ambition. Popular, he could own that he was, but not meteorically;
rather by reason of his willingness to receive light than his desire to
shed it. Why, then, was the terrible test brought to bear upon him, of
all men? He was one of us; no worse, and not strikingly or perilously
better; and he could not but feel, in the bitterness of his reflections
upon an inexplicable destiny, that the punishment befalling him,
unmerited as it was, looked like absence of Design in the scheme of
things, Above. It looked as if the blow had been dealt him by reckless
chance. And to believe that, was for the mind of General Ople the having
to return to his alphabet and recommence the ascent of the laborious
mountain of understanding.

To proceed, the General's introduction to Lady Camper was owing to a
message she sent him by her gardener, with a request that he would cut
down a branch of a wychelm, obscuring her view across his grounds toward
the river. The General consulted with his daughter, and came to the
conclusion, that as he could hardly despatch a written reply to a verbal
message, yet greatly wished to subscribe to the wishes of Lady Camper,
the best thing for him to do was to apply for an interview. He sent word
that he would wait on Lady Camper immediately, and betook himself
forthwith to his toilette. She was the niece of an earl.

Elizabeth commended his appearance, 'passed him,' as he would have said;
and well she might, for his hat, surtout, trousers and boots, were worthy
of an introduction to Royalty. A touch of scarlet silk round the neck
gave him bloom, and better than that, the blooming consciousness of it.

'You are not to be nervous, papa,' Elizabeth said.

'Not at all,' replied the General. 'I say, not at all, my dear,'