e college put together, and
is more looked up to?"

"He's one of a thousand," said Hardy; "handsome, strong,
good-tempered, clever, and up to everything. Besides, he isn't a
poor man; and mind, I don't say that if he were he wouldn't be
where he is. I am speaking of the rule, and not of the
exceptions."

Here Hardy's scout came in to say that the Dean wanted to speak
to him. So he put on his cap and gown, and Tom rose also.

"Well, I'm sorry to turn you out," said Hardy; "and I'm afraid
I've been very surly and made you very uncomfortable. You won't
come back again in a hurry."

"Indeed I will though, if you will let me," said Tom; "I have
enjoyed my evening immensely."

"Then come whenever you like," said Hardy.

"But I am afraid of interfering with your reading," said Tom.

"Oh, you needn't mind that, I have plenty of time on my hands;
besides, one can't read all night, and from eight till ten you'll
find me generally idle."

"Then you'll see me often enough. But promise, now, to turn me
out whenever I am in the way."

"Very well," said Hardy, laughing; and so they parted for the
time.

Some twenty minutes afterwards Hardy returned to his room after
his interview with the Dean, who merely wanted to speak to him
about some matter of college business.

He flung his cap and gown on the sofa, and began to walk up and
down his room, at first hurriedly, but soon with his usual
regular tramp. However expressive a man's face may be, and
however well you may know it, it is simply nonsense to say that
you can tell what he is thinking about by looking at it, as many
of us are apt to boast. Still more absurd would it be to expect
readers to know what Hardy is thinking about, when they have
never had the advantage of seeing his face even in a photograph.
Wherefore, it would seem that the author is bound on such
occasions to put his readers on equal vantage ground with
himself, and not only tell what a man does, but, so far as may
be, what he is thinking about also.

His first thought, then, was one of pleasure at having been
sought by one who seemed to be just the sort of friend he would
like to have. He contrasted our hero with the few men with whom
he had generally lived, and for some of whom he had a high
esteem--whose only idea of exercise was a two hour constitutional
walk in the afternoons, and whose life was chiefly spent over
books and behind sported oaks--and felt that this was more of a
man after his