h Oliver procured ready-made, and placed, without
remark, in his room. But his presence soon became intolerable to the
mistress of the house, and oppressive even to its master. Randal, who
had once been so abstemious that he had even regarded the most
moderate use of wine as incompatible with clear judgment and vigilant
observation, had contracted the habit of drinking spirits at all hours
of the day; but though they sometimes intoxicated him into stupor, they
never unlocked his heart nor enlivened his sullen mood. If he observed
less acutely than of old, he could still conceal just as closely.
Mrs. Oliver Leslie, at first rather awed and taciturn, grew cold and
repelling, then pert and sarcastic, at last undisguisedly and vulgarly
rude. Randal made no retort; but his sneer was so galling that the wife
flew at once to her husband, and declared that either she or his brother
must leave the house. Oliver tried to pacify and compromise, with
partial success; and a few days afterwards, he came to Randal and said
timidly, "You see, my wife brought me nearly all I possess, and you
don't condescend to make friends with her. Your residence here must be
as painful to you as to me. But I wish to see you provided for; and I
could offer you something, only it seems, at first glance, so beneath--"

"Beneath what?" interrupted Randal, witheringly. "What I was--or what I
am? Speak out!"

"To be sure you are a scholar; and I have heard you say fine things
about knowledge and so forth; and you'll have plenty of books at your
disposal, no doubt; and you are still young, and may rise--and--"

"Hell and torments! Be quick,--say the worst or the best!" cried Randal,
fiercely.

"Well, then," said poor Oliver, still trying to soften the intended
proposal, "you must know that our poor sister's husband was nephew
to Dr. Felpem, who keeps a very respectable school. He is not learned
himself, and attends chiefly to arithmetic and book-keeping, and such
matters; but he wants an usher to teach the classics, for some of the
boys go to college. And I have written to him, just to sound--I did not
mention your name till I knew if you would like it; but he will take my
recommendation. Board, lodging, L50 a year; in short, the place is yours
if you like it." Randal shivered from head to foot, and was long
before he answered. "Well, be it so; I have come to that. Ha, ha! yes,
knowledge is power!" He paused a few moments. "So, the old Hall is razed
to