But his failure in this line was so complete, and he had to encounter so much of Norman's raillery, which was endurable, and of his instruction, which was unendurable, that he very soon gave up the pursuit.

He was not more successful with a racket; and keeping a horse was of course out of the question.
They had a bond of union in certain common friends whom they much loved, and with whom they much associated.

At least these friends soon became common to them.

The acquaintance originally belonged to Norman, and he had first cemented his friendship with Tudor by introducing him at the house of Mrs.Woodward.Since he had done so, the one young man was there nearly as much as the other.
Who and what the Woodwards were shall be told in a subsequent chapter.

As they have to play as important a part in the tale about to be told as our two friends of the Weights and Measures, it would not be becoming to introduce them at the end of this.
As regards Alaric Tudor it need only be further said, by way of preface, of him as of Harry Norman, that the faults of his character must be made to declare themselves in the course of our narrative..