Julian Home Part 3

"Yes; a little," answered Julian.

"Did you know them before you came, or anything?"

"No; but they _will_ wait for me every now and then at the door of the fourth-form room when I'm coming out and I'm sure I don't want them, but one doesn't wish to seem uncivil, and I don't know how to get rid of them."

"H'm! well, I wouldn't see too much of them if I were you."

"No? but why?"

"Well, never mind--only I thought I'd tell you;" and Lillyston, half-ashamed at having taken this step, and half-afraid that Julian might misconstrue it, ran away. Julian, who was little pleased with the coa.r.s.e adulation of Brant and Jeffrey, took his friend's advice, and from that time he and Lillyston became more and more closely united.

They were constantly together, and never tired of each other's society; and at last, when their tutor, observing and thoroughly approving of the friends.h.i.+p, put them both in the same room, the school began in fun to call them Achilles and Patroclus, Damon and Pythias, Orestes and Pylades, David and Jonathan, Theseus and Pirithous, and as many other names of _paria amicorum_ as they could remember.

Yet there was many a Harton boy who would have said, "Utinam in tali amicitia tertius ascriberer!" for each friend communicated to the other something at least of his own excellences. Lillyston instructed Julian in the mysteries of fives, racquets, football, and cricket, until he became an adept at them all; and Julian, in return, gave Lillyston very efficient help in work, and inspired him with intellectual tastes for which he felt no little grat.i.tude in after days. The desire of getting his remove with Julian worked so much with him that he began to rise many places in the examinations; and while Julian was generally among the first few, Lillyston managed to be placed, at any rate, far above the ranks of the undistinguished herd.

So, form by form, Lillyston and Julian Home mounted up the school side by side, and ill.u.s.trated the n.o.blest and holiest uses of friends.h.i.+p by adding to each other's happiness and advantage in every way. I am glad to dwell on such a picture, knowing, O holy Friends.h.i.+p, how awfully a schoolboy can sometimes _desecrate_ thy name!

Three years had pa.s.sed, and they were now no longer little boys, but in the upper fifth form together, and Julian was in his sixteenth year. It was one March morning, when, shortly after they entered the school-room, the school "Custos" came in and handed to the master a letter--

"It's for Mister Home, sir, by telegraph."

The master called Julian, (whose heart beat quick when he heard his name), and said to him--

"Perhaps you had better take it out of the room, Home, before you read it, as it may contain something important."

With a grateful look for this considerate kindness, Julian took the hint, and leaving the room, tore open the message, which was from his mother--

"Dear Julian--Come home _instantly_; your father is most dangerously ill. I cannot add more."

The boys heard a cry, and the master made a sign to Lillyston, who had already started to his feet. Springing out of the unclosed door, he found Julian half-fainting; for his home affections were the very mainsprings of his life. He read the message, helped Julian down-stairs, flung a little cold water over his face, and then led him to their own study, where he immediately began, without a word, to pack up for him such things as he thought he would require.

Lillyston made all the necessary arrangements, and did not leave his friend until he had seen him into the railway carriage, and pressed his hand with a silent farewell. He watched the train till it was out of sight.

Then first did Julian's anguish find vent in tears. Pa.s.sionately he longed at least to _know_ the worst, and would have given anything to speed the progress of the train, far too slow for his impatient misery.

He was tormented by remembering the unusually solemn look and tone with which his father had parted from him a month before, and by the presentiment which at that moment had flashed across him with uncontrollable vividness, that they should never meet again. At last, at last they reached Ildown late in the evening, just as the flushed glare of crimson told the death-struggle of an angry sunset with the dull and heavy clouds. The station was a mile from the town, and it was a raw, gusty, foggy evening. There was no conveyance at the station, but leaving with the porter a hasty direction about his luggage, Julian flew along the road heedless of observation, reached the cliff, and at length stood before the rectory door. He was wet, hungry, and exhausted, for since morning he had tasted nothing, and his run had spattered him with mud from head to heel. It was too dark to judge what had happened from the appearance of the house, and half-frantic as he was with fear and eagerness, he had yet not dared to give a loud summons at the door, lest he should disturb his father's slumber or excite his nerves.

Ah! Julian, you need not restrain your impetuous dread from that cause now--

The door opened very quietly, and in reply to Julian's incoherent question, the good old servant only shook her head, and turned away to brush off with her ap.r.o.n the tears which she vainly struggled to repress. But the boy burst into the study where he knew that the rest would be, and in another moment his arm was round his mother's neck, while Cyril and Violet and little Frank drew close and wept silently beside them both. But still Julian knew not or would not know the full truth, and at last he drew up courage to ask the question which had been so long trembling on his lips--

"Is there no hope, mother, no hope?"

