“How a man can put the square root of minus three eggs into a basket, and then give five to one person, and half the remainder and the square of the whole, divided by twelve, and so on, I never could understand; but perhaps the answer is wrong, I mean the square root of minus three.” “Oh, if that is your answer, Barton,” said Glenville, “you are fairly floored. Take care you don’t get an answer of that sort—a facer, I mean—from the ‘pretty fisher maiden.’” “Don’t chaff, Glenville,” cried Barton; “you are always talking some folly or other.” “Well, well, let us have some beer and a pipe. CONTENTS p. 73‘He, who would shine and petrify his tutor, Should drink draught Allsopp from its native pewter.’ p. 73 We shall all go to the dance to-night, I suppose—Thornton, of course, lured by the two Will-o-the-wisps in Miss Delamere’s black eyes.” “Go, and order the beer, Dick,” said Thornton, “and come back a wiser, if not a sadder man.” Dick procured the beer; and, it being now twelve o’clock at noon, pipes were lit, and papers and books remained in abeyance, though not absolutely forgotten. At half-past twelve Mr. Porkington looked in timidly to see how work was progressing, to assist in the classics, and to disentangle the mathematics; but the liberal sciences were so besmothered with tobacco smoke and so bespattered with beer, that the poor little man did not even dare to come to their assistance; but coughed, and smiled, and said feebly that he would come again when the air was a little clearer. “Upon my word, it is too bad,” said Barton. “Many fellows would not stand it. I declare I won’t smoke any more this morning.” The rest followed the good example. Pipes were extinguished, and Glenville was deputed to go and tell the tutor that the room was clear of smoke. They were not wicked young men, but I don’t think their mothers and sisters were at all aware of that state of life into which a love of ease and very high spirits had called their sons and brothers. p. 74CHAPTER III.—THE VISITORS. p. 74
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