“Oh, if that's it,” said Dili, “I can no more object than I could if you talked to me about what is down a dozen fathoms in the earth under our feet. It may be granite or it may be gold, for what I know; the only thing that _I_ see is the gravel before me.” “I 'll tell you a trait of your character you can't gainsay,” said Conyers, who was growing more irritated by the opposition so unexpectedly met with, “and it's one you need not dig a dozen fathoms down to discover,--you are very reckless.” “Reckless--reckless,--you call a fellow reckless that throws away his chance, I suppose?” “Just so.” “But what if he never had one?” “Every man has a destiny; every man has that in his fate which he may help to make or to mar as he inclines to. I suppose you admit that?” “I don't know,” was the sullen reply. “Not know? Surely you needn't be told such a fact to recognize it!” “All I know is this,” said Tom, resolutely, “that I scarcely ever did anything in my life that it was n't found out to be wrong, so that at last I 've come to be pretty careless what I do; and if it was n't for Polly,--if it was n't for Polly--” He stopped, drew his sleeve across his eyes, and turned away, unable to finish. “Come, then,” said Conyers, laying his hand affectionately on the other's shoulder, “add my friendship to _her_ love for you, and see if the two will not give you encouragement; for I mean to be your friend, Dill.” “Do you?” said Tom, with the tears in his eyes. “There 's my hand on it.” CHAPTER VIII. FINE ACQUAINTANCES There is a law of compensation even for the small things of this life, and by the wise enactments of that law, human happiness, on the whole, is pretty equally distributed. The rich man, probably, never felt one tithe of the enjoyment in his noble demesne that it yielded to some poor artisan who strolled through it on a holiday, and tasted at once the charms of a woodland scene with all the rapturous delight of a day of rest. Arguing from these premises, I greatly doubt if Lady Cobham, at the head of her great household, with her house crowded with distinguished visitors, surrounded by every accessory of luxury and splendor, tasted anything approaching to the delight felt by one, the very humblest of her guests, and who for a brief twenty-four hours partook of her hospitality.