On the following day, one or two persons who had been present at
this scene declared that the two gentlemen showed surprise, and that,
though both raised their hats in acknowledgment of the attention they
received, they rode away laughing.
For the morrow brought doubts. People began to say that the Prince had
never been near the town at all, and that evidence could be produced of his
having passed the whole day at the house where he was a visitor. Mr.
Fouracres smiled disdainfully; no assertion or argument availed to shake
his proud assurance that he had entertained the Heir to the Throne. From
that day he knew no peace. Fired with an extraordinary arrogance, he viewed
as his enemy every one who refused to believe in the Prince's visit; he
quarrelled violently with many of his best friends; he brought insulting
accusations against all manner of persons. Before long the man was honestly
convinced that there existed a conspiracy to rob him of a distinction that
was his due. Political animus had, perhaps, something to do with it, for
the Liberal newspaper (Mr. Fouracres was a stout Conservative) made more
than one malicious joke on the subject. A few townsmen stood by the
landlord's side and used their ingenuity in discovering plausible reasons
why the Prince did not care to have it publicly proclaimed that he had
visited the town and lunched at the hotel.
Pages:
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449