

The lecture was at eight. About seven, Mr. Liversedge and his relative
walked off to the Institute, and entered the committee-room. Two or
three gentlemen had already arrived; they were no strangers to Denzil,
and a lively conversation at once sprang up. In a few minutes the door
again opened to admit Mr. William Glazzard. The chairman of the evening
came forward with lounging steps. Regardless of the others present, he
fixed his eye upon Quarrier, and examined him from head to foot. In
this case, also, introduction was unnecessary.

"You have lost no time," he remarked, holding out his hand, and
glancing from the young man