World's End by Richard Jefferies

This trial of poor Jenkins took up Aymer's time, so that he had no leisure for his new book, which had to be laid aside; and when he was in hopes of returning to it, another incident again interrupted him. The work he had to do was very little after all; it was not the amount, but the character of it, that he disliked.

Yet, notwithstanding his hatred of the law, he could not help imbibing some small smattering which afterwards proved extremely serviceable. The change from World's End was also beneficial in another manner -- it opened his eyes to much that he had never suspected. If anything, his inclination hitherto would have been to have taken most people pretty much at their word. This may sound childish to the young men of the period, who -- in the habit of frequenting billiard saloons, horse-races, card parties, hotels, and all places where people congregate -- naturally pick up a good deal of knowledge of the world sufficient to astonish their parents, at all events.