70 A TROT, AND A DINNER PARTY. 



was not at the Charter-house. Who the deuce ever 

 was — what gentleman, I mean?" 



" Why I was for one ; and you might as well have 

 been, I think, for I am sure you might have learned 

 there that twice three make six, and twenty times 

 three sixty," said the son of a rich banker, rather a 

 favorite with the young dandies and nobleman, on ac- 

 count of his manliness and good-nature, as well as his 

 aptitude and skill at all bold sports and gallant pas- 

 times, which ever wins its way, in England especially, 

 among the upper classes. 



There was a general laugh in which every one 

 joined heartily except the sulky, proud, and penniless 

 peer, who had been expelled from Eton before he had 

 cleared the fourth form, and who now answered dog- 

 gedly, and with an air of undoubted superiority, 



" I was at Eton, my good fellow, and they don't 

 teach that kind of thing there, you know — no buying 

 and selling there. This orthography^ or whatever you 

 call it, these two-and-two tables are all very good for 

 bankers, you know, and merchants, old fellow: we 

 don't trouble ourselves about such things, you know — 

 we don't !" 



Fairfax raised his eyes quickly to meet the eyes of 

 Matuschevitz, as though he would have reminded him 

 of the conversation which had passed between them 

 that morning ; and his friend who had anticipated his 

 glance, and met it, smiled merrily, and nodded his 

 head, and then laying his finger on his lips, and shak- 

 ing his brow in dissent, looked away toward Beaufort, 

 who just then took up the word. 



"Yes, yes, Jardinier," said he, "you're quite right. 

 There was no orthography at Eton in my time ; and 

 why should there ? it is part of our parliamentary 

 privilege to be held excused from any thing so ' base 

 and mechanical,' as old Claverhouse, or Rob Roy, 

 would have said, as reading, 'riting, or 'rithmetic. 



