“Whatisit？“repeatedthewaiter，inahollowvoice。“Themostdreadfulthingthat’shappenedinmytime。It’sallup，Sir，withthegreatFoot-RaceatFulham。Tinklerhasgonestale。“
　　Thethreegentlemendroppedsolemnlybackintotheirthreechairs，andrepeatedthedreadfulintelligence，inchorus——“Tinklerhasgonestale。“
　　Amanwhostandsfacetofacewithagreatnationaldisaster，andwhodoesn’tunderstandit，isamanwhowilldowiselytoholdhistongueandenlightenhismindwithoutaskingotherpeopletohelphim。Juliusacceptedthewaiter’snewspaper，andsatdowntomakeifpossibletwodiscoveries：First，astowhether“Tinkler“did，ordidnot，meanaman。Second，astowhatparticularformofhumanafflictionyouimpliedwhenyoudescribedthatmanas“gonestale。“
　　Therewasnodifficultyinfindingthenews。Itwasprintedinthelargesttype，andwasfollowedbyapersonalstatementofthefacts，takenoneway——whichwasfollowed，initsturn，byanotherpersonalstatementofthefacts，takeninanotherway。Moreparticulars，andfurtherpersonalstatements，werepromisedinlatereditions。TheroyalsaluteofBritishjournalismthunderedtheannouncementofTinkler’sstalenessbeforeapeopleprostrateonthenationalbettingbook。
　　Divestedofexaggeration，thefactswerefewenoughandsimpleenough。AfamousAthleticAssociationoftheNorthhadchallengedafamousAthleticAssociationoftheSouth。Theusual“Sports“
　　weretotakeplace——suchasrunning，jumping，“putting“thehammer，throwingcricket-balls，andthelike——andthewholewastowindupwithaFoot-Raceofunexampledlengthanddifficultyintheannalsofhumanachievementbetweenthetwobestmenoneitherside。“Tinkler“wasthebestmanonthesideoftheSouth。
　　“Tinkler“wasbackedininnumerablebetting-bookstowin。AndTinkler’slungshadsuddenlygivenwayunderstressoftraining!
　　Aprospectofwitnessingaprodigiousachievementinfoot-racing，andmoreimportantstillaprospectofwinningandlosinglargesumsofmoney，wassuddenlywithdrawnfromtheeyesoftheBritishpeople。The“South“couldproducenosecondopponentworthyoftheNorthoutofitsownassociatedresources。
　　Surveyingtheathleticworldingeneral，butonemanexistedwhomightpossiblyreplace“Tinkler“——anditwasdoubtful，inthelastdegree，whetherhewouldconsenttocomeforwardunderthecircumstances。Thenameofthatman——Juliusreaditwithhorror——wasGeoffreyDelamayn。
　　Profoundsilencereignedinthecoffee-room。Juliuslaiddownthenewspaper，andlookedabouthim。Thewaiterwasbusy，inhiscorner，withapencilandabetting-book。Thethreegentlemenwerebusy，atthethreetables，withpencilsandbetting-books。
　　“Tryandpersuadehim!“saidthewaiter，piteously，asDelamayn’sbrotherrosetoleavetheroom。
　　“Tryandpersuadehim!“echoedthethreegentlemen，asDelamayn’sbrotheropenedthedoorandwentout。
　　Juliuscalledacab。andtoldthedriverbusywithapencilandabetting-booktogototheCockandBottle，Putney。Themanbrightenedintoanewbeingattheprospect。Noneedtohurryhim；hedrove，unasked，atthetopofhishorse’sspeed。
　　Asthecabdrewneartoitsdestinationthesignsofagreatnationalexcitementappeared，andmultiplied。Thelipsofapeoplepronounced，withagrandunanimity，thenameof“Tinkler。“
　　Theheartofapeoplehungsuspendedmostlyinthepublichousesonthechancesforandagainstthepossibilityofreplacing“Tinkler“byanotherman。Thesceneinfrontoftheinnwasimpressiveinthehighestdegree。EventheLondonblackguardstoodawedandquietinthepresenceofthenationalcalamity。
　　Eventheirrepressiblemanwiththeapron，whoalwaysturnsuptosellnutsandsweetmeatsinacrowd，pliedhistradeinsilence，andfoundfewindeedtothecreditofthenationbeitspoken
　　whohadthehearttocrackanutatsuchatimeasthis。Thepolicewereonthespot，inlargenumbers，andinmutesympathywiththepeople，touchingtosee。Julius，onbeingstoppedatthedoor，mentionedhisname——andreceivedanovation。Hisbrother!
