The other John, in the last autumn, had taken both his degrees at
Oxford and in London with high credit, and had immediately after
obtained one of those annual appointments in his hospital which are
bestowed upon the most distinguished of the students, to enable them
to gain more experience; but as it did not involve residence, he
continued to be one of the family in Collingwood Street. However, in
the early spring, a slight hurt to his hand festered so as to make
the doctors uneasy, and his sister set her heart on taking him to
Fordham for Easter, for a more thorough rest than could be had at
Kencroft, while the younger ones were having measles.
John, however, had by this time learnt enough of his own feelings to
delay consent till he had written to ask Mrs. Evelyn whether she
absolutely objected to his entertaining any future hopes of Sydney,
when he should have worked his way upward, as his recent success gave
him hopes of doing in time.
Sydney's fortune was not overpowering. ?10,000 was settled on each
of the younger children, and it had only been Fordham's liberality in
treating Cecil as his eldest son, that had brought about his early
marriage. Thus she was no such heiress that her husband would be
obliged to feel as if he were living on her means, or that exertion
could be dispensed with, and thus, though he must make his way before
he could marry, there was no utter inequality for one who brought a
high amount of trained ability and industry.
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