"Surely," I said to myself, "I shall rise in time; if I am diligent and
attentive at the office, I must make my way."
But, alas! the steps were very small, and the clerks' salaries were only
increased by five pounds a year at a time. It would be so long before I
earned two hundred a year, and at the same rate I should be an old man
before I reached three hundred.
One morning--it was the 1st of May--bright, warm, sunny day, the London
streets were more gay than usual, and as I walked along I wondered if
ever again I should breathe the perfume of the lime and the lilac in the
springtime. I saw a girl selling violets and daffodils, with crocuses
and spring flowers. I am not ashamed to say that tears came into my
eyes--flowers and sunshine and all things sweet seemed so far from me
now.
I reached the office, and there, to my intense surprise, found a letter
waiting for me.
"Here is a letter for you, Mr. Trevelyan," said the head clerk,
carelessly.
He gave me a large blue official envelope. If he had but known what it
contained!
Some minutes passed before I had time to open it; then I read as
follows:
"To Sir Edgar Trevelyan:
"Sir: We beg to inform you that by the death of Sir Barnard
Trevelyan, and his son, Mr.
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