demanded
an utter servility when it had once been rendered susceptible. If
Richard had his followers he had also his feuds. The Papworths were as
subservient as Ripton, but young Ralph Morton, the nephew of Mr. Morton,
and a match for Richard in numerous promising qualities, comprising the
noble science of fisticuffs, this youth spoke his mind too openly, and
moreover would not be snubbed. There was no middle course for Richard's
comrades between high friendship or absolute slavery. He was deficient
in those cosmopolite habits and feelings which enable boys and men
to hold together without caring much for each other; and, like every
insulated mortal, he attributed the deficiency, of which he was quite
aware, to the fact of his possessing a superior nature. Young Ralph
was a lively talker: therefore, argued Richard's vanity, he had no
intellect. He was affable: therefore he was frivolous. The women liked
him: therefore he was a butterfly. In fine, young Ralph was popular, and
our superb prince, denied the privilege of despising, ended by detesting
him.

Early in the days of their contention for leadership, Richard saw the
absurdity of affecting to scorn his rival. Ralph was an Eton boy,
and hence, being robust, a swimmer and a cricketer. A swimmer and a
cricketer is nowhere to be scorned in youth's republic. Finding that
manoeuvre would not do, Richard was prompted once or twice to entrench
himself behind his greater wealth and his position; but he soon
abandoned that also, partly because his chilliness to ridicule told him
he was exposing himself, and chiefly that his heart was too chivalrous.
And so he was dragged into the lists by Ralph, and experienced the luck
of champions. For cricket, and for diving, Ralph bore away the belt:
Richard's middle-stump tottered before his ball, and he could seldom
pick up more than three eggs underwater to Ralph's half-dozen. He was
beaten, too, in jumping and running. Why will silly mortals strive to
the painful pinnacles of championship? Or why, once having reached them,
not have the magnanimity and circumspection to retire into private life
immediately? Stung by his defeats, Richard sent one of his dependent
Papworths to Poer Hall, with a challenge to Ralph Barthrop Morton;
matching himself to swim across the Thames and back, once, trice, or
thrice, within a less time than he, Ralph Barthrop Morton, would require
for the undertaking. It was accepted, and a reply returned, equally