Quietness ensued. Then Oliver began to move uneasily in his bed, and at length his protest became audible. 'I can't see what harm I do.' 'No!' burst from his brother's lips, scornfully. 'And that's just your danger. Do you suppose _I_ could sing nigger songs, and run about the town with shopboys, and waste hours over idiotic puzzles?' 'We're not all alike, and it wouldn't do for us to be.' 'It would do very well for us all to have brains and to use them. The life you lead is a brainless life, brainless and vulgar.' 'Well, if I haven't got brains, I can't help it,' replied Oliver, with sullen resignation. 'You have enough to teach you to live respectably, if only you look to the right kind of example.' There followed a vehement exhortation, now angry, now in strain of natural kindliness. To this Oliver made only a few brief and muttered replies; when it was all over, he fell asleep. But Godwin was wakeful for hours. The next morning he attempted to work for his approaching examination, but with small result. It had begun to be very doubtful to him whether he should 'go up' at all, and this uncertainty involved so great a change in all his prospects that he could not command the mental calm necessary for study. After dinner he went out with unsettled purpose. He would gladly have conversed with Mr Gunnery, but the old people were just now on a stay with relatives in Bedfordshire, and their return might be delayed for another week. Perhaps it behoved him to go and see Mr. Moxey, but he was indisposed to visit the works, and if he went to the house this evening he would encounter the five daughters, who, like all women who did not inspire him with admiration, excited his bashful dislike. At length he struck off into the country and indulged restless thoughts in places where no one could observe him.