lected light;
but Saurin's pride was of a different description, and he chafed at
being a satellite, and always wanted to figure as a sun, the centre of
his companions, who must revolve around him. How small a sun did not
matter. And so, though really possessed of considerable abilities, he
was happier when in the company of boors and clodhoppers, who owned his
superiority and deferred to all he said, than he was with his equals,
who presumed to question his opinions, differ in their tastes, and laugh
at his failures. This natural disposition had, unfortunately, been
fostered by circumstances. He was an only child, born in India, and had
been sent over to England in his early infancy, and committed to the
care of an uncle. His parents died before they could come home, and he
never knew them. His uncle and guardian lost his wife very soon after
the boy was sent to him. He was older and had settled in life very much
earlier than his brother, and his two children (girls) were married and
living, at a distance. He resided nominally in the country, but after
his wife's death lived a great deal in London. So there was no one to
look properly after the orphan, who associated with grooms and
gamekeepers, and played with the village boys. Unfortunately the best
of these went to work, and it was only the idle good-for-nothings who
were available as playmates. When his uncle had an inkling of what was
going on he sent him to school, where he did not get on badly so far as
learning was concerned, but unfortunately he did not unlearn the lessons
taught him by bumpkin ne'er-do-weels, and when he went home for the
holidays he renewed his acquaintance with them with fresh zest. He had
a good voice, and would sing to the revellers at harvest homes and other
rural festivities as they sipped their ale, and delighted in their
applause and wonder at his cleverness, and in the deference they paid
him. When he went to Weston his ambition took at first a higher flight,
and he dreamed of dominating the school. With this idea he began to
study with some ardour, and his natural ability enabled him to make good
progress. At all the games in which success brought consideration he
also tried to attain proficiency, and he endeavoured in every way he
could think of to court popularity. But there were others as clever and
cleverer than himself, as good and better at football, running, and
cricket, and very many whose manners and dispositi