He did all he could to be useful, but he could scarcely manage to stoop down, could carry nothing heavy, and moved very slowly; and he now and then made a dreadful muddle in the shop, when a customer was not like Mrs. Hayward, who told him where everything was, and the price of all she wanted, as well as Mrs. King could do herself.  He could sort the letters and see to the post-office very well; and for all his blunders, he did so much by his good-will, that when Mrs. King wanted to cheer him up, she declared that he saved her all the expense of having in a woman from the village to help, and that he did more about the house than Harold.

This was true:  for Harold did not like doing anything but manly things, as he called them; whereas Paul did not care what it was, so that it saved trouble to her or Ellen.

Talking and listening to Harold was one use of Paul.  Now that it had come upon him, and he saw Alfred worse from day to day, the poor boy was quite broken-hearted.  Possibly, when at his work, or riding, he managed to shake off the remembrance; but at home it always came back, and he cried so much at the sight of Alfred, and at any attempt of his brother to talk to him, that they could scarcely let him stay ten minutes in the room.  Then, when Paul had gone to bed on the landing at seven o’clock, he would come and sit on his bed, and talk, and cry, and sob about his brother, and his own carelessness of him, often till his mother came out and ordered him down-stairs to his own bed in the kitchen; and Paul turned his face into the pillow to weep himself to sleep, loving Alfred very little less than did his brother, but making less noise about it, and feeling very lonely when he saw how all the family cared for each other.

So Mr. Cope’s kind manner came all the more pleasantly to him; and after some talk on what they both most cared about, Mr. Cope said, ’Paul, Mr. Shaw of Berryton tells me he has a capital school-master, but in rather weak health, and he wants to find a good intelligent youth to teach under him, and have opportunities of improving himself.  Five pounds a year, and board and lodgings.  What do you think of it, Paul?’

Paul’s sallow face began growing red, and he polished the counter, on which he was leaning; then, as Mr. Cope repeated, ‘Eh, Paul?’ he said slowly, and in his almost rude way, ’They wouldn’t have me if they knew how I’d been brought up.’

’Perhaps they would if they knew what you’ve come to in spite of bringing up.  And,’ added Mr. Cope, ’they are not so much pressed for time but that they can wait till you’ve quite forgotten your tumble into the Ragglesford.  We must fatten you—­get rid of those spider-fingers, and you and I must do a few more lessons together—­and I think Mrs. King has something towards your outfit; and by Whitsuntide, I told Mr. Shaw that I thought I might send him what I call a very fair sample of a good steady lad.’