“Nothing。”repliedCarthew。“Itcouldn’tbeexplained。TheywereacrowdofsmalldealersatLloyd’swhotookitupinsyndicate；oneofthemhasacarriagenow；andpeoplesayheisadeuceofadeepfellow，andhasthemakingsofagreatfinancier。Anotherfurnishedasmallvillaontheprofits。Butthey’reallhopelesslymuddled；andwhentheymeeteachother，theydon’tknowwheretolook，liketheAugurs。”
　　DinnerwasnosooneratanendthanhecarriedmeacrosstheroadtoMasson’soldstudio。Itwasstrangelychanged。Onthewallsweretapestry，afewgoodetchings，andsomeamazingpictures——aRousseau，aCorot，areallysuperboldCrome，aWhistler，andapiecewhichmyhostclaimedandIbelievetobeaTitian。TheroomwasfurnishedwithcomfortableEnglishsmoking-roomchairs，someAmericanrockers，andanelaboratebusinesstable；spiritsandsoda-waterwiththemarkofSchweppe，nolessstoodreadyonabutler’stray，andinonecorner，behindahalf-drawncurtain，Ispiedacamp-bedandacapacioustub。SucharoominBarbizonastonishedthebeholder，likethegloriesofthecaveofMonteCristo。
　　“Now。”saidhe，“wearequiet。Sitdown，ifyoudon’tmind，andtellmeyourstoryallthrough。”
　　Ididasheasked，beginningwiththedaywhenJimshowedmethepassageinthe_DailyOccidental_，andwindingupwiththestampalbumandtheChaillypostmark。Itwasalongbusiness；
　　andCarthewmadeitlonger，forhewasinsatiableofdetails；
　　andithadstruckmidnightontheoldeight-dayclockinthecorner，beforeIhadmadeanend。
　　“Andnow。”saidhe，“turnabout：Imusttellyoumyside，muchasIhateit。Mineisabeastlystory。You’llwonderhowIcansleep。I’vetolditoncebefore，Mr。Dodd。”
　　“ToLadyAnn？”Iasked。
　　“Asyousuppose。”heanswered；“andtosaythetruth，Ihadswornnevertotellitagain。Only，youseemsomehowentitledtothething；youhavepaiddearenough，Godknows；andGodknowsIhopeyoumaylikeit，nowyou’vegotit！”
　　Withthathebeganhisyarn。Anewdayhaddawned，thecockscrewinthevillageandtheearlywoodmenwereafoot，whenheconcluded。
　　SingletonCarthew，thefatherofNorris，washeavilybuiltandfeeblyvitalised，sensitiveasamusician，dullasasheep，andconscientiousasadog。Hetookhispositionwithseriousness，evenwithpomp；thelongrooms，thesilentservants，seemedinhiseyesliketheobservancesofsomereligionofwhichhewasthemortalgod。Hehadthestupidman’sintoleranceofstupidityinothers；thevainman’sexquisitealarmlestitshouldbedetectedinhimself。AndonbothsidesNorrisirritatedandoffendedhim。Hethoughthissonafool，andhesuspectedthathissonreturnedthecomplimentwithinterest。Thehistoryoftheirrelationwassimple；theymetseldom，theyquarrelledoften。Tohismother，afiery，pungent，practicalwoman，alreadydisappointedinherhusbandandherelderson，Norriswasonlyafreshdisappointment。
　　Yetthelad’sfaultswerenogreatmatter；hewasdiffident，placable，passive，unambitious，unenterprising；lifedidnotmuchattracthim；hewatcheditlikeacuriousanddullexhibition，notmuchamused，andnottemptedintheleasttotakeapart。Hebeheldhisfatherponderouslygrindingsand，hismotherfierilybreakingbutterflies，hisbrotherlabouringatthepleasuresoftheHawbuckwiththeardourofasoldierinadoubtfulbattle；andthevitalscepticlookedonwondering。
　　Theywerecarefulandtroubledaboutmanythings；forhimthereseemednotevenonethingneedful。Hewasborndisenchanted，theworld’spromisesawokenoechoinhisbosom，theworld’sactivitiesandtheworld’sdistinctionsseemedtohimequallywithoutabaseinfact。Helikedtheopenair；helikedcomradeship，itmatterednotwithwhom，hiscomradeswereonlyaremedyforsolitude。Andhehadatasteforpaintedart。Anarrayoffinepictureslookeduponhischildhood，andfromtheseroodsofjewelledcanvashereceivedanindelibleimpression。ThegalleryatStallbridgebetokenedgenerationsofpicturelovers；Norriswasperhapsthefirstofhisracetoholdthepencil。Thetastewasgenuine，itgrewandstrengthenedwithhisgrowth；andyethesufferedittobesuppressedwithscarceastruggle。TimecameforhimtogotoOxford，andheresistedfaintly。Hewasstupid，hesaid；itwasnogoodtoputhimthroughthemill；hewishedtobeapainter。
　　Thewordsfellonhisfatherlikeathunderbolt，andNorrismadehastetogiveway。“Itdidn’treallymatter，don’tyouknow？”saidhe。“Anditseemedanawfulshametovextheoldboy。”
