'Be so kind as to keep the door open a moment, Chivery, that I may see
him go along the passage and down the steps. Take care, Frederick! (He
is very infirm.) Mind the steps! (He is so very absent.) Be careful
how you cross, Frederick. (I really don't like the notion of his going
wandering at large, he is so extremely liable to be run over.)'
With these words, and with a face expressive of many uneasy doubts and
much anxious guardianship, he turned his regards upon the assembled
company in the Lodge: so plainly indicating that his brother was to be
pitied for not being under lock and key, that an opinion to that effect
went round among the Collegians assembled.
But he did not receive it with unqualified assent; on the contrary, he
said, No, gentlemen, no; let them not misunderstand him. His brother
Frederick was much broken, no doubt, and it might be more comfortable to
himself (the Father of the Marshalsea) to know that he was safe within
the walls. Still, it must be remembered that to support an existence
there during many years, required a certain combination of qualities--he
did not say high qualities, but qualities--moral qualities. Now, had his
brother Frederick that peculiar union of qualities? Gentlemen, he was a
most excellent man, a most gentle, tender, and estimable man, with the
simplicity of a child; but would he, though unsuited for most other
places, do for that place? No; he said confidently, no! And, he said,
Heaven forbid that Frederick should be there in any other character
than in his present voluntary character! Gentlemen, whoever came to
that College, to remain there a length of time, must have strength of
character to go through a good deal and to come out of a good deal. Was
his beloved brother Frederick that man? No. They saw him, even as it
was, crushed. Misfortune crushed him. He had not power of recoil enough,
not elasticity enough, to be a long time in such a place, and yet
preserve his self-respect and feel conscious that he was a gentleman.
Frederick had not (if he might use the expression) Power enough to see
in any delicate little attentions and--and--Testimonials that he might
under such circumstances receive, the goodness of human nature, the fine
spirit animating the Collegians as a community, and at the same time
no degradation to himself, and no depreciation of his claims as a
gentleman. Gentlemen, God bless you!
Such was the homily with which he improved and pointed the occasion to
the company in the Lodge before turning into the sallow yard again,
and going with his own poor shabby dignity past the Collegian in the
dressing-gown who had no coat, and past the Collegian in the sea-side
slippers who had no shoes, and past the stout greengrocer Collegian in
the corduroy knee-breeches who had no cares, and past the lean clerk
Collegian in buttonless black who had no hopes, up his own poor shabby
staircase to his own poor shabby room.