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tosayso.
TheCaptain,who,travellingbythemail,hadarrived
ateighto’clock,tookhisplaceatthebreakfast-table
atnine,andreceivedforwelcomeagruffnodfromthe
Squire,andthetacitpermissiontograsptheknuckles
whichhegrudginglyextendedtohimtoshake.
InthatlittledramainwhichtheoldSquirechose
nowtofigure,hissonCharleswasconfoundedlyinthe
way.
“Well,andwhatwereyoudoin’inLunnonallthis
time?”grumbledSquireHarrywhenhehadfinished
hisrasherandhiscupofcoffee,afteralong,hardlook
atCharles,who,inhappyunconsciousness,crunched
histoast,andreadthecountypaper.
“Ibegyourpardon,sir,Ididn’thear–youwere
saying?”saidCharles,lookingupandloweringthe
paper.
“Hoo–yes–Iwassaying,Idon’tthinkyouwentallthe
waytoLunnontosayyourprayersinSt.Paul’s;you’ve
binlosingmoneyinthosehellsandplaces;whenyour
pocket’sfullawayyougoandleaveitwi’themtown
blackguards,andbackyoucomeasemptyasabroken
sacktoliveonme,andsoon.Come,now,howmuch
rentdoyoutakebytheyearfromthatplaceyourfool
ofamotherleftye–thetartar!–hey?”
“Ithink,sir,aboutthreehundredayear,”answered
Charles.
“Threehundred
andeighty
,”saidtheoldman,with
agrinandawagofhishead.“I’mnotsooldthat
Ican’tremember
that
–threehundredandeighty;and
yeflungthatawayinLunnontavernsandoperas,
ondancersanddicers,andyecomebackherewithout
ashillin’lefttoblessyourself,toridemyhorsesand
drinkmywine;andyecallthatfairplay.Comealong,
here.”
And,followedbyhismastiff,hemarchedstifflyout
oftheroom.
Charleswassurprisedatthisexplosion,andsat
lookingafterthegrimoldman,notknowingwellwhat
