uch "tiffs," as he
called them, went for nothing. He had, indeed, no feelings, and was
accustomed to say that he liked the system of give and take,--meaning
that he liked being impudent to others, and did not care how impudent
others might be to him. This toughness and insolence are as sharp
as needles to others who do not possess the same gifts. Roden had
learned to detest the presence of the young man, to be sore when he
was even spoken to, and yet did not know how to put him down. You may
have a fierce bull shut up. You may muzzle a dog that will bite. You
may shoot a horse that you cannot cure of biting and tearing. But you
cannot bring yourself to spend a morning in hunting a bug or killing
a flea. Crocker had made himself a serious annoyance even to Lord
Hampstead, though their presence together had only been for a very
short time. But Roden had to pass his life at the same desk with
the odious companion. Absolutely to cut him, to let it be known all
through the office that they two did not speak, was to make too
much of the matter. But yet it was essentially necessary for his
peace that some step should be taken to save himself from the man's
insolence. On the present occasion he nodded his head to Crocker,
being careful not to lay the pen down from his fingers. "Ain't you
going to give us your hand, old fellow?" said Crocker, putting on his
best show of courage.

"I don't know that I am," said Roden. "Perhaps some of these days you
may learn to make yourself less disagreeable."

"I'm sure I've always meant to be very friendly, especially with
you," said Crocker; "but it is so hard to get what one says taken in
the proper sense."

After this not a word was spoken between the two all the morning.
This happened on a Saturday,--Saturday, the 20th of December, on
which day Hampstead was to return to his own house. Punctually at
one Crocker left his desk, and with a comic bow of mock courtesy
to Mr. Jerningham, stuck his hat on the side of his head, and left
the office. His mind, as he took himself home to his lodgings, was
full of Roden's demeanour towards him. Since he had become assured
that his brother clerk was engaged to marry Lady Frances Trafford,
he was quite determined to cultivate an enduring and affectionate
friendship. But what steps should he take to recover the ground which
he had lost? It occurred to him now that while he was in Cumberland
he had established quite an intimacy with Lord Hampstead, a