The next day, at ten o’clock, Tom was on his way to St. Ogg’s, to see his uncle Deane, who was to come home last night, his aunt had said; and Tom had made up his mind that his uncle Deane was the right person to ask for advice about getting some employment. He was in a great way of business; he had not the narrow notions of uncle Glegg; and he had risen in the world on a scale of advancement¹ which accorded with Tom’s ambition.

It was a dark, chill, misty² morning, likely to end in rain — one of those mornings when even happy people take refuge in their hopes. And Tom was very unhappy; he felt the humiliation³ as well as the prospective⁴ hardships of his lot with all the keenness of a proud nature; and with all his resolute⁵ dutifulness toward his father there mingled⁶ an irrepressible indignation against him which gave misfortune the less endurable aspect of a wrong. Since these were the consequences of going to law, his father was really blamable, as his aunts and uncles had always said he was; and it was a significant indication of Tom’s character, that though he thought his aunts ought to do something more for his mother, he felt nothing like Maggie’s violent resentment⁷ against them for showing no eager tenderness and generosity⁸. There were no impulses in Tom that led him to expect what did not present itself to him as a right to be demanded. Why should people give away their money plentifully⁹ to those who had not taken care of their own money? Tom saw some justice in severity; and all the more, because he had confidence in himself that he should never deserve that just severity. It was very hard upon him that he should be put at this disadvantage in life by his father’s want of

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