Alaric had been invited to wait upon the great man, in terms which made him perfectly understand that the communication to be made was one which would not be unpleasing or uncomplimentary to himself.
Indeed, he pretty well guessed what was to be said to him.

Since his promotion at the Weights and Measures he had gone on rising in estimation as a man of value to the Civil Service at large.
Nearly two years had now passed since that date, and in these pages nothing has been said of his official career during the time.

It had, however, been everything that he or his friends could have wished it to be.

He had so put himself forward as absolutely to have satisfied the actual chief clerk of his office, and was even felt by some of the secretaries to be treading very closely on their heels.
And yet a great portion of his time had been spent, not at the Weights and Measures, but in giving some sort of special assistance to Sir Gregory's Board.

The authorities at the Weights and Measures did not miss him; they would have been well content that he should have remained for ever with Sir Gregory.
He had also become somewhat known to the official world, even beyond the confines of the Weights and Measures, or the Examination Board, He had changed his club, and now belonged to the Downing.