"Quiet, mare, quiet," said the Squire, totally unaware that he was
the cause of her impatient movements by the way he was perpetually
tightening her reins; and also, perhaps, he unconsciously addressed
the injunction to himself.
Neither of them saw Roger Hamley, who was just then approaching them
with long, steady steps. He had seen his father from the door of old
Silas's cottage, and, as the poor fellow was still asleep, he was
coming to speak to his father, and was near enough now to hear the
next words.
"I don't know who you are, but I've known land-agents who were
gentlemen, and I've known some who were not. You belong to this last
set, young man," said the squire, "that you do. I should like to try
my horsewhip on you for your insolence."
"Pray, Mr. Hamley," replied Mr. Preston, coolly, "curb your temper a
little, and reflect. I really feel sorry to see a man of your age in
such a passion:"--moving a little farther off, however, but really
more with a desire to save the irritated man from carrying his threat
into execution, out of a dislike to the slander and excitement it
would cause, than from any personal dread. Just at this moment Roger
Hamley came close up. He was panting a little, and his eyes were very
stern and dark; but he spoke quietly enough.
"Mr. Preston, I can hardly understand what you mean by your last
words. But, remember, my father is a gentleman of age and position,
and not accustomed to receive advice as to the management of his
temper from young men like you."
"I desired him to keep his men off my land," said the Squire to
his son--his wish to stand well in Roger's opinion restraining his
temper a little; but though his words might be a little calmer, there
were all other signs of passion present--the discoloured complexion,
the trembling hands, the fiery cloud in his eyes. "He refused, and
doubted my word."
Mr. Preston turned to Roger, as if appealing from Philip drunk to
Philip sober, and spoke in a tone of cool explanation, which, though
not insolent in words, was excessively irritating in manner.
"Your father has misunderstood me--perhaps it is no wonder," trying
to convey, by a look of intelligence at the son, his opinion that the
father was in no state to hear reason. "I never refused to do what
was just and right. I only required further evidence as to the past
wrong-doing; your father took offence at this," and then he shrugged
his shoulders, and lifted his eyebrows in a manner he had formerly
learnt in France.