“A free-born fool you are,”--said Gray; “you were born, as I think, and no one can know better than I do, in the blue room of Stevenlaw's Land, in the Town-head of Middlemas, if you call that being a free-born Englishman.” “But Tom Hillary,”--this was an apprentice of Clerk Lawford, who had of late been a great friend and adviser of young Middlemas--“Tom Hillary says that I am a free-born Englishman, notwithstanding, in right of my parents.” “Pooh, child! what do we know of your parents?--But what has your being an Englishman to do with the present question?” “Oh, Doctor!” answered the boy bitterly, “you know we from the south side of Tweed cannot scramble so hard as you do. The Scots are too moral, and too prudent, and too robust, for a poor pudding-eater to live amongst them, whether as a parson, or as a lawyer, or as a doctor--with your pardon, sir.” “Upon my life, Dick,” said Gray, “this Tom Hillary will turn your brain. What is the meaning of all this trash?” “Tom Hillary says that the parson lives by the sins of the people, the lawyer by their distresses, and the doctor by their diseases--always asking your pardon, sir.” “Tom Hillary,” replied the Doctor, “should be drummed out of the borough. A whipper-snapper of an attorney's apprentice, run away from Newcastle! If I hear him talking so, I'll teach him to speak with more reverence of the learned professions. Let me hear no more of Tom Hillary whom you have seen far too much of lately. Think a little, like a lad of sense, and tell me what answer I am to give to Mr. Moncada.” “Tell him,” said the boy, the tone of affected sarcasm laid aside, and that of injured pride substituted in its room, “Tell him that my soul revolts at the obscure lot he recommends to me. I am determined to enter my father's profession, the army, unless my grandfather chooses to receive me into his house, and place me in his own line of business.” “Yes, and make you his partner, I suppose, and acknowledge you for his heir?” said Dr. Gray; “a thing extremely likely to happen, no doubt, considering the way in which he has brought you up all along, and the terms in which he now writes concerning you.” “Then, sir, there is one thing which I can demand of you,” replied the boy. “There is a large sum of money in your hands belonging to me; and since it is consigned to you for my use, I demand you should make the necessary advances to procure a commission in the army--account to me for the balance--and so, with thanks for past favours, I will give you no trouble in future.”