　　ToOxfordhewentobediently，hopelessly；andatOxfordbecametheheroofacertaincircle。Hewasactiveandadroit；
　　whenhewasinthehumour，heexcelledinmanysports；andhissingularmelancholydetachmentgavehimaplaceapart。
　　Hesetafashioninhisclique。Enviousundergraduatessoughttoparodyhisunaffectedlackofzealandfear；itwasakindofnewByronismmorecomposedanddignified。“Nothingreallymattered“；amongotherthings，thisformulaembracedthedons；andthoughhealwaysmeanttobecivil，theeffectonthecollegeauthoritieswasoneofstartlingrudeness。Hisindifferencecutlikeinsolence；andinsomeoutbreakofhisconstitutionallevitythecomplementofhismelancholyhewas“sentdown“inthemiddleofthesecondyear。
　　TheeventwasnewintheannalsoftheCarthews，andSingletonwaspreparedtomakethemostofit。Ithadbeenlonghispracticetoprophesyforhissecondsonacareerofruinanddisgrace。Thereisanadvantageinthisartlessparentalhabit。Doubtlessthefatherisinterestedinhisson；butdoubtlessalsotheprophetgrowstobeinterestedinhisprophecies。Iftheonegoeswrong，theotherscometrue。OldCarthewdrewfromthissourceesotericconsolations；hedweltatlengthonhisownforesight；heproducedvariationshithertounheardfromtheoldtheme“Itoldyouso。”coupledhisson’snamewiththegallowsandthehulks，andspokeofhissmallhandfulofcollegedebtsasthoughhemustraisemoneyonamortgagetodischargethem。
　　“Idon’tthinkthatisfair，sir。”saidNorris。“Ilivedatcollegeexactlyasyoutoldme。IamsorryIwassentdown，andyouhaveaperfectrighttoblamemeforthat；butyouhavenorighttopitchintomeaboutthesedebts。”
　　Theeffectuponastupidmannotunjustlyincensedneedscarcelybedescribed。ForawhileSingletonraved。
　　“I’lltellyouwhat，father。”saidNorrisatlast，“Idon’tthinkthisisgoingtodo。Ithinkyouhadbetterletmetaketopainting。
　　It’stheonlythingItakeasparkofinterestin。IshallneverbesteadyaslongasI’matanythingelse。”
　　“Whenyoustandhere，sir，totheneckindisgrace。”saidthefather，“Ishouldhavehopedyouwouldhavehadmoregoodtastethantorepeatthislevity。”
　　Thehintwastaken；thelevitywasnevermoreobtrudedonthefather’snotice，andNorriswasinexorablylauncheduponabackwardvoyage。Hewentabroadtostudyforeignlanguages，whichhelearned，ataveryexpensiverate；andafreshcropofdebtsfellsoontobepaid，withsimilarlamentations，whichwereinthiscaseperfectlyjustified，andtowhichNorrispaidnoregard。HehadbeenunfairlytreatedovertheOxfordaffair；
　　andwithaspiceofmaliceverysurprisinginonesoplacable，andanobstinacyremarkableinonesoweak，refusedfromthatdayforwardtoexercisetheleastcaptaincyonhisexpenses。Hewastedwhathewould；heallowedhisservantstodespoilhimattheirpleasure；hesowedinsolvency；andwhenthecropwasripe，notifiedhisfatherwithexasperatingcalm。Hisowncapitalwasputinhishands，hewasplantedinthediplomaticserviceandtoldhemustdependuponhimself。
　　Hedidsotillhewastwenty-five；bywhichtimehehadspenthismoney，laidinahandsomechoiceofdebts，andacquiredlikesomanyothermelancholicanduninterestedpersonsahabitofgambling。AnAustriancolonel——thesamewhoafterwardshangedhimselfatMonteCarlo——gavehimalessonwhichlastedtwo-and-twentyhours，andlefthimwreckedandhelpless。OldSingletononcemorerepurchasedthehonourofhisname，thistimeatafancyfigure；andNorriswassetafloatagainonsternconditions。AnallowanceofthreehundredpoundsintheyearwastobepaidtohimquarterlybyalawyerinSydney，NewSouthWales。Hewasnottowrite。Shouldhefailonanyquarter-daytobeinSydney，hewastobeheldfordead，andtheallowancetacitlywithdrawn。ShouldhereturntoEurope，anadvertisementpubliclydisowninghimwastoappearineverypaperofrepute。
　　Itwasoneofhismostannoyingfeaturesasason，thathewasalwayspolite，alwaysjust，andinwhateverwhirlwindofdomesticanger，alwayscalm。Heexpectedtrouble；whentroublecame，hewasunmoved：hemighthavesaidwithSingleton，“Itoldyouso“；hewascontentwiththinking，“justasIexpected。”Onthefalloftheselastthunderbolts，heborehimselflikeapersononlydistantlyinterestedintheevent；
