tance, he regarded Lady Whitelaw with more charity; a longer talk
with her might have led to better mutual apprehension. And, after all,
it was not she but her husband to whom he would stand indebted. Sir Job
was a very kind-hearted old fellow; he had meant thoroughly well. Why,
clearly, the bestower of this third year's allowance would not be Lady
Whitelaw at all.

If it were granted. Godwin began to suffer a troublesome misgiving;
perchance he had gone too far, and was now, in fact, abandoned to his
own resources.

Three weeks. Then came the expected letter, and, as he opened it, his
heart leaped at the sight of a cheque--talisman of unrivalled power
over the emotions of the moneyless! Lady Whitelaw wrote briefly and
formally. Having considered Godwin's request, she had no reason for
doubting that he would make a good use of the proposed year at the
School of Mines, and accordingly she sent him the sum which Sir Job had
intended for his final session at Whitelaw College. She wished him all
benefit from his studies, and prosperity henceforth.

Rejoicing, though shame-smitten, Godwin exhibited this remittance to
his mother, from whom it drew a deep sigh of relief. And forthwith he
sat down to write quite a different letter from that which still lay in
his private drawer,--a letter which he strove to make the justification
(to his own mind) of this descent to humility. At considerable length
he dwelt upon the change of tastes of which he had been conscious
lately, and did not fail to make obvious the superiority of his
ambition to all thought of material advancement. He offered his thanks,
and promised to give an account of himself (as in duty bound) at the
close of the twelvemonths' study he was about to undertake: a letter in
which the discerning would have read much sincerity, and some pathos;
after all, not a letter to be ashamed of. Lady Whitelaw would not
understand it; but then, how many people are capable of even faintly
apprehending the phenomena of mental growth?

And now to plan seriously his mode of life in London. With Christian
Moxey he was so slightly acquainted that it was impossible to seek his
advice with regard to lodgings; besides, the lodgings must be of a
character far too modest to come within Mr. Moxey's sphere of
observation. Other acquaintance he had none in the capital, so it was
clear that he must enter boldly upon the unknown world, and find a home
for himself as best he might. Mrs. Peak