s that a long task is over; but in a few seconds the more humorous
side of his misfortunes presented itself to him, and he smiled half
reproachfully, half merrily, as thinking how little all that had happened
to him really mattered, and how small were his hardships as compared with
those of most people. Still looking into the eye of the sun and smiling
dreamily, he thought how he had helped to burn his father in effigy, and
his look grew merrier, till at last he broke out into a laugh. Exactly
at this moment the light veil of cloud parted from the sun, and he was
brought to _terra firma_ by the breaking forth of the sunshine. On this
he became aware that he was being watched attentively by a
fellow-traveller opposite to him, an elderly gentleman with a large head
and iron-grey hair.

"My young friend," said he, good-naturedly, "you really must not carry on
conversations with people in the sun, while you are in a public railway
carriage."

The old gentleman said not another word, but unfolded his _Times_ and
began to read it. As for Ernest, he blushed crimson. The pair did not
speak during the rest of the time they were in the carriage, but they
eyed each other from time to time, so that the face of each was impressed
on the recollection of the other.

CHAPTER XLV

Some people say that their school days were the happiest of their lives.
They may be right, but I always look with suspicion upon those whom I
hear saying this. It is hard enough to know whether one is happy or
unhappy now, and still harder to compare the relative happiness or
unhappiness of different times of one's life; the utmost that can be said
is that we are fairly happy so long as we are not distinctly aware of
being miserable. As I was talking with Ernest one day not so long since
about this, he said he was so happy now that he was sure he had never
been happier, and did not wish to be so, but that Cambridge was the first
place where he had ever been consciously and continuously happy.

How can any boy fail to feel an ecstasy of pleasure on first finding
himself in rooms which he knows for the next few years are to be his
castle? Here he will not be compelled to turn out of the most
comfortable place as soon as he has ensconced himself in it because papa
or mamma happens to come into the room, and he should give it up to them.
The most cosy chair here is for himself, there is no one even to share
the room with him, or to interfere