ffence. What could he do?

Firth thought he could only learn not to expect, anywhere out of the
bounds of home, what he thought justice. He must, of course, try
himself to be just to everybody; but he must make up his mind in school,
as men have to do in the world, to be misunderstood--to be wrongly
valued; to be blamed when he felt himself the injured one; and praised
when he knew he did not deserve it.

"But it is so hard," said Hugh.

"And what do people leave home for but to learn hard lessons?"

"But still, if it were not for--"

"For what? Do you see any comfort under it?" asked Firth, fixing his
eyes on Hugh.

Hugh nodded, without speaking.

"That One understands us who cannot be unjust!" whispered Firth. "I am
glad you feel that."

"Even home would be bad enough without that," said Hugh. "And what
would school be?"

"Or the world?" added Frith. "But do not get cross, and complain again.
Leave that to those who have no comfort."

Hugh nodded again. Then he got down, and ran to tell Holt that he did
not want a shilling from him, because he thought sixpence would be
fairer.

Holt was glad to hear this at first; but he presently said that it did
not much matter, for that he had no more chance of being able to pay
sixpence than a shilling. His parents were in India, and his uncle
never offered him any money. He knew indeed that his uncle had none to
spare; for he had said in the boy's hearing, that it was hard on him to
have to pay the school-bills (unless he might pay them in the produce of
his farm), so long as it must be before he could be repaid from India.
So Holt did not dare to ask for pocket-money; and for the hundredth time
he sighed over his debt. He had almost left off hoping that Hugh, would
excuse him altogether, though everybody knew that Hugh had five
shillings in Mrs Watson's hands. This fact and Hugh's frequent
applications to Lamb for payment, had caused an impression that Hugh was
fond of money. It was not so; and yet the charge was not unfair. Hugh
was ready to give if properly asked; but he did not relish, and could
not bear with temper, the injustice of such a forced borrowing as had
stripped him of his half-crown. He wanted his five shillings for
presents for his family; and for these reasons, and not because he was
miserly, he did not offer to excuse Holt's debt; which it would have
been more generous to have done. Nobody could wish that he should
excuse Lamb's.