And if he had very
little flesh on his bones, it was hard work and anxiety about his
examination.
That final ordeal was gone through at last; John Lucas Brownlow was,
like his cousin, possessor of a certificate of honour and a medal,
and had won both his degrees most brilliantly. He had worked the
hardest and had the most talent, and his achievement was perhaps the
most esteemed because of his lack of the previous training that Friar
had brought from Oxford. Professors and physicians wrote his mother
notes to express their satisfaction at the career of their old
friend's son, and Dr. Medlicott came to bring her a whole bouquet of
gratifying praise and admiration from all concerned with him, ranging
from the ability of his prize essay to the firm delicacy of his hand;
and backed up by the doctor's own opinion of the blameless conduct
and excellent influence of both the cousins. And now Dr. Medlicott
declared he must have a good rest and holiday, after the long strain
of hard toil and study.
It came like a dream to Caroline that the conditions imposed by her
husband fifteen years before, when Lucas was a mischievous imp of a
Skipjack, had been thus completely worked out, not only the
intellectual, but the moral and religious terms being thus fulfilled.
Pages:
818
819
820
821
822
823
824
825
826
827
828
829
830
831
832
833
834
835
836
837
838
839
840
841
842