All Sorts and Conditions of Men. Walter Besant

XXV. —An Invitation, 238 XXVI. —Lord Davenant's Greatness, 247 XXVII. —The Same Signs, 257 XXVIII. —Harry Finds Liberty, 260 XXIX. —The Figure-heads, 276 XXX. —The Professor's Proposal, 285 XXXI. —Captain Coppin, 292 XXXII. —Bunker at Bay, 303 XXXIII. —Mr. Bunker's Letter, 310 XXXIV. —Proofs in Print, 316 XXXV. —Then we'll Keep Company, 323 XXXVI. —What will be the End?, 333 XXXVII. —Truth with Faithfulness, 338 XXXVIII. —I am the Dressmaker, 347 XXXIX. —Thrice Happy Boy, 356 XL. —Sweet Nelly, 363 XLI. —Boxing-Night, 371 XLII. —Not Josephus, but Another, 378 XLIII. —O my Prophetic Soul!, 387 XLIV. —A Fool and his Money, 397 XLV. —Lady Davenant's Dinner-party, 402 XLVI. —The End of the Case, 413 XLVII. —A Palace of Delight, 418 XLVIII. —My Lady Sweet, 425 XLIX. —"Uprouse ye then, my Merry, Merry Men," 432

      All Sorts and Conditions of Men

PROLOGUE.—Part I.

       Table of Contents

      It was the evening of a day in early June. The time was last year, and the place was Cambridge. The sun had been visible in the heavens, a gracious presence, actually a whole week—in itself a thing remarkable; the hearts of the most soured, even of landlords and farmers, were coming to believe again in the possibility of fine weather; the clergy were beginning to think that they might this year hold a real Harvest Thanksgiving instead of a sham; the trees at the Backs were in full foliage; the avenues of Trinity and Clare were splendid; beside them the trim lawns sloped to the margin of the Cam, here most glorious and proudest of English rivers, seeing that he laves the meadows of those ancient and venerable foundations, King's, Trinity, and St. John's, to say nothing of Queen's and Clare and Magdalen; men were lazily floating in canoes, or leaning over the bridges, or strolling about the walks, or lying on the grass; and among them—but not—oh! not with them—walked or rested many of the damsels of learned Newnham, chiefly in pairs, holding sweet converse

      On mind and art,

      And labor and the changing mart,

      And all the framework of the land:

      not neglecting the foundations of the Christian faith and other fashionable topics, which ladies nowadays handle with so much learning, originality, dexterity, and power.

      We have, however, to do with only one pair, who were sitting together on the banks opposite Trinity. These two were talking about a subject far more interesting than any concerning mind, or art, or philosophy, or the chances of the senate-house, or the future of Newnham: for they were talking about themselves and their own lives, and what they were to do each with that one life which happened, by the mere accident of birth, to belong to herself. It must be a curious subject for reflection in extreme old age, when everything has happened that is going to happen, including rheumatism, that, but for this accident, one's life might have been so very different.

      "Because, Angela," said the one who wore spectacles and looked older than she was, by reason of much pondering over books and perhaps too little exercise, "because, my dear, we have but this one life before us, and if we make mistakes with it, or throw it away, or waste it, or lose our chances, it is such a dreadful pity. Oh, to think of the girls who drift and let every chance go by, and get nothing out of their lives at all—except babies" (she spoke of babies with great contempt). "Oh! it seems as if every moment were precious: oh! it is a sin to waste an hour of it."

      She gasped and clasped her hands together with a sigh. She was not acting, not at all; this girl was that hitherto rare thing, a girl of study and of books; she was wholly possessed, like the great scholars of old, with the passion for learning.

      "Oh! greedy person!" replied