　　pocketedthemoneyandthereproaches，obeyedorderspunctually；tookshipandcametoSydney。Somemenarestillladsattwenty-five；andsoitwaswithNorris。Eighteendaysafterhelanded，hisquarter’sallowancewasallgone，andwiththelight-heartedhopefulnessofstrangersinwhatiscalledanewcountry，hebegantobesiegeofficesandapplyforallmannerofincongruoussituations。Everywhere，andlastofallfromhislodgings，hewasbowedout；andfoundhimselfreduced，inaveryelegantsuitofsummertweeds，toherdandcampwiththedegradedoutcastsofthecity。
　　Inthisstrait，hehadrecoursetothelawyerwhopaidhimhisallowance。
　　“Trytorememberthatmytimeisvaluable，Mr。Carthew。”saidthelawyer。“Itisquiteunnecessaryyoushouldenlargeonthepeculiarpositioninwhichyoustand。Remittancemen，aswecallthemhere，arenotsorareinmyexperience；andinsuchcasesIactuponasystem。Imakeyouapresentofasovereign；
　　hereitis。Everydayyouchoosetocall，myclerkwilladvanceyouashilling；onSaturday，sincemyofficeisclosedonSunday，hewilladvanceyouhalfacrown。Myconditionsarethese：thatyoudonotcometome，buttomyclerk；thatyoudonotcomeheretheworseofliquor；andyougoawaythemomentyouarepaidandhavesignedareceipt。Iwishyouagood-morning。”
　　“Ihavetothankyou，Isuppose。”saidCarthew。“MypositionissowretchedthatIcannotevenrefusethisstarvationallowance。”
　　“Starvation！”saidthelawyer，smiling。“Nomanwillstarvehereonashillingaday。Ihadonmyhandsanotheryounggentleman，whoremainedcontinuouslyintoxicatedforsixyearsonthesameallowance。”Andheoncemorebusiedhimselfwithhispapers。
　　Inthetimethatfollowed，theimageofthesmilinglawyerhauntedCarthew’smemory。“Thatthreeminutes’talkwasalltheeducationIeverhadworthtalkingof。”sayshe。“Itwasalllifeinanut-shell。Confoundit！Ithought，haveIgottothepointofenvyingthatancientfossil？”
　　Everymorningforthenexttwoorthreeweeks，thestrokeoftenfoundNorris，unkemptandhaggard，atthelawyer’sdoor。ThelongdayandlongernighthespentintheDomain，nowonabench，nowonthegrassunderaNorfolkIslandpine，thecompanionofperhapsthelowestclassonearth，theLarrikinsofSydney。Morningaftermorning，thedawnbehindthelighthouserecalledhimfromslumber；andhewouldstandandgazeuponthechangingeast，thefadinglenses，thesmokelesscity，andthemany-armedandmany-mastedharbourgrowingslowlyclearunderhiseyes。Hisbed-fellowssotocallthem
　　werelessactive；theylaysprawleduponthegrassandbenches，thedingymen，thefrowsywomen，prolongingtheirlaterepose；
　　andCarthewwanderedamongthesleepingbodiesalone，andcursedtheincurablestupidityofhisbehaviour。Daybroughtanewsocietyofnursery-maidsandchildren，andfresh-dressedandIamsorrytosaytight-lacedmaidens，andgaypeopleinrichtraps；upontheskirtsofwhichCarthewand“theotherblackguards“——hisownbitterphrase——skulked，andchewedgrass，andlookedon。Daypassed，thelightdied，thegreenandleafyprecinctsparkledwithlampsorlayinshadow，andtheroundofthenightbeganagain，theloiteringwomen，thelurkingmen，thesuddenoutburstofscreams，thesoundofflyingfeet。“Youmayn’tbelieveit。”saysCarthew，“butIgottothatpitchthatIdidn’tcareahang。Ihavebeenwakenedoutofmysleeptohearawomanscreaming，andIhaveonlyturneduponmyotherside。Yes，it’saqueerplace，wherethedowagersandthekidswalkallday，andatnightyoucanhearpeoplebawlingforhelpasifitwastheForestofBondy，withthelightsofagreattownallround，andpartiesspinningthroughincabsfromGovernmentHouseanddinnerwithmylord！”
　　ItwasNorris’sdiversion，havingnoneother，toscrapeacquaintance，where，how，andwithwhomhecould。Manyalongdulltalkhehelduponthebenchesorthegrass；manyastrangewaifhecametoknow；manystrangethingsheheard，andsawsomethatwereabominable。ItwastooneoftheselastthatheowedhisdeliverancefromtheDomain。Forsometimetherainhadbeenmerciless；onenightafteranotherhehadbeenobligedtosquanderfourpenceonabedandreducehisboardtotheremainingeightpence：andhesatonemorningneartheMacquarrieStreetentrance，hungry，forhehadgonewithoutbreakfast，andwet，ashehadalreadybeenforseveraldays，whenthecriesofananimalindistressattractedhisattention。