"Don't you know then, my boy? Your father is--"

"Not _dead_," said Julian, in a hollow voice. "Oh, mother, mother, mother."

His head drooped on her shoulder the news fell on him like a horrible blow, and, stunned as he was with weariness and anxiety, all sense and life flowed from him for a time.

The necessity for action and the consolation of others are G.o.d's blessed remedies to lull, during the first intolerable moments, the poignancy of bereavement. Mrs Home had to soothe her children, and to see that they took needful food and rest; and she watched by the bedside of her younger boys till the silken swathe of a soft boyish sleep fell on their eyes, red and swollen with many tears. Then she saw Violet to bed, and at last sat down alone with her eldest son, who by a great prayerful effort aroused himself at last to a sense of his position.

He took her hand in his, and said in a low whisper, "Mother, let me see him?"

"Not now, dearest Julian; wait till to-morrow, for our sakes."

"What was the cause of death, mother?"

"Disease of the heart;" and once more the widow's strength seemed likely to give way. But this time it was Julian's turn to whisper, "G.o.d's will be done."

Next morning Mrs Home, with Julian and Violet, entered the room of death. Flowers were scattered on the bed, and on that face, calm as marble yet soft as life, the happy wondering smile had not yet even died away. And there Julian received from his mother a slip of paper, on which his father's dying hand had traced the last messages of undying love and when they had left him there alone, he opened and read these words, written with weak and wavering pen--

"My own dearest boy, in this world we shall never meet again. But I die happy, Julian, for my trust is in G.o.d, who cares for the widow and the fatherless. And you, Julian, will take my place with Violet, Cyril, and dear Frankie--I need say nothing of a mother to such a son.

G.o.d bless you, my own boy. Be brave, and honest, and pure, and G.o.d will be with you. Your dying father,

"Henry Home."

The last part was almost illegible, but Julian bent reverently over his father's corpse, and it seemed that the smile brightened on those dead lips as he bowed his young head in prayer.

Reader, for many reasons we must not linger there. But I had to tell you of that death and of those dying words which Julian knew by heart through life, and which he kept always with him as the amulet against temptation. He never forgot them; and oh! how often in the hours of trial did it seem as if that dying message was whispered in his ear, "Be brave, and honest, and pure, and G.o.d will be with you."

The concluding arrangements were soon made. The family left the rectory, but continued to reside at Ildown, a spot which they loved, and where they were known and loved. Mr Home had insured his life for a sum, not large indeed, but sufficient to save them from absolute penury, and had besides laid by sufficient to continue Julian's education. It was determined that he should return to Harton, and there try for the Newry scholars.h.i.+p in time. If he should be successful in getting this, there would be no further difficulty in his going to college, for it was expected that a wealthy aunt of his would a.s.sist him. His guardians, however, were kind enough to determine that, even in case of his failing to obtain the Newry, they would provide for his university expenses, although they did not conceal from him the great importance of his earnestly studying with a view to gain this pecuniary aid. Cyril was sent to Marlby, and Frank, who was but ten years old, remained for the present at Ildown grammar school.

After the funeral Julian returned to Harton with a sadder and wiser heart. Though never an idle boy, he had not as yet realised the necessity of throwing himself fully into the studies of the place, but had rather given the reins to his fancy, and luxuriated in the gorgeous day-dreams of poetry and romance. Henceforward, he became a most earnest and diligent student, and day by day felt that his intellectual powers grew stronger and more developed by this healthier nourishment.

At the end of that quarter he gained his first head-remove, and Mr Carden rejoiced heartily in the success of his favourite pupil.

"Why, Julian, you will beat us all if you go on at this rate," said he, after reading over the trial verses which Julian asked him to criticise after the examination. "You always showed taste, but here we have vigour too; and for a wonder, you haven't made any mistakes."

"I'm afraid I shall be 'stumped' in the Greek 'Iambi,' sir, as Mr Clarke calls them."

"Ah! well, you must take pains. You've improved, though, since you had to translate Milton's--

"Smoothing the raven down Of darkness, till it smiled;

"when, you remember, I gave you a literal version of your 'Iambi,' which meant 'pounding a pea-green fog.' Eh?"

"Oh, yes," said Julian, "I remember too that I rendered 'the moon-beams'

by 'the moon's rafters.'"

"Never mind," said Mr Carden, laughing, "improve in them as much as you have in Latin verse, and we shall see you Newry scholar yet."

A thrill of joy went through the boy's heart as he heard these words.

CHAPTER FOUR.

HOW JULIAN LOST A FORTUNE.

"Most like a step-dame or a dowager Long withering out a young man's revenue."

_Shakespeare_.