l question. Was his uncle wholly unconscious of the misery
he was causing? Had it never occurred to him that the public proximity
of an uneducated shopkeeping relative must be unwelcome to a lad who
was distinguishing himself at Whitelaw College? Were that truly the
case, then it would be unjust to regard Andrew resentfully; destiny
alone was to blame. And, after all, the man might be so absorbed in his
own interest, so strictly confined to the views of his own class, as
never to have dreamt of the sensibilities he wounded. In fact, the
shame excited by this prospect was artificial. Godwin had already felt
that it was unworthy alike of a philosopher and of a high-minded man of
the world. The doubt as to Andrew's state of mind, and this moral
problem, had a restraining effect upon the young man's temper. A
practical person justifies himself in wrath as soon as his judgment is
at one with that of the multitude. Godwin, though his passions were of
exceptional force, must needs refine, debate with himself points of
abstract justice.

'I've been tellin' Jowey, Grace, as I 'ope he may turn out such another
as Godwin 'ere. 'E'll go to Collige, will Jowey. Godwin, jest arst the
bo-oy a question or two, will you? 'E ain't been doin' bad at 'is
school. Jest put 'im through 'is pyces, as yer may sye. Stend up,
Jowey, bo-oy.'

Godwin looked askance at his cousin, who stood with pert face, ready
for any test.

'What's the date of William the Conqueror?' he asked, mechanically.

'Ow!' shouted the youth. 'Down't mike me larff! Zif I didn't know thet!
Tensixsixtenightysivn, of course!'

The father turned round with an expression of such sincere pride that
Godwin, for all his loathing, was obliged to smile.

'Jowey, jest sye a few verses of poitry; them as you learnt larst. 'E's
good at poitry, is Jowey.'

The boy broke into fearsome recitation:

'The silly buckits _on_ the deck That 'ed so long rem'ined, I dreamt as
they was filled with jew, End when I awowk, it r'ined.'

Half-a-dozen verses were thus massacred, and the reciter stopped with
the sudden jerk of a machine.

'Goes str'ight on, don't 'e, Grace?' cried the father, exultantly.
'Jowey ain't no fool. Know what he towld me the other day? Somethin' as
I never knew, and shouldn't never 'ave thought of s'long as I lived. We
was talkin' about jewellery, an' Jowey, 'e pops up all at wunst. "It's
called jewellery," says 'e, "'cos it's mostly the Jews as sell it."
Now, oo'