He had sustained a most terrible reverse, and do what he might he could never quite escape from the shadow of his father's disgrace, or put out of his mind the stain with which his father had dimmed the honour of his family.

And now a new misfortune hung over him.

He had just been driven with contumely from a house where hitherto he was the most welcome of guests; he had parted, moreover, from the woman whom he loved dearly, and under circumstances which made it doubtful if their separation would not be final.
Leonard possessed the gift of insight into character, and more common sense than can often be expected from a young man in love.

He knew well that the chief characteristic of Jane's nature was a tendency to yield to the circumstances of the hour, and though he hoped against hope, he could find no reason to suppose that she would exhibit greater determination in the matter of their engagement than her general lack of strength might lead him to anticipate.

Besides, and here his common sense came in, would it be wise that she should do so?
After all, what had he to offer her, and were not his hopes of future advancement nothing better than a dream?
Roughly as he had put it, perhaps Mr.
Beach was right when he told him that he, Leonard, was both selfish and impertinent, since was it not a selfish impertinence in him to ask any woman to link her fortune with his in the present state of his affairs?
Let us therefore make excuses for his words and outward behaviour, for at heart Leonard had much to trouble him.
When the cloth had been cleared away and they were alone again, Tom spoke to his brother, who was moodily filling his pipe.
"What shall we do to-night, Leonard ?" he said.
"Go to bed, I suppose," he answered.
"See here, Leonard," said his brother again, "what do you say to having a last look at the old place ?" "If you wish, Tom, but it will be painful." "A little pain more or less can scarcely hurt us, old fellow," said Tom, laying his thin hand on his brother's shoulder.
Then they started.