feelings awakened in Godwin when he transferred to his mother's
house the cabinets which had been Mr. Gunnery's pride for thirty or
forty years. Joy of possession was subdued in him by the conflict of
metaphysical questionings.

Days went on, and nothing was heard of Uncle Andrew. Godwin tried to
assure himself that he had been needlessly terrified; the
eating-house project would never be carried out. Practically
dismissing that anxiety, he brooded over his defeat by Chilvers, and
thought with extreme reluctance of the year still to be spent at
Whitelaw, probably a year of humiliation. In the meantime, should he
or should he not present himself for his First B.A.? The five pound
fee would be a most serious demand upon his mother's resources, and
did the profit warrant it, was it really of importance to him to
take a degree?

He lived as much as possible alone, generally avoiding the society
of his relatives, save at meal times. A careless remark (not
intentionally offensive) with reference to Mr. Cusse had so affronted
Charlotte that she never spoke to him save in reply to a question.
Godwin regretted the pain he had given, but could not bring himself
to express this feeling, for a discussion would inevitably have
disclosed all his mind concerning the draper's assistant. Oliver
seemed to have forgiven his brother's reproaches, but no longer
behaved with freedom when Godwin was present. For all this, the
elder's irritation was often aroused by things he saw and heard; and
at length--on a memorable Saturday afternoon--debate revived
between them. Oliver, as his custom was, had attired himself
sprucely for a visit to acquaintances, and a silk hat of the very
newest fashion lay together with his gloves upon the table.