He watched
him in his childish complaints with more care than the careful nurses
he paid to watch him, or even than the fond and faithful Selina. And
yet he did not spoil him.
Till Tinker was six years old they were playmates. Then, little by
little, Sir Tancred found himself drifting into the position of general
instructor, and after a while began to give serious thought to the
matter. It was not, perhaps, a sound education that he gave the child.
The classical side of it and the commercial were alike neglected; the
historical was forgotten. The spelling was weak, and the handwriting
was very bad. But, riding, fencing, and boxing were very carefully
cultivated, with the result that Tinker, though he lacked the lumps of
muscle which disfigured that eminent ancient, might very well have vied
in strength and agility with the child Hercules.
In the matter of languages, by dint of spending some of each year in
the different European capitals, he learned to speak better French than
he did English, for his father enjoyed far better society on the
Continent than he did in London. In the same way, by sojourning in the
land, he learned to make himself understood in German; and two months
at Rome gave him a fair Italian.
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