Ta-ta，Julius。Youknowwheretofindme。Come，anddine。We’llgiveyouasteakatNagle’sthatwillmakeamanofyou。“
　　Hewentout。Thetallfootmeneyedhislordship’ssecondsonwithunaffectedrespect。Theyhadseenhim，inpublic，attheannualfestivaloftheChristian-Pugilistic-Association，with“thegloves“on。Hecouldhavebeatenthebiggestmaninthehallwithinaninchofhislifeinthreeminutes。Theporterbowedashethrewopenthedoor。ThewholeinterestandattentionofthedomesticestablishmentthenpresentwasconcentratedonGeoffrey。
　　Juliuswentupstairstohismotherwithoutattractingtheslightestnotice。
　　ThemonthwasAugust。Thestreetswereempty。Thevilestbreezethatblows——ahoteastwindinLondon——wasthebreezeabroadonthatday。EvenGeoffreyappearedtofeeltheinfluenceoftheweatherasthecabcarriedhimfromhisfather’sdoortothehotel。Hetookoffhishat，andunbuttonedhiswaistcoat，andlithiseverlastingpipe，andgrowledandgrumbledbetweenhisteethintheintervalsofsmoking。Wasitonlythehotwindthatwrungfromhimthesedemonstrationsofdiscomfort？Orwastheresomesecretanxietyinhismindwhichassistedthedepressinginfluencesoftheday？Therewasasecretanxietyinhismind。
　　Andthenameofitwas——Anne。
　　Asthingsactuallywereatthatmoment，whatcoursewashetotakewiththeunhappywomanwhowaswaitingtohearfromhimattheScotchinn？
　　Towrite？ornottowrite？ThatwasthequestionwithGeoffrey。
　　Thepreliminarydifficulty，relatingtoaddressingalettertoAnneattheinn，hadbeenalreadyprovidedfor。Shehaddecided——ifitprovednecessarytogivehername，beforeGeoffreyjoinedher——tocallherselfMrs。，insteadofMiss，Silvester。A
　　letteraddressedto“Mrs。Silvester“mightbetrustedtofinditswaytoherwithoutcausinganyembarrassment。Thedoubtwasnothere。Thedoubtlay，asusual，betweentwoalternatives。Whichcoursewoulditbewisesttotake？——toinformAnne，bythatday’spost，thatanintervalofforty-eighthoursmustelapsebeforehisfather’srecoverycouldbeconsideredcertain？Ortowaittilltheintervalwasover，andbeguidedbytheresult？
　　Consideringthealternativesinthecab，hedecidedthatthewisecoursewastotemporizewithAnne，byreportingmattersastheythenstood。
　　Arrivedatthehotel，hesatdowntowritetheletter——doubted——andtoreitup——doubtedagain——andbeganagain——doubtedoncemore——andtoreupthesecondletter——rosetohisfeet——andownedtohimselfinunprintablelanguagethathecouldn’tforthelifeofhimdecidewhichwassafest——towriteortowait。
　　Inthisdifficulty，hishealthyphysicalinstinctssenthimtohealthyphysicalremediesforrelief。“Mymind’sinamuddle，“
　　saidGeoffrey。“I’lltryabath。“
　　Itwasanelaboratebath，proceedingthroughmanyrooms，andcombiningmanyposturesandapplications。Hesteamed。Heplunged。
　　Hesimmered。Hestoodunderapipe，andreceivedacataractofcoldwateronhishead。Hewaslaidonhisback；hewaslaidonhisstomach；hewasrespectfullypoundedandkneaded，fromheadtofoot，bytheknucklesofaccomplishedpractitioners。Hecameoutofitall，sleek，clearrosy，beautiful。Hereturnedtothehotel，andtookupthewritingmaterials——andbeholdtheintolerableindecisionseizedhimagain，decliningtobewashedout!ThistimehelaiditalltoAnne。“Thatinfernalwomanwillbetheruinofme，“saidGeoffrey，takinguphishat。“Imusttrythedumb-bells。“
　　Thepursuitofthenewremedyforstimulatingasluggishbraintookhimtoapublichouse，keptbytheprofessionalpedestrianwhohadthehonoroftraininghimwhenhecontendedatAthleticSports。
　　“Aprivateroomandthedumb-bells!“criedGeoffrey。“Theheaviestyouhavegot。“
