y
renewal of the process, which turned his imagined project of quitting
Cambridge into a serious intention. In speaking of his intention to
Meyrick he made it appear that he was glad of the turn events had
taken--glad to have the balance dip decidedly, and feel freed from his
hesitations; but he observed that he must of course submit to any
strong objection on the part of Sir Hugo.

Meyrick's joy and gratitude were disturbed by much uneasiness. He
believed in Deronda's alleged preference, but he felt keenly that in
serving him Daniel had placed himself at a disadvantage in Sir Hugo's
opinion, and he said mournfully, "If you had got the scholarship, Sir
Hugo would have thought that you asked to leave us with a better grace.
You have spoiled your luck for my sake, and I can do nothing to amend
it."

"Yes, you can; you are to be a first-rate fellow. I call that a
first-rate investment of my luck."

"Oh, confound it! You save an ugly mongrel from drowning, and expect
him to cut a fine figure. The poets have made tragedies enough about
signing one's self over to wickedness for the sake of getting something
plummy; I shall write a tragedy of a fellow who signed himself over to
be good, and was uncomfortable ever after."

But Hans lost no time in secretly writing the history of the affair to
Sir Hugo, making it plain that but for Deronda's generous devotion he
could hardly have failed to win the prize he had been working for.

The two friends went up to town together: Meyrick to rejoice with his
mother and the girls in their little home at Chelsea; Deronda to carry
out the less easy task of opening his mind to Sir Hugo. He relied a
little on the baronet's general tolerance of eccentricities, but he
expected more opposition than he met with. He was received with even
warmer kindness than usual, the failure was passed over lightly, and
when he detailed his reasons for wishing to quit the university and go
to study abroad. Sir Hugo sat for some time in a silence which was
rather meditative than surprised. At last he said, looking at Daniel
with examination, "So you don't want to be an Englishman to the
backbone after all?"

"I want to be an Englishman, but I want to understand other points of
view. And I want to get rid of a merely English attitude in studies."

"I see; you don't want to be turned out in the same mould as every
other youngster. And I have nothing to say against your doffing some of
our national prejudice