at he had been needlessly terrified; the eating-house
project would never be carried out. Practically dismissing that
anxiety, he brooded over his defeat by Chilvers, and thought with
extreme reluctance of the year still to be spent at Whitelaw, probably
a year of humiliation. In the meantime, should he or should he not
present himself for his First B.A.? The five pound fee would be a most
serious demand upon his mother's resources, and did the profit warrant
it, was it really of importance to him to take a degree?

He lived as much as possible alone, generally avoiding the society of
his relatives, save at meal times. A careless remark (not intentionally
offensive) with reference to Mr. Cusse had so affronted Charlotte that
she never spoke to him save in reply to a question. Godwin regretted
the pain he had given, but could not bring himself to express this
feeling, for a discussion would inevitably have disclosed all his mind
concerning the draper's assistant. Oliver seemed to have forgiven his
brother's reproaches, but no longer behaved with freedom when Godwin
was present. For all this, the elder's irritation was often aroused by
things he saw and heard; and at length--on a memorable Saturday
afternoon--debate revived between them. Oliver, as his custom was, had
attired himself sprucely for a visit to acquaintances, and a silk hat
of the very newest fashion lay together with his gloves upon the table.

'What is this thing?' inquired Godwin, with ominous calm, as he pointed
to the piece of head-gear.

'A hat, I suppose,' replied his brother.

'You mean to say you are going to wear that in the street?'

'And why not?'

Oliver, not venturing to raise his eyes, stared at the table-cloth
indignantly.

'Can't you feel,' burst from the other, 'that it's a disgrace to buy
and wear such a thing?'

'Disgrace! what's the matter with the hat? It's the fashionable shape.'

Godwin mastered his wrath, and turned contemptuously away. But Oliver
had been touched in a sensitive place; he was eager to defend himself.

'I can't see what you're finding fault with,' he exclaimed. 'Everybody
wears this shape.'

'And isn't that quite sufficient reason why anyone who respects himself
should choose something as different as possible? Everybody! That is to
say, all the fools in the kingdom. It's bad enough to follow when you
can't help it, but to imitate asses gratuitously is the lowest depth of
degradation. Don't you know that t