The Two Brothers

Against the backdrop of two neighboring country estates—one an ancient, ivy-clad castle, the other a newer house—the Vavasour family is introduced as proud, honorable, and steadily diminished by debt rather than dishonor. Mr. Vavasour's long struggle to preserve the land, and his late, deeply felt love for a beautiful woman who has waited quietly for him, establish a world shaped by duty, endurance, and inherited character. Within the old library, his children reveal the family's emotional fault lines: Robert is handsome, gifted, and dangerously self-indulgent, while Everard is plain, earnest, and fiercely principled. Under their father's stern authority, both boys are pushed toward Greek study, but only Everard conquers his reluctance through loyalty and self-discipline. Robert's negligence, his love of fiction, and his restless spirit draw reproach, while Hope Linton, an orphan of tragic background, emerges as a steady, compassionate influence whose quiet goodness both inspires and unsettles those around her. As the family prepares for college, Robert's charm and uncertainty come into sharper focus, especially in his admiration for Hope's virtue and his struggle to master himself. A visit to Underwood, the showy estate of the wealthy Mr. Gresham, adds social comedy and tension: Gresham's exaggerated politeness, his pride in appearances, and his concern with money and marriage contrast sharply with the Vavasours' old-fashioned integrity. There, the shy beauty of his daughter Angela and her charged, awkward exchange with Everard hint at a budding romance shadowed by class pride, secrecy, and emotional restraint. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.