"Well, I hope so too, Mis-ter Green," said Dr. Portman, monosyllabically; "but all the young gen-tle-men do pro-mise to be regu-lar and or-der-ly when they first come up, but a <VG034.JPG> term makes a great dif-fer-ence. But I dare say my young friend Mis-ter Vir-gin-ius,---" "Verdant," smilingly suggested Mr. Green. "I beg your par-don," apologized Dr. Portman; "but I dare say that he will do as you say, for in-deed, my friend Lar-kyns speaks well of him." "I am delighted - proud!" murmured Mr. Green, while Verdant felt himself blushing up to his spectacles. "We are ve-ry full," Dr. Portman went on to say, "but as I do ex-pect great things from Mis-ter Vir-gin --- Verdant, Verdant, I have put some rooms at his ser-vice; and if you would like to see them, my ser-vant shall shew you the way." The servant was accordingly summoned, and received orders to that effect; while the Master told Verdant that he must, [AN OXFORD FRESHMAN 35] at two o'clock, present himself to Mr. Slowcoach, his tutor, who would examine him for his matriculation. "I am sor-ry, Mis-ter Green," said Dr. Portman, "that my en-gage-ments will pre-vent me from ask-ing you and Mis-ter Virg-- Ver-dant, to dine with me to-day; but I do hope that the next time you come to Ox-ford I shall be more for-tu-nate." Old John, the Common-room man, who had heard this speech made to hundreds of "governors" through many generations of freshmen, could not repress a few pantomimic asides, that <VG035.JPG> were suggestive of anything but full credence in his master's words. But Mr. Green was delighted with Dr. Portman's affability, and perceiving that the interview was at an end, made his ~conge~, and left the Master of Brazenface to his Greek particles. They had just got outside, when the servant said, "Oh, there is the scout! ~Your~ scout, sir!" at which our hero blushed from the consciousness of his new dignity; and, by way of appearing at his ease, inquired the scout's name. "Robert Filcher, sir," replied the servant; "but the gentlemen always call 'em by their Christian names." And beckoning the scout to him, he bade him shew the gentlemen [36 ADVENTURES OF MR. VERDANT GREEN] to the rooms kept for Mr. Verdant Green; and then took himself back to the Master. Mr. Robert Filcher might perhaps have been forty years of age, perhaps fifty; there was cunning enough in his face to fill even a century of wily years; and there was a depth of expression in his look, as he asked our hero if ~he~ was Mr. Verdant Green, that proclaimed his custom of reading a freshman at a glance. Mr. Filcher was laden with coats and boots that had just been brushed and blacked for their respective masters; and he was bearing a jug of Buttery ale (they are renowned for their ale at Brazenface) to the gentleman who owned the pair of "tops" that were now flashing in the sun as they dangled from the scout's hand.