　　Hestrippedhimselfofhisupperclothing，andsettowork，withtheheavyweightsineachhand，wavingthemupanddown，andbackwardandforward，ineveryattainablevarietyofmovement，tillhismagnificentmusclesseemedonthepointofstartingthroughhissleekskin。Littlebylittlehisanimalspiritsrousedthemselves。Thestrongexertionintoxicatedthestrongman。Insheerexcitementhesworecheerfully——invokingthunderandlightning，explosionandblood，inreturnforthecomplimentsprofuselypaidtohimbythepedestrianandthepedestrian’sson。
　　“Pen，ink，andpaper!“heroared，whenhecouldusethedumb-bellsnolonger。“Mymind’smadeup；I’llwrite，andhavedonewithit!“Hesatdowntohiswritingonthespot；actuallyfinishedtheletter；anotherminutewouldhavedispatchedittothepost——and，inthatminute，themaddeningindecisiontookpossessionofhimoncemore。Heopenedtheletteragain，readitoveragain，andtoreitupagain。“I’moutofmymind!“criedGeoffrey，fixinghisbigbewilderedblueeyesfiercelyontheprofessorwhotrainedhim。“Thunderandlightning!Explosionandblood!SendforCrouch。“
　　CrouchknownandrespectedwhereverEnglishmanhoodisknownandrespectedwasaretiredprize-fighter。HeappearedwiththethirdandlastremedyforclearingthemindknowntotheHonorableGeoffreyDelamayn——namely，twopairofboxing-glovesinacarpet-bag。
　　Thegentlemanandtheprize-fighterputonthegloves，andfacedeachotherintheclassicallycorrectpostureofpugilisticdefense。“Noneofyourplay，mind!“growledGeoffrey。“Fight，youbeggar，asifyouwereintheRingagainwithorderstowin。“NomanknewbetterthanthegreatandterribleCrouchwhatrealfightingmeant，andwhatheavyblowsmightbegivenevenwithsuchapparentlyharmlessweaponsasstuffedandpaddedgloves。Hepretended，andonlypretended，tocomplywithhispatron’srequest。Geoffreyrewardedhimforhispoliteforbearancebyknockinghimdown。Thegreatandterriblerosewithunruffledcomposure。“Wellhit，Sir!“hesaid。“Tryitwiththeotherhandnow。“Geoffrey’stemperwasnotundersimilarcontrol。Invokingeverlastingdestructiononthefrequently-blackenedeyesofCrouch，hethreatenedinstantwithdrawalofhispatronageandsupportunlessthepolitepugilisthit，thenandthere，ashardashecould。Theheroofahundredfightsquailedatthedreadfulprospect。“I’vegotafamilytosupport，“remarkedCrouch。“Ifyou_will_haveit，Sir——thereitis!“ThefallofGeoffreyfollowed，andshookthehouse。Hewasonhislegsagaininaninstant——notsatisfiedevenyet。“Noneofyourbody-hitting!“heroared。“Sticktomyhead。Thunderandlightning!explosionandblood!Knockitoutofme!Sticktothehead!“ObedientCrouchstucktothehead。Thetwogaveandtookblowswhichwouldhavestunned——possiblyhavekilled——anycivilizedmemberofthecommunity。Nowononesideofhispatron’sironskull，andnowontheother，thehammeringoftheprize-fighter’sglovesfell，thumpuponthump，horribletohear——untilevenGeoffreyhimselfhadhadenoughofit。“Thankyou，Crouch，“hesaid，speakingcivillytothemanforthefirsttime。“Thatwilldo。Ifeelniceandclearagain。“Heshookhisheadtwoorthreetimes，hewasrubbeddownlikeahorsebytheprofessionalrunner；hedrankamightydraughtofmaltliquor；herecoveredhisgood-humorasifbymagic。“Wantthepenandink，Sir？“inquiredhispedestrianhost。“NotI!“answeredGeoffrey。“Themuddle’soutofmenow。
　　Penandinkbehanged!Ishalllookupsomeofourfellows，andgototheplay。“Heleftthepublichouseinthehappiestconditionofmentalcalm。InspiredbythestimulantapplicationofCrouch’sgloves，historpidcunninghadbeenshakenupintoexcellentworkingorderatlast。WritetoAnne？Whobutafoolwouldwritetosuchawomanasthatuntilhewasforcedtoit？
　　Waitandseewhatthechancesofthenexteight-and-fortyhoursmightbringforth，andthenwritetoher，ordeserther，astheeventmightdecide。Itlayinanut-shell，ifyoucouldonlyseeit。ThankstoCrouch，hedidseeit——andsoawayinapleasanttemperforadinnerwith“ourfellows“andaneveningattheplay!
