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breakfast on a terrace overlooking all the vale of Thyme。
'I have to apologise； sir； for last night … ' he would begin。
'Of course you have；' the old gentleman would cut in
cheerfully。 'You spoke like a fool。 Say no more about it。'
'You do not understand me； sir。 I refer to a particular
point。 I confess there is much force in your argument from
the doctrine of possibilities。'
'Of course there is；' returned his father。 'Come down and
look at the stables。 Only；' he would add； 'bear this in
mind； and do remember that a man of my age and experience
knows more about what he is saying than a raw boy。'
He would utter the word 'boy' even more offensively than the
average of fathers； and the light way in which he accepted
these apologies cut Richard to the heart。 The latter drew
slighting comparisons； and remembered that he was the only
one who ever apologised。 This gave him a high station in his
own esteem； and thus contributed indirectly to his better
behaviour； for he was scrupulous as well as high…spirited；
and prided himself on nothing more than on a just submission。
So things went on until the famous occasion when Mr。 Naseby；
becoming engrossed in securing the election of a sound party
candidate to Parliament； wrote a flaming letter to the
papers。 The letter had about every demerit of party letters
in general； it was expressed with the energy of a believer；
it was personal； it was a little more than half unfair； and
about a quarter untrue。 The old man did not mean to say what
was untrue； you may be sure； but he had rashly picked up
gossip； as his prejudice suggested； and now rashly launched
it on the public with the sanction of his name。
'The Liberal candidate；' he concluded； 'is thus a public
turncoat。 Is that the sort of man we want？ He has been
given the lie； and has swallowed the insult。 Is that the
sort of man we want？ I answer No！ With all the force of my
conviction； I answer； NO！'
And then he signed and dated the letter with an amateur's
pride； and looked to be famous by the morrow。
Dick； who had heard nothing of the matter； was up first on
that inauspicious day； and took the journal to an arbour in
the garden。 He found his father's manifesto in one column；
and in another a leading article。 'No one that we are aware
of；' ran the article； 'had consulted Mr。 Naseby on the
subject； but if he had been appealed to by the whole body of
electors； his letter would be none the less ungenerous and
unjust to Mr。 Dalton。 We do not choose to give the lie to
Mr。 Naseby； for we are too well aware of the consequences；
but we shall venture instead to print the facts of both cases
referred to by this red…hot partisan in another portion of
our issue。 Mr。 Naseby is of course a large proprietor in our
neighbourhood； but fidelity to facts； decent feeling； and
English grammar； are all of them qualities more important
than the possession of land。 Mr。 … is doubtless a great man；
in his large gardens and that half…mile of greenhouses； where
he has probably ripened his intellect and temper； he may say
what he will to his hired vassals； but （as the Scotch say） …
here
He mauna think to domineer。
'Liberalism；' continued the anonymous journalist； 'is of too
free and sound a growth；' etc。
Richard Naseby read the whole thing from beginning to end；
and a crushing shame fell upon his spirit。 His father had
played the fool； he had gone out noisily to war； and come
back with confusion。 The moment that his trumpets sounded；
he had been disgracefully unhorsed。 There was no question as
to the facts； they were one and all against the Squire。
Richard would have given his ears to have suppressed the
issue； but as that could not be done； he had his horse
saddled； and furnishing himself with a convenient staff； rode
off at once to Thymebury。
The editor was at breakfast in a large； sad apartment。 The
absence of furniture； the extreme meanness of the meal； and
the haggard； bright…eyed； consumptive look of the culprit；
unmanned our hero； but he clung to his stick； and was stout
and warlike。
'You wrote the article in this morning's paper？' he demanded。
'You are young Mr。 Naseby？ I PUBLISHED it；' replied the
editor； rising。
'My father is an old man；' said Richard； and then with an
outburst； 'And a damned sight finer fellow than either you or
Dalton！' He stopped and swallowed； he was determined that
all should go with regularity。 'I have but one question to
put to you； sir；' he resumed。 'Granted that my father was
misinformed； would it not have been more decent to withhold
the letter and communicate with him in private？'
'Believe me；' returned the editor； 'that alternative was not
open to me。 Mr。 Naseby told me in a note that he had sent
his letter to three other journals； and in fact threatened me
with what he called exposure if I kept it back from mine。 I
am really concerned at what has happened； I sympathise and
approve of your emotion； young gentleman； but the attack on
Mr。 Dalton was gross； very gross； and I had no choice but to
offer him my columns to reply。 Party has its duties； sir；'
added the scribe； kindling； as one who should propose a
sentiment； 'and the attack was gross。'
Richard stood for half a minute digesting the answer； and
then the god of fair play came upper…most in his heart； and
murmuring 'Good morning；' he made his escape into the street。
His horse was not hurried on the way home； and he was late
for breakfast。 The Squire was standing with his back to the
fire in a state bordering on apoplexy； his fingers violently
knitted under his coat tails。 As Richard came in； he opened
and shut his mouth like a cod…fish； and his eyes protruded。
'Have you seen that； sir？' he cried； nodding towards the
paper。
'Yes； sir；' said Richard。
'Oh； you've read it； have you？'
'Yes； I have read it；' replied Richard； looking at his foot。
'Well；' demanded the old gentleman； 'and what have you to say
to it； sir？'
'You seem to have been misinformed；' said Dick。
'Well？ What then？ Is your mind so sterile； sir？ Have you
not a word of comment？ no proposal？'
'I fear； sir； you must apologise to Mr。 Dalton。 It would be
more handsome； indeed it would be only just； and a free
acknowledgment would go far … ' Richard paused； no language
appearing delicate enough to suit the case。
'That is a suggestion which should have come from me； sir；'
roared the father。 'It is out of place upon your lips。 It
is not the thought of a loyal son。 Why； sir； if my father
had been plunged in such deplorable circumstances； I should
have thrashed the editor of that vile sheet within an inch of
his life。 I should have thrashed the man； sir。 It would
have been the action of an ass； but it would have shown that
I had the blood and the natural affections of a man。 Son？
You are no son； no son of