It was
commonly said in Nettlefold, that he was a gentleman; if they were all
like him there wasn't much in all this talk against the Lords. The shop
people and lodging-house keepers felt that the interests of the country
were safer in his hands: than in the hands of people who wanted to
meddle with everything for the good of those who were only anxious to be
let alone. A man too who could so completely forget he was the son of a
Duke, that other people never forgot it, was the man for their money. It
was true that he had never had a say in public affairs; but this was
overlooked, because he could have had it if he liked, and the fact that
he did not like, only showed once more that he was a gentleman.
Just as he was the one personality of the little town against whom
practically nothing was ever, said, so was his house the one house which
defied criticism. Time had made it utterly suitable. The ivied
walls, and purplish roof lichened yellow in places, the quiet meadows
harbouring ponies and kine, reaching from it to the sea--all was mellow.
In truth it made all the other houses of the town seem shoddy--standing
alone beyond them, like its master, if anything a little too
esthetically remote from common wants.
He had practically no near neighbours of whom he saw anything, except
once in a way young Harbinger three miles distant at Whitewater.
Pages:
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210