　　oh，heavens，hisbrother!Thepeopleclosedroundhim，thepeopleshookhandswithhim，thepeopleinvokedblessingsonhishead。
　　Juliuswashalfsuffocated，whenthepolicerescuedhim，andlandedhimsafeintheprivilegedhavenontheinnersideofthepublichousedoor。Adeafeningtumultbrokeout，asheentered，fromtheregionsabovestairs。Adistantvoicescreamed，“Mindyourselves!“Ahatlessshoutingmantoredownthroughthepeoplecongregatedonthestairs。“Hooray!Hooray!He’spromisedtodoit!He’senteredfortherace!“Hundredsonhundredsofvoicestookupthecry。Aroarofcheeringburstfromthepeopleoutside。Reportersforthenewspapersraced，infranticprocession，outoftheinn，andrushedintocabstoputthenewsinprint。Thehandofthelandlord，leadingJuliuscarefullyupstairsbythearm，trembledwithexcitement。“Hisbrother，gentlemen!hisbrother!“Atthosemagicwordsalanewasmadethroughthethrong。Atthosemagicwordsthecloseddoorofthecouncil-chamberflewopen；andJuliusfoundhimselfamongtheAthletesofhisnativecountry，infullparliamentassembled。Isanydescriptionofthemneeded？ThedescriptionofGeoffreyappliestothemall。ThemanhoodandmuscleofEnglandresemblethewoolandmuttonofEngland，inthisrespect，thatthereisaboutasmuchvarietyinaflockofathletesasinaflockofsheep。Juliuslookedabouthim，andsawthesamemaninthesamedress，withthesamehealth，strength，tone，tastes，habits，conversation，andpursuits，repeatedinfinitelyineverypartoftheroom。Thedinwasdeafening；theenthusiasmtoanuninitiatedstrangersomethingatoncehideousandterrifyingtobehold。Geoffreyhadbeenliftedbodilyontothetable，inhischair，soastobevisibletothewholeroom。Theysangroundhim，theydancedroundhim，theycheeredroundhim，theysworeroundhim。Hewashailed，inmandlintermsofendearment，bygratefulgiantswithtearsintheireyes。“Dearoldman!“
　　“Glorious，noble，splendid，beautifulfellow!“Theyhuggedhim。
　　Theypattedhimontheback。Theywrunghishands。Theyproddedandpunchedhismuscles。Theyembracedthenoblelegsthatweregoingtoruntheunexampledrace。Attheoppositeendoftheroom，whereitwasphysicallyimpossibletogetnearthehero，theenthusiasmventeditselfinfeatsofstrengthandactsofdestruction。HerculesI。clearedaspacewithhiselbows，andlaiddown——andHerculesII。tookhimupinhisteeth。HerculesIII。seizedthepokerfromthefireplace，andbrokeitonhisarm。HerculesIV。followedwiththetongs，andshatteredthemonhisneck。Thesmashingofthefurnitureandthepullingdownofthehouseseemedlikelytosucceed——whenGeoffrey’seyelightedbyaccidentonJulius，andGeoffrey’svoice，callingfiercelyforhisbrother，hushedthewildassemblyintosuddenattention，andturnedthefieryenthusiasmintoanewcourse。Hoorayforhisbrother!One，two，three——andupwithhisbrotheronourshoulders!Fourfive，six——andonwithhisbrother，overourheads，totheotherendoftheroom!See，boys——see!theherohasgothimbythecollar!theherohasliftedhimonthetable!Theheroheatedred-hotwithhisowntriumph，welcomesthepoorlittlesnobcheerfully，withavolleyofoaths。“Thunderandlightning!Explosionandblood!What’supnow，Julius？What’supnow？“
