"Well, I had thought of a writership in the East India Company’s service, or better still, a cadetship in the Company’s forces." "Hark to him!" exclaimed Richard, with a scornful laugh. "A second Clive, sink me! And where do you suppose the money is to come from?" "Couldn’t you advance a part of what is to come to me when I am twenty-one?" "Not a penny, I tell you at once, not a penny. ’Tis enough to be saddled with you all these years. You may think yourself lucky if I can scrape together a tenth of the money that’ll be due to you when you’re twenty-one. That’s the dead hand, if you like; why father put that provision in his will it passes common sense to understand. No, you’ll have to stay and earn part of it, though in truth you’ll never be worth your keep." "That depends on the keeper," retorted Desmond, rather warmly. "No insolence, now. I repeat, I will not advance one penny. Go and get some money out of the Squire, that is so precious fond of you." "Richard, Richard!" said his mother anxiously. "Mother, I’m the boy’s guardian. I know what it is. He has been crammed with nonsense by that idle knave at the _Four Alls_. Look ’ee, my man, if I catch you speaking to him again, I’ll flay your skin for you." "Why shouldn’t I? I saw you speaking to him." "Hold your tongue, sir. The dog accosted me. I answered his question and passed on. Heed what I say: I’m a man of my word." Desmond said no more. But before he fell asleep that night he had advanced one step further towards freedom. His request had met with the refusal he had anticipated. He could hope for no pecuniary assistance; it remained to see what could be done without money; and he resolved to take the first opportunity of consulting Diggle. It was Diggle who had suggested India as the field for his ambition; and the suggestion would hardly have been made if there were great obstacles in the way of its being acted on. Desmond made light of his brother’s command that he should cut Diggle’s acquaintance; it seemed to him only another act of tyranny, and his relations with Richard were such that to forbid a thing was to provoke him to do it. His opportunity came next day. Late in the afternoon he met Diggle, as he had done many times before, walking in the fields, remote from houses. When Desmond caught sight of him, he was sauntering along, his eyes bent upon the ground, his face troubled. But he smiled on seeing Desmond. "Well met, friend," he said; "’leni perfruor otio’--which is as much as to say--I bask in idleness. Well now, I perceive in your eye that you have been meditating my counsel. ’Tis well, friend Desmond. And whereto has your meditation arrived?" "I have thought over what you said. I do wish to get away from here; I should like to go to India; indeed, I asked my brother to advance a part of some money that is to come to me, so that I might obtain service with the Company; but he refused."