Put your statement of what did occur, and of your motives, into the
hands of the lady's friends. He will be sure to read it."
"What good will that do?"
"No good, but that of making him ashamed of himself. You have got to
read the world a little more deeply than you have hitherto done. He
thinks that he is quarrelling with you about the affair in London, but
it is in truth because you have declined to hear him read the sermons
after having taken his money."
"Then it is he that is the liar rather than I."
"I, who am a moderate man, would say that neither is a liar. You did not
choose to be pumped, as you call it, and therefore spoke as you did.
According to the world's ways that was fair enough. He, who is sore at
the little respect you have paid him, takes any ground of offence rather
than that. Being sore at heart, he believes anything. This young
Scarborough in some way gets hold of him, and makes him accept this
cock-and-bull story. If you had sat there punctual all those Sunday
evenings, do you think he would have believed it then?"
"And I have got to pay such a penalty as this?" The rector could only
shrug his shoulders. He was not disposed to scold his son. It was not
the custom of the house that Harry should be scolded.
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