But Mr.Burns was not of their sort.

His interest in the laird, and his wounded liking for Cosmo, did, however, cause him to take some real concern in the moral condition of the latter; while, at the same time, he was willing enough to think evil of him who had denounced as dishonest one of his main principles in the conduct of affairs.

It but added venom to the sting of Cosmo's words that although the jeweller was scarcely yet conscious of the fact, he was more unwilling to regard as wrong the mode he had defended, than capable of justifying it to himself.

That same evening he wrote to the laird that he feared his son must have taken to keeping bad company, for he had that day spoken in his shop in a manner most irreverent and indeed wicked--so as he would never, he was certain, have dared to speak in his father's hearing.
But college was a terrible place for ruining the good principles learned at home.

He hoped Mr.Warlock would excuse the interest he took in his son's welfare.