　　Juliusrecoveredhisbreath，andarrangedhiscoat。Thequietlittleman，whohadjustmuscleenoughtoliftadictionaryfromtheshelf，andjusttrainingenoughtoplaythefiddle，sofarfrombeingdauntedbytheroughreceptionaccordedtohim，appearedtofeelnoothersentimentinrelationtoitthanasentimentofunmitigatedcontempt。
　　“You’renotfrightened，areyou？“saidGeoffrey。“Ourfellowsarearoughishlot，buttheymeanwell。“
　　“Iamnotfrightened，“answeredJulius。“Iamonlywondering——whentheSchoolsandUniversitiesofEnglandturnoutsuchasetofruffiansasthese——howlongtheSchoolsandUniversitiesofEnglandwilllast。“
　　“Mindwhatyouareabout，Julius!They’llcartyououtofwindowiftheyhearyou。“
　　“Theywillonlyconfirmmyopinionofthem，Geoffrey，iftheydo。“
　　Heretheassembly，seeingbutnothearingthecolloquybetweenthetwobrothers，becameuneasyonthesubjectofthecomingrace。AroarofvoicessummonedGeoffreytoannounceit，iftherewasanythingwrong。Havingpacifiedthemeeting，Geoffreyturnedagaintohisbrother，andaskedhim，innoamiablemood，whatthedevilhewantedthere？
　　“Iwanttotellyousomething，beforeIgobacktoScotland，“
　　answeredJulius。“Myfatheriswillingtogiveyoualastchance。
　　Ifyoudon’ttakeit，_my_doorsareclosedagainstyouaswellas_his。_“
　　Nothingismoreremarkable，initsway，thanthesoundcommon-senseandadmirableself-restraintexhibitedbytheyouthofthepresenttimewhenconfrontedbyanemergencyinwhichtheirowninterestsareconcerned。Insteadofresentingthetonewhichhisbrotherhadtakenwithhim，Geoffreyinstantlydescendedfromthepedestalofgloryonwhichhestood，andplacedhimselfwithoutastruggleinthehandswhichvicariouslyheldhisdestiny——otherwise，thehandswhichvicariouslyheldthepurse。Infiveminutesmorethemeetinghadbeendismissed，withallneedfulassurancesrelatingtoGeoffrey’sshareinthecomingSports——andthetwobrotherswereclosetedtogetherinoneoftheprivateroomsoftheinn。
　　“Outwithit!“saidGeoffrey。“Anddon’tbelongaboutit。“
　　“Iwon’tbefiveminutes，“repliedJulius。“Igobackto-nightbythemail-train；andIhaveagreatdealtodointhemeantime。
　　Hereitis，inplainwords：Myfatherconsentstoseeyouagain，ifyouchoosetosettleinlife——withhisapproval。Andmymotherhasdiscoveredwhereyoumayfindawife。Birth，beauty，andmoneyareallofferedtoyou。Takethem——andyourecoveryourpositionasLordHolchester’sson。Refusethem——andyougotoruinyourownway。“
　　Geoffrey’sreceptionofthenewsfromhomewasnotofthemostreassuringkind。Insteadofansweringhestruckhisfistfuriouslyonthetable，andcursedwithallhisheartsomeabsentwomanunnamed。
　　“Ihavenothingtodowithanydegradingconnectionwhichyoumayhaveformed，“Juliuswenton。“Ihaveonlytoputthematterbeforeyouexactlyasitstands，andtoleaveyoutodecideforyourself。TheladyinquestionwasformerlyMissNewenden——adescendantofoneoftheoldestfamiliesinEngland。SheisnowMrs。Glenarm——theyoungwidowandthechildlesswidowofthegreatiron-masterofthatname。Birthandfortune——sheunitesboth。Herincomeisacleartenthousandayear。Myfathercanandwill，makeitfifteenthousand，ifyouareluckyenoughtopersuadehertomarryyou。Mymotheranswersforherpersonalqualities。AndmywifehasmetheratourhouseinLondon。Sheisnow，asIhear，stayingwithsomefriendsinScotland；andwhenI