CHAPTER IX.

Godfreyroseandtookhisownbreakfastearlierthanusual,butlingeredinthewainscotedparlourtillhisyoungerbrothershadfinishedtheirmealandgoneoutawaitinghisfather,whoalwaystookawalkwithhismanaging-manbeforebreakfast.EveryonebreakfastedatadifferenthourintheRedHouse,andtheSquirewasalwaysthelatest,givingalongchancetoaratherfeeblemorningappetitebeforehetriedit.Thetablehadbeenspreadwithsubstantialeatablesnearlytwohoursbeforehepresentedhimself—atall,stoutmanofsixty,withafaceinwhichtheknitbrowandratherhardglanceseemedcontradictedbytheslackandfeeblemouth.Hispersonshowedmarksofhabitualneglect,hisdresswasslovenlyandyettherewassomethinginthepresenceoftheoldSquiredistinguishablefromthatoftheordinaryfarmersintheparish,whowereperhapseverywhitasrefinedashe,but,havingslouchedtheirwaythroughlifewithaconsciousnessofbeinginthevicinityoftheir“betters”,wantedthatself-possessionandauthoritativenessofvoiceandcarriagewhichbelongedtoamanwhothoughtofsuperiorsasremoteexistenceswithwhomhehadpersonallylittlemoretodothanwithAmericaorthestars.TheSquirehadbeenusedtoparishhomageallhislife,usedtothepresuppositionthathisfamily,histankards,andeverythingthatwashis,weretheoldestandbestandasheneverassociatedwithanygentryhigherthanhimself,hisopinionwasnotdisturbedbycomparison. Heglancedathissonasheenteredtheroom,andsaid,“What,sir!haven’tyouhadyourbreakfastyet?”buttherewasnopleasantmorninggreetingbetweenthemnotbecauseofanyunfriendliness,butbecausethesweetflowerofcourtesyisnotagrowthofsuchhomesastheRedHouse. “Yes,sir,”saidGodfrey,“I’vehadmybreakfast,butIwaswaitingtospeaktoyou.” “Ah!well,”saidtheSquire,throwinghimselfindifferentlyintohischair,andspeakinginaponderouscoughingfashion,whichwasfeltinRaveloetobeasortofprivilegeofhisrank,whilehecutapieceofbeef,andhelditupbeforethedeer-houndthathadcomeinwithhim.“Ringthebellformyale,willyou?Youyoungsters’businessisyourownpleasure,mostly.There’snohurryaboutitforanybodybutyourselves.” TheSquire’slifewasquiteasidleashissons’,butitwasafictionkeptupbyhimselfandhiscontemporariesinRaveloethatyouthwasexclusivelytheperiodoffolly,andthattheiragedwisdomwasconstantlyinastateofendurancemitigatedbysarcasm.Godfreywaited,beforehespokeagain,untilthealehadbeenbroughtandthedoorclosed—anintervalduringwhichFleet,thedeer-hound,hadconsumedenoughbitsofbeeftomakeapoorman’sholidaydinner. “There’sbeenacursedpieceofill-luckwithWildfire,”hebegan“happenedthedaybeforeyesterday.” “What!brokeh