ry like a lie!"

"You had a secret then?" said Richard, as he took back the bank-note. He
had learned, perhaps in America, to be a very inquisitive man. He added
point-blank, "Pray, what was it?"

"Why, what it would not be if I told you," said the parson, with a
forced laugh,--"a secret!"

"Well, I guess we're in a land of liberty. Do as you like. Now, I dare
say you think me a very odd fellow to come out of my shell to you in
this off-hand way; but I liked the look of you, even when we were at the
inn together. And just now I was uncommonly pleased to find that,
though you are a parson, you don't want to keep a man's nose down to
a shopboard, if he has anything in him. You're not one of the
aristocrats--"

"Indeed," said the parson, with imprudent warmth, "it is not the
character of the aristocracy of this country to keep people down. They
make way amongst themselves for any man, whatever his birth, who has the
talent and energy to aspire to their level. That's the especial boast of
the British constitution, sir!"

"Oh, you think so, do you?" said Mr. Richard, looking sourly at the
parson. "I dare say those are the opinions in which you have brought
up the lad. Just keep him yourself and let the aristocracy provide for
him!"

The parson's generous and patriotic warmth evaporated at once, at this
sudden inlet of cold air into the conversation. He perceived that he had
made a terrible blunder; and as it was not his business at that moment
to vindicate the British constitution, but to serve Leonard Fairfield,
he abandoned the cause of the aristocracy with the most poltroon
and scandalous abruptness. Catching at the arm which Mr. Avenel had
withdrawn from him, he exclaimed,--

"Indeed, sir, you are mistaken; I have never attempted to influence your
nephew's political opinions. On the contrary, if, at his age, he can be
said to have formed any opinions, I am greatly afraid--that is, I think
his opinions are by no means sound--that is, constitutional. I mean,
I mean--" And the poor parson, anxious to select a word that would not
offend his listener, stopped short in lamentable confusion of idea.

Mr. Avenel enjoyed his distress for a moment, with a saturnine smile,
and then said,--

"Well, I calculate he's a Radical. Natural enough, if he has not got a
sixpence to lose--all come right by and by. I'm not a Radical,--at least
not a Destructive--much too clever a man for that, I hope. But I wish
to see things very