There was no doubt on that score, for he was quite himself again,
though he was, in looks and in weariness, just as if he had
recovered from a bad illness, or, as he put it himself, he felt as
tired and bruised as if he had been in a stiff gale. Mr. Castleford
was sorry to be obliged to ask him to go through the whole matter
with him in the study, and the result was that he was pronounced to
have an admirable head for business, as well as the higher qualities
that had been put to the test. After that his good friend insisted
that he should have a long and complete holiday, at first proposing
to take him to Ireland, but giving the notion up on hearing of our
projected excursion to the north of Devon. Pending this, Clarence
was, for nearly a week, fit for nothing but lying on the grass in
the shade, playing with the cats and dogs, or with little Anne,
looking over our drawings, listening to Wordsworth, our reigning
idol,--and enjoying, with almost touching gratitude, the first
approach to petting that had ever fallen to his share.
The only trouble on his mind was the Quarter-Session. Mr.
Castleford would hardly have prosecuted an old employe, but Mr.
Frith was furious, and resolved to make an example. Tooke had,
however, so carefully entrenched himself that nothing could be
actually made a subject of prosecution but the abstraction of the 20
pounds of which he had accused Clarence, who had to prove the having
received and delivered it.
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