Whitelaw to
graduate at London University, Peak passed his matriculation, and
worked on for the preliminary test then known as First B.A. In the
meanwhile he rose steadily, achieving distinction in the College.
The more observant of his teachers remarked him even where he fell
short of academic triumph, and among his fellow-students he had the
name of a stern 'sweater', one not easily beaten where he had set
his mind on excelling. He was not generally liked, for his mood
appeared unsocial, and a repelling arrogance was sometimes felt in
his talk. No doubt—said the more fortunate young men—he came from a
very poor home, and suffered from the narrowness of his means. They
noticed that he did not subscribe to the College Union, and that he
could never join in talk regarding the diversions of the town. His
two or three intimates were chosen from among those contemporaries
who read hard and dressed poorly.
The details of Godwin's private life were noteworthy. Accustomed
hitherto to a domestic circle, at Kingsmill he found himself
isolated, and it was not easy for him to surrender all at once the
comforts of home. For a time he felt as though his ambition were a
delinquency which entailed the punishment of loneliness. Nor did
his relations with Sir Job Whitelaw tend to mitigate this feeling.
In his first interview with the Baronet, Godwin showed to little
advantage. A deadly bashfulness forbade him to be natural either in
attitude or speech. He felt his dependence in a way he had not
foreseen; the very clothes he wore, then fresh from the tailor's,
seemed to be the gift of charity, and their stiffness shamed him. A
man of the world, Sir Job could make allowance for these defects.
He understood that the truest kindness would be to leave a youth
such as this to the forming influences of the College. So Godwin
barely had a glimpse of Lady Whitelaw in her husband's study, and
thereafter for many months he saw nothing of his benefactors.
Subsequently he was twice invited to interviews with Sir Job, who
talked with kindness and commendation. Then came the Baronet's
death. Godwin received an assurance that this event would be no
check upon his career, but he neither saw nor heard directly from
Lady Whitelaw.
Not a house in Kingsmill opened hospitable doors to the lonely
student; nor was anyone to blame for this. With no family had he
friendly acquaintance. When, towards the end of his second year, he
grew sufficiently intimate with Buckland Warricombe to walk out
with him to Thornhaw, it could be nothing more than a scarcely
welcome exception to the rule of solitude. Impossible for him to
cultivate the friendship of such people as the Warricombes, with
their large and joyous scheme of life. Only at a hearth where
homeliness and cordiality united to unthaw his proud reserve could
Godwin perchance have found the companionship he needed. Many such
homes existed in Kingsmill, but no kindly fortune led the young man
within the sphere of their warmth.
His lodgings were in a very ugly street in the ugliest outskirts
of the town; he had to take a long walk through desolate districts
(brick-yard, sordid pasture, degenerate village) before he could
refresh his eyes with the rural scenery which was so great a joy to
him as almost to be a necessity. The immediate vicinage offered
nothing but monotone of grimy, lower middle-class dwellings,
occasionally relieved by a public-house. He occupied two rooms, not
unreasonably clean, and was seldom disturbed by the attentions of
his landlady.
An impartial observer might have wondered at the negligence
which left him to arrange his life as best he could,
notwithstanding youth and utter inexperience. It looked indeed as
if there were no one in the world who cared what became of him. Yet
this was merely the result of his mother's circumstances, and of
his own character. Mrs Peak could do no more than make her small
remittances, and therewith send an occasional admonition regarding
his health. She did
graduate at London University, Peak passed his matriculation, and
worked on for the preliminary test then known as First B.A. In the
meanwhile he rose steadily, achieving distinction in the College.
The more observant of his teachers remarked him even where he fell
short of academic triumph, and among his fellow-students he had the
name of a stern 'sweater', one not easily beaten where he had set
his mind on excelling. He was not generally liked, for his mood
appeared unsocial, and a repelling arrogance was sometimes felt in
his talk. No doubt—said the more fortunate young men—he came from a
very poor home, and suffered from the narrowness of his means. They
noticed that he did not subscribe to the College Union, and that he
could never join in talk regarding the diversions of the town. His
two or three intimates were chosen from among those contemporaries
who read hard and dressed poorly.
The details of Godwin's private life were noteworthy. Accustomed
hitherto to a domestic circle, at Kingsmill he found himself
isolated, and it was not easy for him to surrender all at once the
comforts of home. For a time he felt as though his ambition were a
delinquency which entailed the punishment of loneliness. Nor did
his relations with Sir Job Whitelaw tend to mitigate this feeling.
In his first interview with the Baronet, Godwin showed to little
advantage. A deadly bashfulness forbade him to be natural either in
attitude or speech. He felt his dependence in a way he had not
foreseen; the very clothes he wore, then fresh from the tailor's,
seemed to be the gift of charity, and their stiffness shamed him. A
man of the world, Sir Job could make allowance for these defects.
He understood that the truest kindness would be to leave a youth
such as this to the forming influences of the College. So Godwin
barely had a glimpse of Lady Whitelaw in her husband's study, and
thereafter for many months he saw nothing of his benefactors.
Subsequently he was twice invited to interviews with Sir Job, who
talked with kindness and commendation. Then came the Baronet's
death. Godwin received an assurance that this event would be no
check upon his career, but he neither saw nor heard directly from
Lady Whitelaw.
Not a house in Kingsmill opened hospitable doors to the lonely
student; nor was anyone to blame for this. With no family had he
friendly acquaintance. When, towards the end of his second year, he
grew sufficiently intimate with Buckland Warricombe to walk out
with him to Thornhaw, it could be nothing more than a scarcely
welcome exception to the rule of solitude. Impossible for him to
cultivate the friendship of such people as the Warricombes, with
their large and joyous scheme of life. Only at a hearth where
homeliness and cordiality united to unthaw his proud reserve could
Godwin perchance have found the companionship he needed. Many such
homes existed in Kingsmill, but no kindly fortune led the young man
within the sphere of their warmth.
His lodgings were in a very ugly street in the ugliest outskirts
of the town; he had to take a long walk through desolate districts
(brick-yard, sordid pasture, degenerate village) before he could
refresh his eyes with the rural scenery which was so great a joy to
him as almost to be a necessity. The immediate vicinage offered
nothing but monotone of grimy, lower middle-class dwellings,
occasionally relieved by a public-house. He occupied two rooms, not
unreasonably clean, and was seldom disturbed by the attentions of
his landlady.
An impartial observer might have wondered at the negligence
which left him to arrange his life as best he could,
notwithstanding youth and utter inexperience. It looked indeed as
if there were no one in the world who cared what became of him. Yet
this was merely the result of his mother's circumstances, and of
his own character. Mrs Peak could do no more than make her small
remittances, and therewith send an occasional admonition regarding
his health. She did
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