was　too　late　to　disturb　the　invalid　lady　on　the　first　night
  of　his　arrival；　he　put　up　at　an　inn；　and　did　not　wait　upon
  Miss　Crawley　until　a　late　hour　in　the　noon　of　next　day。
  James　Crawley；　when　his　aunt　had　last　beheld　him；　was
  a　gawky　lad；　at　that　uncomfortable　age　when　the　voice
  varies　between　an　unearthly　treble　and　a　preternatural
  bass；　when　the　face　not　uncommonly　blooms　out　with
  appearances　for　which　Rowland's　Kalydor　is　said　to　act　as
  a　cure；　when　boys　are　seen　to　shave　furtively　with　their
  sister's　scissors；　and　the　sight　of　other　young　women
  produces　intolerable　sensations　of　terror　in　them；　when　the
  great　hands　and　ankles　protrude　a　long　way　from
  garments　which　have　grown　too　tight　for　them；　when　their
  presence　after　dinner　is　at　once　frightful　to　the　ladies；　who
  are　whispering　in　the　twilight　in　the　drawing…room；　and
  inexpressibly　odious　to　the　gentlemen　over　the　mahogany；
  who　are　restrained　from　freedom　of　intercourse　and
  delightful　interchange　of　wit　by　the　presence　of　that　gawky
  innocence；　when；　at　the　conclusion　of　the　second　glass；
  papa　says；　〃Jack；　my　boy；　go　out　and　see　if　the　evening
  holds　up；〃　and　the　youth；　willing　to　be　free；　yet　hurt　at
  not　being　yet　a　man；　quits　the　incomplete　banquet。　　James；
  then　a　hobbadehoy；　was　now　become　a　young　man；
  having　had　the　benefits　of　a　university　education；　and
  acquired　the　inestimable　polish　which　is　gained　by　living　in　a
  fast　set　at　a　small　college；　and　contracting　debts；　and
  being　rusticated；　and　being　plucked。
  He　was　a　handsome　lad；　however；　when　he　came　to
  present　himself　to　his　aunt　at　Brighton；　and　good　looks
  were　always　a　title　to　the　fickle　old　lady's　favour。　　Nor　did
  his　blushes　and　awkwardness　take　away　from　it：　　she
  was　pleased　with　these　healthy　tokens　of　the　young
  gentleman's　ingenuousness。
  He　said　〃he　had　come　down　for　a　couple　of　days　to　see
  a　man　of　his　college；　andand　to　pay　my　respects　to　you；
  Ma'am；　and　my　father's　and　mother's；　who　hope　you　are
  well。〃
  Pitt　was　in　the　room　with　Miss　Crawley　when　the　lad
  was　announced；　and　looked　very　blank　when　his　name
  was　mentioned。　　The　old　lady　had　plenty　of　humour；　and
  enjoyed　her　correct　nephew's　perplexity。　　She　asked　after
  all　the　people　at　the　Rectory　with　great　interest；　and　said
  she　was　thinking　of　paying　them　a　visit。　　She　praised　the
  lad　to　his　face；　and　said　he　was　well…grown　and　very　much
  improved；　and　that　it　was　a　pity　his　sisters　had　not　some
  of　his　good　looks；　and　finding；　on　inquiry；　that　he　had
  taken　up　his　quarters　at　an　hotel；　would　not　hear　of　his
  stopping　there；　but　bade　Mr。　Bowls　send　for　Mr。　James
  Crawley's　things　instantly；　〃and　hark　ye；　Bowls；〃　she
  added；　with　great　graciousness；　〃you　will　have　the
  goodness　to　pay　Mr。　James's　bill。〃
  She　flung　Pitt　a　look　of　arch　triumph；　which　caused
  that　diplomatist　almost　to　choke　with　envy。　　Much　as　he
  had　ingratiated　himself　with　his　aunt；　she　had　never　yet
  invited　him　to　stay　under　her　roof；　and　here　was　a　young
  whipper…snapper；　who　at　first　sight　was　made　welcome
  there。
  〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；〃　says　Bowls；　advancing　with　a
