'Be so kind as to keep the door open a moment, Chivery, that I may see

him go along the passage and down the steps. Take care, Frederick! (He

is very infirm.) Mind the steps! (He is so very absent.) Be careful

how you cross, Frederick. (I really don't like the notion of his going

wandering at large, he is so extremely liable to be run over.)'

With these words, and with a face expressive of many uneasy doubts and

much anxious guardianship, he turned his regards upon the assembled

company in the Lodge: so plainly indicating that his brother was to be

pitied for not being under lock and key, that an opinion to that effect

went round among the Collegians assembled.

But he did not receive it with unqualified assent; on the contrary, he

said, No, gentlemen, no; let them not misunderstand him. His brother

Frederick was much broken, no doubt, and it might be more comfortable to

himself (the Father of the Marshalsea) to know that he was safe within

the walls. Still, it must be remembered that to support an existence

there during many years, required a certain combination of qualities--he

did not say high qualities, but qualities--moral qualities. Now, had his

brother Frederick that peculiar union of qualities? Gentlemen, he was a

most excellent man, a most gentle, tender, and estimable man, with the

simplicity of a child; but would he, though unsuited for most other

places, do for that place? No; he said confidently, no! And, he said,

Heaven forbid that Frederick should be there in any other character

than in his present voluntary character! Gentlemen, whoever came to

that College, to remain there a length of time, must have strength of

character to go through a good deal and to come out of a good deal. Was

his beloved brother Frederick that man? No. They saw him, even as it

was, crushed. Misfortune crushed him. He had not power of recoil enough,

not elasticity enough, to be a long time in such a place, and yet

preserve his self-respect and feel conscious that he was a gentleman.

Frederick had not (if he might use the expression) Power enough to see

in any delicate little attentions and--and--Testimonials that he might

under such circumstances receive, the goodness of human nature, the fine

spirit animating the Collegians as a community, and at the same time

no degradation to himself, and no depreciation of his claims as a

gentleman. Gentlemen, God bless you!

Such was the homily with which he improved and pointed the occasion to

the company in the Lodge before turning into the sallow yard again,

and going with his own poor shabby dignity past the Collegian in the

dressing-gown who had no coat, and past the Collegian in the sea-side

slippers who had no shoes, and past the stout greengrocer Collegian in

the corduroy knee-breeches who had no cares, and past the lean clerk

Collegian in buttonless black who had no hopes, up his own poor shabby

staircase to his own poor shabby room.




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