"Certainly. With the greatest pleasure," exclaimed the doctor,
confusing himself by an inept attempt at gallantry. "He shall stay
as long as you please. But"--here the doctor became grave
again--"you cannot too strongly urge upon him the importance of hard
work at the present time, which may be said to be the turning-point
of his career as a student. He is now nearly seventeen; and he has
so little inclination for study that I doubt whether he could pass
the examination necessary to entering one of the universities. You
probably wish him to take a degree before he chooses a profession."
"Yes, of course," said the lady, vaguely, evidently assenting to the
doctor's remark rather than expressing a conviction of her own.
"What profession would you advise for him? You know so much better
than I."
"Hum!" said Dr. Moncrief, puzzled. "That would doubtless depend to
some extent on his own taste--"
"Not at all," said the lady, interrupting him with vivacity. "What
does he know about the world, poor boy? His own taste is sure to be
something ridiculous. Very likely he would want to go on the stage,
like me."
"Oh! Then you would not encourage any tendency of that sort?"
"Most decidedly not. I hope he has no such idea."
"Not that I am aware of. He shows so little ambition to excel in any
particular branch that I should say his choice of a profession may
be best determined by his parents. I am, of course, ignorant whether
his relatives possess influence likely to be of use to him. That is
often the chief point to be considered, particularly in cases like
your son's, where no special aptitude manifests itself."
"I am the only relative he ever had, poor fellow," said the lady,
with a pensive smile. Then, seeing an expression of astonishment on
the doctor's face, she added, quickly, "They are all dead."
"Dear me!"
"However," she continued, "I have no doubt I can make plenty of
interest for him. But it is difficult to get anything nowadays
without passing competitive examinations. He really must work. If he
is lazy he ought to be punished."
The doctor looked perplexed. "The fact is," he said, "your son can
hardly be dealt with as a child any longer. He is still quite a boy
in his habits and ideas; but physically he is rapidly springing up
into a young man. That reminds me of another point on which I will
ask you to speak earnestly to him. I must tell you that he has
attained some distinction among his school-fellows here as an
athlete. Within due bounds I do not discourage bodily exercises:
they are a recognized part of our system. But I am sorry to say that
Cashel has not escaped that tendency to violence which sometimes
results from the possession of unusual strength and dexterity. He
actually fought with one of the village youths in the main street of
Panley some months ago. The matter did not come to my ears
immediately; and, when it did, I allowed it to pass unnoticed, as he
had interfered, it seems, to protect one of the smaller boys.
Unfortunately he was guilty of a much more serious fault a little
later. He and a companion of his had obtained leave from me to walk
to Panley Abbey together. I afterwards found that their real object
was to witness a prize-fight that took place--illegally, of
course--on the common. Apart from the deception practised, I think
the taste they betrayed a dangerous one; and I felt bound to punish
them by a severe imposition, and restriction to the grounds for six
weeks. I do not hold, however, that everything has been done in
these cases when a boy has been punished. I set a high value on a
mother's influence for softening the natural roughness of boys."