for she could no longer consent to draw upon her sister for a
portion of the school fees, and no pertinent suggestion for the
lad's future was made by any of the people who admired his
cleverness. Miss Cadman still clung in a fitful way to the idea of
making her nephew a cleric; she had often talked it over with the
Misses Lumb, who of course held that 'any sacrifice' was justifiable
with such a motive, and who suggested a hope that, by the
instrumentality of Lady Whitelaw, a curacy might easily be obtained
as soon as Godwin was old enough. But several years must pass before
that Levitical stage could be reached; and then, after all, perhaps
the younger boy, Oliver, placid of temper and notably pliant in
mind, was better suited for the dignity of Orders. It was lamentable
that Godwin should have become so intimate with that earth-burrowing
Mr. Gunnery, who certainly never attended either church or chapel,
and who seemed to have imbued his pupil with immoral theories
concerning the date of creation. Godwin held more decidedly aloof
from his aunt, and had been heard by Charlotte to speak very
disrespectfully of the Misses Lumb. In short, there was no choice
but to discover an opening for him in some secular pursuit. Could
he, perhaps, become an assistant teacher? Or must he 'go into an
office'?

No common lad. A youth whose brain glowed like a furnace,
whose heart throbbed with tumult of high ambitions, of inchoate
desires; endowed with knowledge altogether exceptional for his
years; a nature essentially militant, displaying itself in
innumerable forms of callow intolerance--apt, assuredly, for some
vigorous part in life, but as likely as not to rush headlong on
traverse roads if no judicious mind assumed control of him. What is
to be done with the boy?