'I would not have condescended to notice them, I think,' said Norman. 'Oh! I must; there must be a Nemesis. The editor specially insists on a Nemesis.' The conclusion of Charley's novel brought them back to the boat. Norman, when he started, had intended to employ the evening in giving good counsel to his friend, and in endeavouring to arrange some scheme by which he might rescue the brand from the burning; but he had not the heart to be severe and sententious while Charley was full of his fun. It was so much pleasanter to talk to him on the easy terms of equal friendship than turn Mentor and preach a sermon. 'Well, Charley,' said he, as they were walking up from the boat wharf--Norman to his club, and Charley towards his lodgings--from which route, however, he meant to deviate as soon as ever he might be left alone--'well, Charley, I wish you success with all my heart; I wish you could do something--I won't say to keep you out of mischief.' 'I wish I could, Harry,' said Charley, thoroughly abashed; 'I wish I could--indeed I wish I could--but it is so hard to go right when one has begun to go wrong.' 'It is hard; I know it is.' 'But you never can know how hard, Harry, for you have never tried,' and then they went on walking for a while in silence, side by side. 'You don't know the sort of place that office of mine is,' continued Charley. 'You don't know the sort of fellows the men are. I hate the place; I hate the men I live with. It is all so dirty, so disreputable, so false. I cannot conceive that any fellow put in there as young as I was should ever do well afterwards.' 'But at any rate you might try your best, Charley.' 'Yes, I might do that still; and I know I don't; and where should I have been now, if it hadn't been for you?' 'Never mind about that; I sometimes think we might have done more for each other if we had been more together. But remember the motto you said you'd choose, Charley--Excelsior! We can none of us mount the hill without hard labour. Remember that word, Charley--Excelsior! Remember it now--now, to-night; remember how you dream of higher things, and begin to think of them in your waking moments also;' and so they parted. CHAPTER XX A DAY WITH ONE OF THE NAVVIES.--EVENING 'Excelsior!' said Charley to himself, as he walked on a few steps towards his lodgings, having left Norman at the door of his club. 'Remember it now--now, to-night.' Yes--now is the time to remember it, if it is ever to be remembered to any advantage. He went on with stoic resolution to the end of the street, determined to press home and put the last touch to 'Crinoline and Macassar;' but as he went he thought of his interview with Mr. M'Ruen and of the five sovereigns still in his pocket, and altered his course.