Whitcomb, by the way, had been in
successfully conducting a law case for him. The other guardian took the
boy all over the United States, and then to Europe, letting him, I
fancy, do as he pleased,--study or not as suited his own will,--with the
result that Chad is an ignorant, vulgar, conceited cad, with the merest
veneering of refinement, who cares for no one but himself, and whose
sole standard for everything and every one is that of money. When
the other guardian died, of course Max had to assume the charge of
Chad,--who'll not be of age for nearly two years,--though I should think
he must be a serious trial, for Max is so thoroughly nice himself, so
honourable and clever and refined, that this affected, snobbish little
Dresden-china-young-man, as Betty calls him, must jar on him in every
way, though perhaps Chad is on his best behaviour with his guardian.
Chad affects to be quite a man of the world, talks a great deal about
his "bachelor quarters" and the theatres; he drinks and smokes, and
I've heard him swear; he considers all this the proper thing for young
fellows of our age, and more than once he has sneered at Phil and me as
"behind the times.
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