ut-of-the-way order, and much directed towards the
investigation of mystical subjects. Fairly well liked amongst the men
with whom he mixed, he could hardly be called popular; his temperament
was too uncertain for that. At times he was the gayest of the gay, and
then when the fit took him he would be plunged into a state of gloomy
depression that might last for days. His companions, to whom his
mystical studies were a favourite jest, were wont to assert that on
these occasions he was preparing for a visit from his familiar, but
the joke was one that he never could be prevailed upon to appreciate.
The fact of the matter was that these fits of gloom were
constitutional with him, and very possibly had their origin in the
state of his mother's mind before his birth, when her whole thoughts
were coloured by her morbid and fanciful terror of her husband, and
her frantic anxiety to conciliate him.

During the three years that he spent at college, Philip saw but little
of George, since, when he happened to be down at Bratham, which was
not often, for he spent most of his vacations abroad, George avoided
coming there as much as possible. Indeed, there was a tacit agreement
between the two young men that they would see as little of each other
as might be convenient. But, though he did not see much of him
himself, Philip was none the less aware that George's influence over
his father was, if anything, on the increase. The old squire's letters
were full of him and of the admirable way in which he managed the
estate, for it was now practically in his hands. Indeed, to his
surprise and somewhat to his disgust, he found that George began to be
spoken of indifferently with himself as the "young squire." Long
before his college days had come to an end Philip had determined that
he would do his best, as soon as opportunity offered, to reduce his
cousin to his proper place, not by the violent means to which he had
resorted in other days, but rather by showing himself to be equally
capable, equally assiduous, and equally respectful and affectionate.

At last the day came when he was to bid farewell to Oxford for good,
and in due course he found himself in a second-class railway carriage
--thinking it useless to waste money, he always went second--and bound
for Roxham.

Just before the train left the platform at Paddington, Philip was
agreeably surprised out of his meditations by the entry into his
carriage of an extremely elegant and st