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in…law； but for some reason or other the visit was paid； and little
George soon succeeded in making his way into his uncle and aunt's
good graces。 A quick； intelligent boy with a good address； a sound
constitution； and coming of respectable parents； has a potential
value which a practised business man who has need of many
subordinates is little likely to overlook。 Before his visit was
over Mr Fairlie proposed to the lad's father and mother that he
should put him into his own business； at the same time promising
that if the boy did well he should not want some one to bring him
forward。 Mrs Pontifex had her son's interest too much at heart to
refuse such an offer； so the matter was soon arranged； and about a
fortnight after the Fairlies had left； George was sent up by coach
to London； where he was met by his uncle and aunt； with whom it was
arranged that he should live。
This was George's great start in life。 He now wore more fashionable
clothes than he had yet been accustomed to； and any little rusticity
of gait or pronunciation which he had brought from Paleham； was so
quickly and completely lost that it was ere long impossible to
detect that he had not been born and bred among people of what is
commonly called education。 The boy paid great attention to his
work； and more than justified the favourable opinion which Mr
Fairlie had formed concerning him。 Sometimes Mr Fairlie would send
him down to Paleham for a few days' holiday； and ere long his
parents perceived that he had acquired an air and manner of talking
different from any that he had taken with him from Paleham。 They
were proud of him； and soon fell into their proper places； resigning
all appearance of a parental control； for which indeed there was no
kind of necessity。 In return； George was always kindly to them； and
to the end of his life retained a more affectionate feeling towards
his father and mother than I imagine him ever to have felt again for
man； woman； or child。
George's visits to Paleham were never long； for the distance from
London was under fifty miles and there was a direct coach； so that
the journey was easy； there was not time； therefore； for the novelty
to wear off either on the part of the young man or of his parents。
George liked the fresh country air and green fields after the
darkness to which he had been so long accustomed in Paternoster Row；
which then； as now； was a narrow gloomy lane rather than a street。
Independently of the pleasure of seeing the familiar faces of the
farmers and villagers； he liked also being seen and being
congratulated on growing up such a fine…looking and fortunate young
fellow； for he was not the youth to hide his light under a bushel。
His uncle had had him taught Latin and Greek of an evening； he had
taken kindly to these languages and had rapidly and easily mastered
what many boys take years in acquiring。 I suppose his knowledge
gave him a self…confidence which made itself felt whether he
intended it or not； at any rate； he soon began to pose as a judge of
literature； and from this to being a judge of art； architecture；
music and everything else； the path was easy。 Like his father； he
knew the value of money； but he was at once more ostentatious and
less liberal than his father； while yet a boy he was a thorough
little man of the world； and did well rather upon principles which
he had tested by personal experiment； and recognised as principles；
than from those profounder convictions which in his father were so
instinctive that he could give no account concerning them。
His father； as I have said； wondered at him and let him alone。 His
son had fairly distanced him； and in an inarticulate way the father
knew it perfectly well。 After a few years he took to wearing his
best clothes whenever his son came to stay with him； nor would he
discard them for his ordinary ones till the young man had returned
to London。 I believe old Mr Pontifex； along with his pride and
affection； felt also a certain fear of his son； as though of
something which he could not thoroughly understand； and whose ways；
notwithstanding outward agreement； were nevertheless not as his
ways。 Mrs Pontifex felt nothing of this； to her George was pure and
absolute perfection； and she saw； or thought she saw； with pleasure；
that he resembled her and her family in feature as well as in
disposition rather than her husband and his。
When George was about twenty…five years old his uncle took him into
partnership on very liberal terms。 He had little cause to regret
this step。 The young man infused fresh vigour into a concern that
was already vigorous； and by the time he was thirty found himself in
the receipt of not less than 1500 pounds a year as his share of the
profits。 Two years later he married a lady about seven years
younger than himself； who brought him a handsome dowry。 She died in
1805； when her youngest child Alethea was born； and her husband did
not marry again。
CHAPTER III
In the early years of the century five little children and a couple
of nurses began to make periodical visits to Paleham。 It is
needless to say they were a rising generation of Pontifexes； towards
whom the old couple； their grandparents； were as tenderly
deferential as they would have been to the children of the Lord
Lieutenant of the County。 Their names were Eliza； Maria； John；
Theobald （who like myself was born in 1802）； and Alethea。 Mr
Pontifex always put the prefix 〃master〃 or 〃miss〃 before the names
of his grandchildren； except in the case of Alethea； who was his
favourite。 To have resisted his grandchildren would have been as
impossible for him as to have resisted his wife； even old Mrs
Pontifex yielded before her son's children； and gave them all manner
of licence which she would never have allowed even to my sisters and
myself； who stood next in her regard。 Two regulations only they
must attend to； they must wipe their shoes well on coming into the
house； and they must not overfeed Mr Pontifex's organ with wind； nor
take the pipes out。
By us at the Rectory there was no time so much looked forward to as
the annual visit of the little Pontifexes to Paleham。 We came in
for some of the prevailing licence； we went to tea with Mrs Pontifex
to meet her grandchildren； and then our young friends were asked to
the Rectory to have tea with us； and we had what we considered great
times。 I fell desperately in love with Alethea； indeed we all fell
in love with each other； plurality and exchange whether of wives or
husbands being openly and unblushingly advocated in the very
presence of our nurses。 We were very merry； but it is so long ago
that I have forgotten nearly everything save that we WERE very
merry。 Almost the only thing that remains with me as a permanent
impression was the fact that Theobald one day beat his nurse and
teased her； and when she said she should go away cried out； 〃You
shan't go awayI'll keep you on purpose to torment you。〃
One winter's morning； however； in the year 1811； we heard the church
bell tolling while we were dressing in the back nursery and were
told it was for old Mrs Pontifex。 Our manservant John told