As it was they lived together and were fast allies; not the less
so that they did not agree as to many of their avocations. Tudor,
at his friend's solicitation, had occasionally attempted to pull
an oar from Searle's slip to Battersea bridge. But his failure in
this line was so complete, and he had to encounter so much of
Norman's raillery, which was endurable, and of his instruction,
which was unendurable, that he very soon gave up the pursuit. He
was not more successful with a racket; and keeping a horse was of
course out of the question.

They had a bond of union in certain common friends whom they much
loved, and with whom they much associated. At least these friends
soon became common to them. The acquaintance originally belonged
to Norman, and he had first cemented his friendship with Tudor by
introducing him at the house of Mrs. Woodward. Since he had done
so, the one young man was there nearly as much as the other.

Who and what the Woodwards were shall be told in a subsequent
chapter. As they have to play as important a part in the tale
about to be told as our two friends of the Weights and Measures,
it would not be becoming to introduce them at the end of this.

As regards Alaric Tudor it need only be further said, by way of
preface, of him as of Harry Norman, that the faults of his
character must be made to declare themselves in the course of our
narrative.



CHAPTER II