suit of black, with knee-breeches and gaiters, and a massive
watch-seal dangling from under his waistcoat, and was deep in the
study of his favourite particles. He received our hero and his
father both nervously and graciously, and bade them be seated.

"I shall al-ways," he said, in monosyllabic tones, as though he were
reading out of a child's primer, - "I shall al-ways be glad to see any
of the young friends of my old col-lege friend Lar-kyns; and I do
re-joice to be a-ble to serve you, Mis-ter Green; and I hope your
son, Mis-ter, Mis-ter Vir---Vir-gin-ius,--"


[34 ADVENTURES OF MR. VERDANT GREEN]

"Verdant, Dr. Portman," interrupted Mr. Green, suggestively,
"Verdant."

"Oh! true, true, true! and I do hope that he will be a ve-ry good
young man, and try to do hon-our to his col-lege."

"I trust he will, indeed, sir," replied Mr. Green; "it is the great
wish of my heart. And I am sure that you will find my son both quiet
and orderly in his conduct, regular in his duties, and always in bed
by ten o'clock."

"Well, I hope so too, Mis-ter Green," said Dr. Portman,
monosyllabically; "but all the young gen-tle-men do pro-mise to be
regu-lar and or-der-ly when they first come up, but a
term makes a great dif-fer-ence. But I dare say my young friend
Mis-ter Vir-gin-ius,---"