He is a dutiful son and, rather than give you pain, he was prepared to sacrifice all his own feelings and wishes.

But the lad is full of life and energy.

The dull existence of a country surgeon, in a little town like this, is the last he would adopt as his own choice; and I own that I am not surprised that a lad of spirit should long for a more adventurous life.

I should have told you this long ago, and advised you that it would be well for you both to put it frankly to him that, although you would naturally like to see him following his father's profession, still that you felt that he should choose for himself; and that, should he select any other mode of life, you would not set your wishes against his.

But the lad would not hear of my doing so.