er present feelings； was to take a leaf out of your book； and use all her power； where would you be then？ Come； old fellow； I know what love is； and one of us _shall_ have the girl he loves； unless any harm should come to my poor father owing to your blunderoh； that would put it out of the question； I feelbut let us hope better。 I pulled you out of the fire； and somehow I seem to like you better than ever after that； let me pull you out of this mess too。〃
〃Pull away；〃 cried the impetuous youth。 〃I'll trust you with my life： ay； with more than my life； with my love； for you are the man for me： reason is always uppermost with you：
Give me the man that is not passion's slave； And I will wear him in my heart's core； ay〃
〃Oh bother that。 If you are in earnest； don't mouth； but put on your hat and come over。〃
He assented； but in the middle of putting on his coat； made this little observation： 〃Now I see how wise the ancients were： yes； friendship is better than love； calmer； more constant； free from the heats and chills of that impetuous passion； its pure bosom is ruffled by none of love's jealousies and irritabilities。 Solem e mundo tollunt qui tollunt amicitiam。〃
〃Oh bother quoting； come and shake hands with Julia。〃 They went over； Mrs。 Dodd was in the city。 Edward ushered in Alfred； saying； 〃Here is the other Impetuosity；〃 and sagely retired for a few minutes。 When he came back they were sitting hand in hand； he gazing on her； she inspecting the carpet。 〃That is all right；〃 said Edward drily： 〃now the next thing is； you must go back to Oxford directly； and read for your first class。〃
The proposal fell like a blight upon the reconciled lovers。 But Edward gave potent reasons。 The delays of law were endless： Alfred's defendant had already obtained one postponement of the trial on frivolous grounds。 Now the Oxford examination and Doncaster races come on at a fixed date； by a Law of Nature； and admit of no 〃postponement swindle。〃 〃You mark my words； you will get your class before you will get your trial； and it won't hurt you to go into court a first…class man： will it？ And then you won't quarrel by letter； you two； I know。 Come； will you do what I tell you： or is friendship but a name？ eh； Mr。 Bombast？〃 He ended with great though quiet force： 〃Come； you two； which is better； to part like the scissors； or part like the thread？〃
Similes are no arguments； that is why they convince people so： Alfred capitulated to the scissors and thread； and only asked with abnormal humility to be allowed to taste the joys of reconciliation for two days。 The third found him at Oxford； he called on the head of his college to explain what had prevented his return to Exeter in the October term twelve months ago； and asked for rooms。 Instead of siding with a man of his own college so cruelly injured； the dignitary was alarmed by the bare accusation； and said he must consider： insanity was a terrible thing。
〃So is false accusation； and so is false imprisonment；〃 said Hardie bitterly。
〃Unquestionably。 But I have at present no means of deciding how far those words apply。〃 In short； he could give no answer； must consult the other officers； and would convey the result by letter。
Alfred's pride was deeply mortified； not less by a certain cold repugnant manner than by the words。 And there came over his heart a sickening feeling that he was now in the eyes of men an intellectual leper。
He went to another college directly； and applied to the vice…president； the vice…president sent him with a letter to the dean； the dean looked frightened； and told him hesitatingly the college was full； he might put his name down； and perhaps get in next year。 Alfred retired； and learned from the porter that the college was not full。 He sighed deeply； and the sickening feeling grew on him； an ineradicable stigma seemed upon him； and Mrs。 Dodd was no worse than the rest of the world then； every mother in England would approve her resolutions。 He wandered about the scenes of his intellectual triumphs： he stood in the great square of the schools； a place ugly to unprejudiced eyes； but withal somewhat grand and inspiring； especially to scholars who have fought their keen and bloodless battles there。 He looked at the windows and gilt inscription of the Schola Metaphysices； in which he had met the scholars of his day and defeated them for the Ireland。 He wandered into the theatre； and eyed the rostrum； whence he had not mumbled； but recited； his Latin prize poem with more than one thunder of academic applause： thunder compared with which Drury Lane's us a mere cracker。 These places were unchanged； but he； sad scholar； wandered among them as if he was a ghost； and all these were stony phantoms of an intellectual past； never； never to return。
He telegraphed Sampson and Edward to furnish him with certificates that he had never been insane； but the victim of a foul conspiracy； and； when he received them； he went with them to St。 Margaret's Hall； for he had bethought him that the new principal was a first…rate man； and had openly vowed he would raise that 〃refuge for the oft…times phoughed〃 to a place of learning。
