if you observe that you have been sharing with your
friends the gains of your industry, you have been performing one of
the noblest actions of humanity. To knock a man on the head is neither
virtuous nor guilty, but it depends upon the language applied to the
action to make it murder or glory. Why not say, then, that you have
testified the courage of a hero, rather than the atrocity of a ruffian?
This is perfectly clear, is it not?"

[We observe in a paragraph from an American paper, copied without
comment into the "Morning Chronicle," a singular proof of the truth
of Tomlinson's philosophy! "Mr. Rowland Stephenson," so runs the
extract, "the celebrated English banker, has just purchased a
considerable tract of land," etc. Most philosophical of
paragraphists! "Celebrated English banker!"--that sentence is a
better illustration of verbal fallacies than all Ben tham's
treatises put together. "Celebrated!" O Mercury, what a dexterous
epithet!]

"It seems so," answered Paul.

"It is so self-evident that it is the way all governments are carried
on. Wherefore, my good Paul, we only do what all other legislators do.
We are never rogues so long as we call ourselves honest fellows, and we
never commit a crime so long as we can term it a virtue. What say you
now?"

Paul smiled, and was silent a few moments before he replied: "There is
very little doubt but that you are wrong; yet if you are, so are all
the rest of the world. It is of no use to be the only white sheep of the
flock. Wherefore, my dear Tomlinson, I will in future be an excellent
citizen, relieve the necessities of the poor, and share the gains of my
industry with my friends."

"Bravo!" cried Tomlinson. "And now that that is settled, the sooner you
are inaugurated the better. Since the starlight has shone forth, I see
that I am in a place I ought to be very well acquainted with; or, if you
like to be suspicious, you may believe that I have brought you purposely
in this direction. But first let me ask if you feel any great desire to
pass the night by this haystack, or whether you would like a song and
the punchbowl almost as much as the open air, with the chance of being
eaten up in a pinch of hay by some strolling cow."

"You may conceive my choice," answered Paul.

"Well, then, there is an excellent fellow near here, who keeps a
public-house, and is a firm ally and generous patron of the lads of the
cross.