  profound　bow；　〃what　otel；　sir；　shall　Thomas　fetch　the
  luggage　from？〃
  〃O；　dam；〃　said　young　James；　starting　up；　as　if　in　some
  alarm；　〃I'll　go。〃
  〃What！〃　said　Miss　Crawley。
  〃The　Tom　Cribb's　Arms；〃　said　James；　blushing　deeply。
  Miss　Crawley　burst　out　laughing　at　this　title。　　Mr。
  Bowls　gave　one　abrupt　guffaw；　as　a　confidential　servant
  of　the　family；　but　choked　the　rest　of　the　volley；　the
  diplomatist　only　smiled。
  〃II　didn't　know　any　better；〃　said　James；　looking　down。
  〃I've　never　been　here　before；　it　was　the　coachman　told
  me。〃　The　young　story…teller！　　The　fact　is；　that　on　the
  Southampton　coach；　the　day　previous；　James　Crawley　had
  met　the　Tutbury　Pet；　who　was　coming　to　Brighton　to
  make　a　match　with　the　Rottingdean　Fibber；　and　enchanted
  by　the　Pet's　conversation；　had　passed　the　evening　in
  company　with　that　scientific　man　and　his　friends；　at　the　inn
  in　question。
  〃II'd　best　go　and　settle　the　score；〃　James　continued。
  〃Couldn't　think　of　asking　you；　Ma'am；〃　he　added；
  generously。
  This　delicacy　made　his　aunt　laugh　the　more。
  〃Go　and　settle　the　bill；　Bowls；〃　she　said；　with　a　wave　of
  her　hand；　〃and　bring　it　to　me。〃
  Poor　lady；　she　did　not　know　what　she　had　done！　　〃There
  there's　a　little　dawg；〃　said　James；　looking　frightfully
  guilty。　　〃I'd　best　go　for　him。　　He　bites　footmen's　calves。〃
  All　the　party　cried　out　with　laughing　at　this　description；
  even　Briggs　and　Lady　Jane；　who　was　sitting　mute
  during　the　interview　between　Miss　Crawley　and　her
  nephew：　　and　Bowls；　without　a　word；　quitted　the　room。
  Still；　by　way　of　punishing　her　elder　nephew；　Miss
  Crawley　persisted　in　being　gracious　to　the　young　Oxonian。
  There　were　no　limits　to　her　kindness　or　her　compliments
  when　they　once　began。　　She　told　Pitt　he　might　come　to
  dinner；　and　insisted　that　James　should　accompany　her
  in　her　drive；　and　paraded　him　solemnly　up　and　down　the
  cliff；　on　the　back　seat　of　the　barouche。　　During　all　this
  excursion；　she　condescended　to　say　civil　things　to　him：
  she　quoted　Italian　and　French　poetry　to　the　poor
  bewildered　lad；　and　persisted　that　he　was　a　fine　scholar；
  and　was　perfectly　sure　he　would　gain　a　gold　medal；　and
  be　a　Senior　Wrangler。
  〃Haw；　haw；〃　laughed　James；　encouraged　by　these
  compliments；　〃Senior　Wrangler；　indeed；　that's　at　the　other
  shop。〃
  〃What　is　the　other　shop；　my　dear　child？〃　said　the　lady。
  〃Senior　Wranglers　at　Cambridge；　not　Oxford；〃　said　the
  scholar；　with　a　knowing　air；　and　would　probably　have
  been　more　confidential；　but　that　suddenly　there
  appeared　on　the　cliff　in　a　tax…cart；　drawn　by　a　bang…up
  pony；　dressed　in　white　flannel　coats；　with　mother…of…pearl
  buttons；　his　friends　the　Tutbury　Pet　and　the　Rottingdean
  Fibber；　with　three　other　gentlemen　of　their　acquaintance；
  who　all　saluted　poor　James　there　in　the　carriage　as　he
  sate。　　This　incident　damped　the　ingenuous　youth's　spirits；
  and　no　word　of　yea　or　nay　could　he　be　induced　to　utter
  during　the　rest　of　the　drive。
  On　his　return　he　found　his　room　prepared；　and　his
  portmanteau　ready；　and　might　have　remarked　that　Mr。
  Bowls's　countenance；　when　the　latter　conducted　him　to
