Steen was bearing me away down that plantation. From what you say, I
must suppose I was mistaken."

"Chillingly! But surely some persons were talking yesterday at dinner
about a young gentleman of that name as being likely to stand for
Westshire at the next election, but who had made a very unpopular and
eccentric speech on the occasion of his coming of age."

"The same man: I was at college with him,--a very singular character.
He was thought clever; won a prize or two; took a good degree: but it
was generally said that he would have deserved a much higher one if
some of his papers had not contained covert jests either on the
subject or the examiners. It is a dangerous thing to set up as a
humourist in practical life,--especially public life. They say Mr.
Pitt had naturally a great deal of wit and humour, but he wisely
suppressed any evidence of those qualities in his Parliamentary
speeches. Just like Chillingly, to turn into ridicule the important
event of festivities in honour of his coming of age,--an occasion that
can never occur again in the whole course of his life."

"It was bad taste," said Cecilia, "if intentional. But perhaps he was
misunderstood, or taken by surprise."

"Misunderstood,--possibly; but taken by surprise,--no. The coolest
fellow I ever met. Not that I have met him very often. Latterly,
indeed, at Cambridge he lived much alone. It was said that he read
hard. I doubt that; for my rooms were just over his, and I know that
he was much more frequently out of doors than in. He rambled a good
deal about the country on foot. I have seen him in by-lanes a dozen
miles distant from the town when I have been riding back from the