wrote in a fall, bold hand, Roger Norcott.

"Why not Sir Roger Norcott, boy? Why not give me my name and title too?"

"You said your name, sir, and I thought--"

"No matter what you thought. This literalism comes of home breeding,"
muttered he to himself; "they are made truthful at the price of being
vulgar. What do you know besides reading and writing?"

"A little Latin, sir, and some French, and some German, and three books
of Euclid, and the Greek grammar--"

"There, there, that's more than enough. It will tax your tutor's
ingenuity to stub up all this rubbish, and prepare the soil for
real acquirement. I was hoping I should see you a savage: a fresh,
strong-natured impulsive savage! What I 'm to do with you, with your
little peddling knowledge of a score of things, I can't imagine. I 'd
swear you can neither ride, row, nor fence, never handled a cricket-ball
or a single-stick?"

"Quite true, sir; but I 'd like to do every one of them."

"Of course you have been taught music?"

"Yes, sir; the piano, and a little singing."

"That completes it," cried he, flinging his book from him. "They 've
been preparing you for a travelling circus, while I wanted to make you
a gentleman. Mind me now, sir, and don't expect that I ever repeat my
orders to any one. What I say once I mean to be observed. Let your past
life be entirely forgotten by you,--a thing that had no reality; begin
from this day--from this very room--a new existence, which is to have
neither link nor tie to what has gone before it. The persons you will
see here, their ways, their manners, their tone, will be examples for
your imitation; copy them, not servilely nor indiscriminately, but as
you will find how their traits will blend with your own nature. Never
tell an untruth, never accept an insult without redress, be slow about
forming friendships, and where you hate, hate thoroughly. That's enough
for the present. Ask Mr. Eccles to have the kindness to take you to his
tailor and order some clothes. You must dine alone till you are suitably
dressed. After that you shall come to my table. One thing more and you
may go: don't ever approach me with tales or complaints of any one;
right yourself where you can, and where you cannot, bear your grievance
silently. You can change nothing, alter nothing, here; you are a guest,
but a guest over whom I exercise full control. If you please me, it will
be well for you; if not, you understand--it will cost me little