, which I have always neglected."

"Was it--was it done in public, sir?" the Major said.

"What?"

"The--the plucking?" asked the guardian, looking Pen anxiously in the
face.

Pen perceived the error under which his guardian was labouring, and
in the midst of his misery the blunder caused the poor wretch a faint
smile, and served to bring down the conversation from the tragedy-key,
in which Pen had been disposed to carry it on. He explained to his uncle
that he had gone in to pass his examination, and failed. On which the
Major said, that though he had expected far better things of his nephew,
there was no great misfortune in this, and no dishonour as far as he
saw, and that Pen must try again.

"Me again at Oxbridge," Pen thought, "after such a humiliation as that!"
He felt that, except he went down to burn the place, he could not enter
it.

But it was when he came to tell his uncle of his debts that the other
felt surprise and anger most keenly, and broke out in speeches most
severe upon Pen, which the lad bore, as best might, without flinching.
He had determined to make a clean breast, and had formed a full, true,
and complete list of all his bills and liabilities at the university,
and in London. They consisted of various items, such as:

London Tailor. Oxbridge do.
Oxbridge do. Bill for horses.
Haberdasher, for shirts and gloves. Printseller.
Jeweller. Books.
College Cook. Binding.
Grump, for desserts. Hairdresser and Perfumery.
Bootmaker. Hotel bill in London.
Wine Merchant in London. Sundries.

All which items the reader may fill in at his pleasure--such accounts
have been inspected by the parents of many university youth,--and it
appeared that Mr. Pen's bills in all amounted to about seven hundred
pounds; and, furthermore, it was calculated that he had had more than
twice that sum of ready money during his stay at Oxbridge. This sum he
had spent, and for it had to show--what?

"You need not press a man who is down, sir," Pen said to his uncle,
gloomily. "I know very well, sir, how wicked and idle I have been. My
mother won't like to see me dishonoured, sir," he continued, with his
voice failing; "and I know she will pay these accounts. But I shall ask
her for no more money."

"As you like, sir," the Major said. "You are of age, and my