when in a House-boat, and in four-oars, they made an expedition ("a wine and water party," as Mr. Bouncer called it) to Nuneham, and, after safely passing through the perils of the pound-locks of Iffley and Sandford, arrived at the pretty thatched cottage, and pic-nic'd in the round-house, and strolled through the nut plantations up to Carfax hill, to see the glorious view of Oxford, and looked at the Conduit, and Bab's-tree, and <VG308.JPG> paced over the little rustic bridge to the island, where Verdant and Patty talked as lovers love to talk. Then did Mr. Verdant Green accompany his lady-love to Northumberland; from whence, after spending a pleasant month that, all too quickly, came to an end, he departed (~via~ Warwickshire) for a continental tour, which he took in the company of Mr. and [AN OXFORD FRESHMAN 309] Mrs. Charles Larkyns (~nee~ Mary Green), who were there for the honeymoon. Then he returned to Oxford; and when the month of May had again come round, he went in for his Degree examination. He passed with flying colours, and was duly presented with that much-prized shabby piece of paper, on which was printed and written the following brief form:- Green Verdant e Coll. AEn. Fac. ~Die 28° Mensis~ Maii ~Anni~ 185- ~Examinatus, prout Statuta requirunt, satisfecit nobis Examinatoribus.~ {J. Smith. } Ita testamur {Gul. Brown. } Examinatores in {Jac. L. Jones. } Literis Humanio- {R. Robinson. } ribus Owing to Mr. Verdant Green having entered upon residence at the time of his matriculation, he was obliged, for the present, to defer the putting on of his gown, and, consequently, of arriving at the ~full~ dignity of a Bachelor of Arts. Nevertheless, he had taken his Degree ~de facto~, if not ~de jure~; and he, therefore - for reasons which will appear - gave the usual Degree dinner, on the day of his taking his Testamur. He also cleared his rooms, giving some of his things away, sending others to Richards's sale-rooms, and resigning his china and glass to the inexorable Mr. Robert Filcher, who would forthwith dispose of these gifts (much over their cost price) to the next Freshman who came under his care. Moreover, as the adorning of College chimney-pieces with the photographic portraits of all the owner's College friends, had just then come into fashion, Mr. Verdant Green's beaming countenance and spectacles were daguerreotyped in every variety of Ethiopian distortion; and, being enclosed in miniature frames, were distributed as souvenirs among his admiring friends. Then, Mr. Verdant Green went down to Warwickshire; and, within three months, travelled up to Northumberland on a special mission. CHAPTER THE LAST. MR. VERDANT GREEN IS MARRIED AND DONE FOR.