do to keep yourself in order up here. It is about
the toughest part of a man's life, I do believe, the time he has
spent here. My university life has been so different altogether
from what yours will be, that my experience isn't likely to
benefit you."

"I wish you would try me, though," said Tom; "you don't know what
a teachable sort of a fellow I am, if any body will take me the
right way. You taught me to scull, you know; or at least put me
in a way to learn. But sculling, and rowing, and cricket, and all
the rest of it, with such reading as I am likely to do, won't be
enough. I feel sure of that already.

"I don't think it will," said Hardy. "No amount of physical or
mental work will fill the vacuum you were talking of just now. It
is the empty house swept and garnished which the boy might have
had glimpses of, but the man finds yawning within him, which must
be filled somehow. It's a pretty good three years' work to learn
how to keep the devils out of it, more or less; by the time you
take your degree. At least I have found it so."

Hardy rose and took a turn or two up and down his room. He was
astonished at finding himself talking so unreservedly to one of
whom he knew so little, and half-wished the words recalled. He
lived much alone, and thought himself morbid and too
self-conscious; why should he be filling a youngster's head with
puzzles? How did he know that they were thinking of the same
thing?

But the spoken word cannot be recalled; it must go on its way for
good or evil; and this one set the hearer staring into the ashes,
and putting many things together in his head.

It was some minutes before he broke silence, but at last he
gathered up his thoughts, and said, "Well, I hope I sha'n't shirk
when the time comes. You don't think a fellow need shut himself
up, though? I'm sure I shouldn't be any the better for that."

"No, I don't think you would," said Hardy.

"Because, you see," Tom went on, waxing bolder and more
confidential, "If I were to take to moping by myself, I shouldn't
read as you or any sensible fellow would do; I know that well
enough. I should just begin, sitting with my legs upon the
mantel-piece, and looking into my own inside. I see you are
laughing, but you know what mean, don't you now?"

"Yes; staring into the vacuum you were talking of just now; it
all comes back to that," said Hardy.

"Well, perhaps it does," said Tom; "and I don't believe it does a
fellow a bit of good