Hardie called； sent in his card； and was admitted to the principal's study。 He was about to explain who he was； when the doctor interrupted him； and told him politely he knew him by reputation。 〃Tell me rather；〃 said he shrewdly； 〃to what I owe this application from an undergraduate so distinguished as Mr。 Hardie？〃
Then Alfred began to quake； and； instead of replying； put a hand suddenly before his face； and lost courage for one moment。
〃Come； Mr。 Hardie；〃 said the principal； 〃don't be disconcerted： a fault regretted is half atoned； and I am not disposed to be hard on the errors of youth； I mean where there is merit to balance them。〃
〃Sir；〃 said Alfred sadly； 〃it is not a fault I have to acknowledge； but a misfortune。〃
〃Tell me all about it；〃 said Dr。 Alder guardedly。
He told it； omitting nothing essential that could touch the heart or excite the ironical humour of an academician。
Well； 'truth is more wonderful than fiction；'〃 said the doctor。 And I conclude the readers of this tale are all of the doctor's opinion； so sweet to the mind is cant。
Alfred offered his certificates。
Now Dr。 Alder had been asking himself in what phrases he should decline this young genius； who was sane now； but of course had been mad； only had forgotten the circumstance。 But the temptation to get an Ireland scholar into his Hall suddenly overpowered him。 The probability that he might get a first…class in a lucid interval was too enticing； nothing venture； nothing have。 He determined to venture a good deal。
〃Mr。 Hardie；〃 said he； 〃this house shall always be open to good morals and good scholarship while I preside over it； and it shall be open to them all the more when they come to me dignified； and made sacred； by 'unmerited calamity。'〃
Now this fine speech； like Minerva herself； came from the head。 Alfred was overcome by it to tears。 At that the doctor's heart was touched； and even began to fancy it had originated that noble speech。
It was no use doing things by halves； so Dr。 Alder gave Alfred a delightful set of rooms； and made the Hall pleasant to him。 He was rewarded by a growing conviction that he had made an excellent acquisition。 This opinion； however； was anything but universal： and Alfred finding the men of his own college suspected his sanity； and passed jokes behind his back； cut them all dead； and confined himself to his little Hall。 There they petted him； and crowed about him； and betted on him for the schools as freely as if he was a colt the Hall was going to enter for the Derby。
He read hard； and judiciously； but without his old confidence： he became anxious and doubtful； he had seen so many first…rate men just miss a first…class。 The brilliant creature analysed all his Aristotelian treatises； and wrote the synopses clear with marginal references on great pasteboard cards three feet by two； and so kept the whole subject before his eye； till he obtained a singular mastery。 Same system with the historians： nor did he disdain the use of coloured inks。 Then the brilliant creature drew lists of all the hard words he encountered in his reading； especially in the common books； and read these lists till mastered。 The stake was singularly heavy in his case； so he guarded every crevice。
And at this period he was not so unhappy as he expected。 The laborious days went swiftly； and twice a week at least came a letter from Julia。 Oh； how his grave academic room with oaken panels did brighten； when her letter lay on the table。 It was opened； and seemed written with sunbeams。 No quarrels on paper！ Absence made the heart grow fonder。 And Edward came to see him； and over their wine let out a feminine trait in Julia。 〃When Hurd calls； she walks out of the room； just as my poor mother does when you come。 That is spite： since you are sent away； nobody else is to profit by it。 Where is her Christianity； eh？ and echo answers Got a cigar； old fellow？〃 And； after puffing in silence awhile； he said resignedly； 〃I am an unnatural monster。〃
〃Oh； are you？〃 said the other serenely； for he was also under the benign influence。
〃Yes；〃 said Edward； 〃I am your ally； and a mere spy in the camp of those two ladies。 I watch all their moves for your sake。〃
Alfred forgave him。 And thus his whole life was changed； and for nearly twelve months （for Dr。 Alder let him reside in the Hall through the vacation） he pursued the quiet tenor of a student's life； interrupted at times by law； but that is another topic。
WIFE AND NO WIFE。
Mrs。 Dodd was visibly shaken by that calamity which made her shrink with horror from the sight of Alfred Hardie。 In the winter she was so unwell that she gave up her duties with Messrs。 Cross and Co。 Her connection with them had been creditable to both parties。 I believe I forgot to say why they trusted her so； well； I must tell it elsewhere。 David off her hands； she was independent； and had lost the motive and the heart for severe work。 She told the partners she could no longer do them justice； and left them； to their regret。 They then advised her to set up as a milliner； and offered her credit for goods at cash prices u