Still his passion for the surgeon's
daughter ought not, he prudentially determined,
to bear more than its due weight in a case so very
important as the determining his line of life;
and this he smoothed over to his conscience, by repeating
to himself, that Menie's interest was as
essentially concerned as his own, in postponing
their marriage to the establishment of his fortune.
How many young couples had been ruined by a
premature union!
The contemptuous conduct of Hartley in their
last interview, had done something to shake his
comrade's confidence in the truth of this reasoning,
and to lead him to suspect that he was playing a
very sordid and unmanly part, in trifling with the
happiness of this amiable and unfortunate young
woman. It was in this doubtful humour that he
repaired to the Swan Inn, where he was anxiously
expected by his friend the Captain.
When they were comfortably seated over a
bottle of Paxarete, Middlemas began, with characteristical
caution, to sound his friend about the
ease or difficulty with which a individual, desirous
of entering the Company's service, might have an
opportunity of getting a commission. If Hillary
had answered truly, he would have replied, that it
was extremely easy; for, at that time, the East
India service presented no charms to that superior
class of people who have since struggled for admittance
under its banners.
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