CHAPTER II 



" Who so in thought enjoys his former life 

 Thus lives twice over." 



The Confidence of Youth prevails "The Hunter's Inn" 

 Fishing for Trout and Hunting for Fairies 



NONE but those who have in their youth attempted 

 to propitiate bristling elderly opponents to a step 

 not fully justified can possibly imagine the artful- 

 ness needed to come through victorious. My 

 father who, I knew, prided himself on having 

 carried off the prettiest girl of a certain Devon 

 parish before he was twenty-one almost refused 

 to help me when I asked for aid to do as he had 

 done. I reasoned with him almost in vain al- 

 though I used the most conclusive arguments : 

 "You married mother when you were but little 

 older than I am and would do just the same again 

 in spite of the nine plagues she has brought to 

 bless your house. You aided, and abetted too, my 

 brothers and sisters in their love affairs, and en- 

 joyed it, but you desert your Benjamin in his 

 greatest need while I thought you would revel in 

 it for him." 



" My dear boy, your brothers were older than 

 you are. Please do not think of marrying for 

 another year or two. Why, were you to suggest 

 it up at Telsom, Nell would laugh, her mother 

 have fits and the father would be here as fast as 



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