Horace leaned over the table with his elbows on it, and his chin supported in his palms. It flashed upon him as he gazed into the air, and thought with little goodwill over this project, that the practitioners of the Law were men who knew everybody's secrets; that the power of the profession lay in its craft, and the skill with which it laid things together; that to lawyers, of all the different grades, belonged especially the task of finding out, and of concealing everything which it was for the interests of the rest of the world to discover or to hide. This idea sent a little animation into his face; he began to feel that this might really be congenial to the habits of his mind, as his uncle said; and, at all events, he might thus be in the way of discovering those secrets which affected his own life. "The Law, like every other profession, requires study and time," said Horace, with, at last, a sincere sigh; "and I have no chance of being able to wait or to learn, uncle. No! it is impossible--my father will do nothing for me. If I could be a clerk, or something, and pick up what information I might," he continued, warming to the idea, as it seemed more and more impracticable; "but, as for study, what can I do?" "My dear boy," said the Colonel, warmly, "if you really feel that you can go into this with all your mind, I will not hesitate to speak to your father. I believe he has not been kind to you--but no father in the world will sacrifice the future of his son for the sake of a trifling sum of money, or a little trouble. No, Horace, you do your father injustice. If you really can go into this--if you feel yourself ready to give your whole might to it, and make thus a deliberate choice of your profession, I feel sure he will not deny you the means. No, my boy--you are wrong; trust to me; I will see him myself." "I shall be very glad, uncle, if you will make the experiment," said Horace; "but I know him better--he will do nothing for me. No!--he'd rather see me an errand-boy or a street-sweeper, than help me to the profession of a gentleman. I have known it for years; but still, if you will take the trouble, and undergo the pain of asking him, of course I can only be thankful. Try, uncle--I will not be disappointed if you fail, and you will be satisfied. I can only say try." "Yes; but my condition of trying is that you are resolved to go into this, and think it a thing in which you can succeed," said the Colonel, fixing his eyes anxiously on his nephew's face.