When he was gone his character was of course discussed between the
husband and wife in Onslow Crescent. "What do you think of him?" said
the husband.

"I like him so much! He is so much nicer than you told me--so much
pleasanter and easier; and I have no doubt he is as clever, though I
don't think he shows that at once."

"He is clever enough; there's no doubt about that."

"And did you not think he was pleasant?"

"Yes; he was pleasant here. He is one of those men who get on best with
women. You'll make much more of him for awhile than I shall. He'll
gossip with you and sit idling with you for the hour together, if you'll
let him. There's nothing wrong about him, and he'd like nothing better
than that."

"You don't believe that he's idle by disposition? Think of all that he
has done already."

"That's just what is most against him. He might do very well with us if
he had not got that confounded fellowship; but having got that, he
thinks the hard work of life is pretty well over with him."

"I don't suppose he can be so foolish as that, Theodore."

"I know well what such men are, and I know the evil that is done
to them by the cramming they endure. They learn many names of
things--high-sounding names, and they come to understand a great deal