  his　apartments；　wore　a　look　of　gravity；　wonder；　and
  compassion。　　But　the　thought　of　Mr。　Bowls　did　not　enter
  his　head。　　He　was　deploring　the　dreadful　predicament
  in　which　he　found　himself；　in　a　house　full　of　old　women；
  jabbering　French　and　Italian；　and　talking　poetry　to　him。
  〃Reglarly　up　a　tree；　by　jingo！〃　exclaimed　the　modest
  boy；　who　could　not　face　the　gentlest　of　her　sexnot
  even　Briggswhen　she　began　to　talk　to　him；　whereas；
  put　him　at　Iffley　Lock；　and　he　could　out…slang　the
  boldest　bargeman。
  At　dinner；　James　appeared　choking　in　a　white
  neckcloth；　and　had　the　honour　of　handing　my　Lady　Jane
  downstairs；　while　Briggs　and　Mr。　Crawley　followed
  afterwards；　conducting　the　old　lady；　with　her　apparatus　of
  bundles；　and　shawls；　and　cushions。　　Half　of　Briggs's　time
  at　dinner　was　spent　in　superintending　the　invalid's
  comfort；　and　in　cutting　up　chicken　for　her　fat　spaniel。　　James
  did　not　talk　much；　but　he　made　a　point　of　asking　all
  the　ladies　to　drink　wine；　and　accepted　Mr。　Crawley's
  challenge；　and　consumed　the　greater　part　of　a　bottle　of
  champagne　which　Mr。　Bowls　was　ordered　to　produce　in
  his　honour。　　The　ladies　having　withdrawn；　and　the　two
  cousins　being　left　together；　Pitt；　the　ex…diplomatist；　be
  came　very　communicative　and　friendly。　　He　asked　after
  James's　career　at　collegewhat　his　prospects　in　life
  werehoped　heartily　he　would　get　on；　and；　in　a　word；
  was　frank　and　amiable。　　James's　tongue　unloosed　with
  the　port；　and　he　told　his　cousin　his　life；　his　prospects；
  his　debts；　his　troubles　at　the　little…go；　and　his　rows　with
  the　proctors；　filling　rapidly　from　the　bottles　before　him；
  and　flying　from　Port　to　Madeira　with　joyous　activity。
  〃The　chief　pleasure　which　my　aunt　has；〃　said　Mr。
  Crawley；　filling　his　glass；　〃is　that　people　should　do　as　they
  like　in　her　house。　　This　is　Liberty　Hall；　James；　and　you
  can't　do　Miss　Crawley　a　greater　kindness　than　to　do
  as　you　please；　and　ask　for　what　you　will。　　I　know　you
  have　all　sneered　at　me　in　the　country　for　being　a　Tory。
  Miss　Crawley　is　liberal　enough　to　suit　any　fancy。　　She
  is　a　Republican　in　principle；　and　despises　everything　like
  rank　or　title。〃
  〃Why　are　you　going　to　marry　an　Earl's　daughter？〃
  said　James。
  〃My　dear　friend；　remember　it　is　not　poor　Lady　Jane's
  fault　that　she　is　well　born；〃　Pitt　replied；　with　a　courtly
  air。　　〃She　cannot　help　being　a　lady。　　Besides；　I　am　a
  Tory；　you　know。〃
  〃Oh；　as　for　that；〃　said　Jim；　〃there's　nothing　like　old
  blood；　no；　dammy；　nothing　like　it。　　I'm　none　of　your
  radicals。　　I　know　what　it　is　to　be　a　gentleman；　dammy。
  See　the　chaps　in　a　boat…race；　look　at　the　fellers　in　a
  fight；　aye；　look　at　a　dawg　killing　ratswhich　is　it　wins？
  the　good…blooded　ones。　　Get　some　more　port；　Bowls；　old
  boy；　whilst　I　buzz　this　bottle…here。　　What　was　I　asaying？〃
  〃I　think　you　were　speaking　of　dogs　killing　rats；〃　Pitt
  remarked　mildly；　handing　his　cousin　the　decanter　to
  〃buzz。~
  〃Killing　rats　was　I？　Well；　Pitt；　are　you　a　sporting
  man？　Do　you　want　to　see　a　dawg　as　CAN　kill　a　rat？
  If　you　do；　come　down　with　me　to　Tom　Corduroy's；　in
  Castle　Street　Mews；　and　I'll　show　you　such　a