Little, however, cared the two friends either for Cubleigh’s jealousy or Mrs. Massenger’s wonder. Together they rode, and fished, and shot, and bathed. Together they explored on foot every old church, and ruin, and camp within twenty miles of “Ehrenbreitstein.” Together they made railway excursions, and got out at remote stations, and then started walking. Together they read poetry and novels, together pursued those severer studies which their tutor, always conscientious in that respect, rigorously exacted from them. Once--we need not go into details--Wilfred discovered that his friend was about to commit an act unworthy of his high character, and which could not have failed to entail sin and shame upon the actor, and it was Wilfred’s tears, and Wilfred’s tender pleadings, and Wilfred’s firmness which turned the young Duke from his purpose. Ribblesdale never forgot this circumstance, and respect and gratitude were henceforward added to the love which he bore to his friend. Thus, then, lived on the two fine lads, rejoicing in each other’s companionship, and exulting in each other’s love. In the course of the second term of Wilfred’s residence, an event occurred which increased the coldness which subsisted between him and Cubleigh. A small shopkeeper at Fisherswick, named Slocombe, who was also the village postmaster, had a handsome but slatternly daughter named Betsey, for whose society Cubleigh had a great predilection, and when his fellow pupils were riding, or scouring the neighbourhood on foot, he spent a great deal of his time in the shop. As time went on, he was there more and more, and at length scarcely a day elapsed when he could not be found ostensibly assisting the girl in sorting or stamping the letters which were put into the post-box. This sort of familiarity would have been resented by any prudent father, but Mr. Slocombe rather encouraged it than not, and often remarked, when he was in a boozy condition, which was by no means an uncommon occurrence, “what a foine thing it ’ud be if his smart gal Bet was to ’ook a young lord.”