isely one of the things that
ladies never understand."

"I have no chance of one, so I agree with Warrender," said Dick. "The
Dons will bother, but what does that matter? They have no souls beyond
the class lists."

"This is all extremely unnecessary," said Warrender, with an air of
suppressed irritation. "Perhaps you will allow me to know best. I have
no more chance of a first class than you have, Cavendish. I have not
worked for it, and I have no expectation of it. All that was over long
ago. I thought every one knew."

"Every one knew that you could have whatever you chose to have,
Warrender. Some thought it foolish, and some fine; but every one knew
exactly the cause."

"Fine!" said the young master of the house, growing red. "But it is of
no consequence to me what they say. I may go back, or I may not; it is
not of the slightest importance to any one but myself." He added in a
tone which he tried to make lighter, "What use is a class of any kind to
a small country gentleman? To know the cost of cultivation and what pays
best is better than a dozen firsts. I want to find out how to cut my
trees, and how to manage my farmers, and how not to make a fool of
myself at petty sessions. Neither Plato nor Aristotle could throw any
light on these subjects."

"For the last you must come to me," said Dick; "on that point you'll
find me superior to all the sages put together. And as for drawing
leases--but I suppose you have some beggar of a man of business who will
take the bread out of a poor beginner's mouth."

"Though Mr. Cavendish talks in that way," said Mrs. Wilberforce aside
to Minnie, "as though he wanted employment so much, he has a very nice
little fortune of his own. It is just his way of talking. And as for
connection, there is no one better. His father is a cousin--it may be a
good many times removed, but still it is quite traceable--of the Duke.
I am not sure, even, that they are not in the peerage as collaterals;
indeed, I am almost sure they are, and that we should find him and
everything about him, if we looked."

"Of course everybody knows he is very well connected," said Minnie, "but
young men all talk nonsense. Listen to Theo! Why shouldn't he go back to
Oxford and take his degree, like other people? I don't care about the
class. A gentleman need not be particularly clever; but if he has been
at the University and does not take his degree, it is always supposed
that there is some reason. I don't th