　　THEintervalofeight-and-fortyhourspassed——withouttheoccurrenceofanypersonalcommunicationbetweenthetwobrothersinthattime。
　　Julius，remainingathisfather’shouse，sentbriefwrittenbulletinsofLordHolchester’shealthtohisbrotheratthehotel。Thefirstbulletinsaid，“Goingonwell。Doctorssatisfied。“Thesecondwasfirmerintone。“Goingonexcellently。
　　Doctorsverysanguine。“Thethirdwasthemostexplicitofall。
　　“Iamtoseemyfatherinanhourfromthis。Thedoctorsanswerforhisrecovery。Dependonmyputtinginagoodwordforyou，ifIcan；andwaittohearfrommefurtheratthehotel。“
　　Geoffrey’sfacedarkenedashereadthethirdbulletin。Hecalledoncemoreforthehatedwritingmaterials。TherecouldbenodoubtnowastothenecessityofcommunicatingwithAnne。LordHolchester’srecoveryhadputhimbackagaininthesamecriticalpositionwhichhehadoccupiedatWindygates。TokeepAnnefromcommittingsomefinalactofdespair，whichwouldconnecthimwithapublicscandal，andruinhimsofarashisexpectationsfromhisfatherwereconcerned，was，oncemore，theonlysafepolicythatGeoffreycouldpursue。Hisletterbeganandendedintwentywords：
　　“DEARANNE，——Haveonlyjustheardthatmyfatheristurningthecorner。Staywhereyouare。Willwriteagain。“
　　HavingdispatchedthisSpartancompositionbythepost，Geoffreylithispipe，andwaitedtheeventoftheinterviewbetweenLordHolchesterandhiseldestson。
　　Juliusfoundhisfatheralarminglyalteredinpersonalappearance，butinfullpossessionofhisfacultiesnevertheless。
　　Unabletoreturnthepressureofhisson’shand——unableeventoturninthebedwithouthelp——thehardeyeoftheoldlawyerwasaskeen，thehardmindoftheoldlawyerwasasclear，asever。
　　HisgrandambitionwastoseeJuliusinParliament。JuliuswasofferinghimselfforelectioninPerthshire，byhisfather’sexpressdesire，atthatmoment。LordHolchesterenteredeagerlyintopoliticsbeforehiseldestsonhadbeentwominutesbyhisbedside。
　　“Muchobliged，Julius，foryourcongratulations。Menofmysortarenoteasilykilled。LookatBroughamandLyndhurst!Youwon’tbecalledtotheUpperHouseyet。YouwillbeginintheHouseofCommons——preciselyasIwished。Whatareyourprospectswiththeconstituency？Tellmeexactlyhowyoustand，andwhereI
　　canbeofusetoyou。“
　　“Surely，Sir，youarehardlyrecoveredenoughtoenteronmattersofbusinessyet？“
　　“Iamquiterecoveredenough。Iwantsomepresentinteresttooccupyme。Mythoughtsarebeginningtodriftbacktopasttimes，andtothingswhicharebetterforgotten。“Asuddencontractioncrossedhislividface。Helookedhardathisson，andenteredabruptlyonanewquestion。“Julius!“heresumed，“haveyoueverheardofayoungwomannamedAnneSilvester？“
　　Juliusansweredinthenegative。HeandhiswifehadexchangedcardswithLadyLundie，andhadexcusedthemselvesfromacceptingherinvitationtothelawn-party。WiththeexceptionofBlanche，theywerebothquiteignorantofthepersonswhocomposedthefamilycircleatWindygates。