"So much the worse for the sons," said I, bluntly. "Nature," continued
my new acquaintance, without attending to my ejaculation,--"Nature
indeed does give us much, and Nature also orders each of us how to use
her gifts. If Nature give you the propensity to drudge, you will
drudge; if she give me the ambition to rise, and the contempt for work,
I may rise,--but I certainly shall not work."

"Oh," said I, "you agree with Squills, I suppose, and fancy we are all
guided by the bumps on our foreheads?"

"And the blood in our veins, and our mothers' milk. We inherit other
things besides gout and consumption. So you always do as your father
tells you! Good boy!"

I was piqued. Why we should be ashamed of being taunted for goodness, I
never could understand; but certainly I felt humbled. However, I
answered sturdily: "If you had as good a father as I have, you would not
think it so very extraordinary to do as he tells you."

"Ah! so he is a very good father, is he? He must have a great trust in
your sobriety and steadiness to let you wander about the world as he
does."

"I am going to join him in London."

"In London! Oh, does he live there?"

"He is going to live there for some time."

"Then perhaps we may meet. I too am going to town."