a parliamentary success; for he (not having
gained it, yet having lived with those who had) overvalued it, and
seemed ever to wish to enjoy it through some other. But when I, in turn,
spoke of independence, of the Bar, Ellinor's face grew overcast. The
world,--the world was with her, and the ambition of the world, which is
always for power or effect! A part of the house lay exposed to the east
wind. 'Plant half-way down the hill,' said I one day. 'Plant!' cried
Lady Ellinor,--`it will be twenty years before the trees grow up. No,
my dear father, build a wall and cover it with creepers!' That was an
illustration of her whole character. She could not wait till trees had
time to grow; a dead wall would be so much more quickly thrown up, and
parasite creepers would give it a prettier effect. Nevertheless, she was
a grand and noble creature. And I--in love! Not so discouraged as you
may suppose; for Lord Rainsforth often hinted encouragement which even
I could scarcely misconstrue. Not caring for rank, and not wishing
for fortune beyond competence for his daughter, he saw in me all he
required,--a gentleman of ancient birth, and one in whom his own active
mind could prosecute that kind of mental ambition which overflowed
in him, and yet had never had its vent. And Ellinor!--Heaven forbid I
should say she loved me, but something made me think she could do so.
Under these notions, suppressing all my hopes, I made a bold effort
to master the influences round me and to adopt that career I thought
worthiest of us all. I went to London to read for the Bar."

"The Bar! is it possible?" cried I. My father smiled sadly.

"Everything seemed possible to me then. I read some months. I began to
see my way even in that short time,--began to comprehend what would be
the difficulties before me, and to feel there was that within me which
could master them. I took a holiday and returned to Cumberland. I found
Roland there on my return. Always of a roving, adventurous temper,
though he had not then entered the army, he had, for more than two
years, been wandering over Great Britain and Ireland on foot. It was
a young knight-errant whom I embraced, and who overwhelmed me with
reproaches that I should be reading for the law. There had never been a
lawyer in the family! It was about that time, I think, that I petrified
him with the discovery of the printer! I knew not exactly wherefore,
whether from jealousy, fear, foreboding, but it certainly w