that effect
made by Mr. Sprott, who mightily enjoyed the idea of mortifying the
gentlemen by whom he had been so disrespectfully threatened with
the treadmill. The widow felt angry with Parson Dale and with the
Riccaboccas: she thought they were in the plot against her; she
communicated therefore, her intentions to none, and off she set,
performing the journey partly on the top of the coach, partly on foot.
No wonder that she was dusty, poor woman!

"And, oh, boy!" said she, half sobbing, "when I got through the
lodge-gates, came on the lawn, and saw all that power o' fine folk, I
said to myself, says I--for I felt fritted--I'll just have a look at him
and go back. But ah, Lenny, when I saw thee, looking so handsome, and
when thee turned and cried 'Mother,' my heart was just ready to leap out
o' my mouth, and so I could not help hugging thee, if I had died for
it. And thou wert so kind, that I forgot all Mr. Sprott had said about
Dick's pride, or thought he had just told a fib about that, as he had
wanted me to believe a fib about thee. Then Dick came up--and I had not
seen him for so many years--and we come o' the same father and mother;
and so--and so--" The widow's sobs here fairly choked her. "Ah," she
said, after giving vent to her passion, and throwing her arms round
Leonard's neck, as they sat in the little sanded parlour of the
public-house,--"ah, and I've brought thee to this. Go back; go back,
boy, and never mind me."

With some difficulty Leonard pacified poor Mrs. Fairfield, and got her
to retire to bed; for she was, indeed, thoroughly exhausted. He then
stepped forth into the road; musingly. All the stars were out; and
Youth, in its troubles, instinctively looks up to the stars. Folding his
arms, Leonard gazed on the heavens, and his lips murmured.

From this trance, for so it might be called, he was awakened by a
voice in a decidedly London accent; and, turning hastily round, saw Mr.
Avenel's very gentlemanlike butler.

Leonard's first idea was that his uncle had repented, and sent in search
of him. But the butler seemed as much surprised at the rencontre as
himself: that personage, indeed, the fatigues of the day being over, was
accompanying one of Mr. Gunter's waiters to the public-house (at which
the latter had secured his lodging), having discovered an old friend
in the waiter, and proposing to regale himself with a cheerful glass,
and--THAT of course--abuse of his present situation.

"Mr. Fairf