第158章 OLD WAYS AND NEW WAYS(3)

He sate still a moment, looking at the busy work going on before him, and then at his own half-completed drainage.It was a bitter pill.He had objected to borrowing from Government, in the first instance; and then his wife had persuaded him to the step; and after it was once taken, he was as proud as could be of the only concession to the spirit of progress he ever made in his life.He had read and studied the subject pretty thoroughly, if also very slowly, during the time his wife had been influencing him.He was tolerably well up in agriculture, if in nothing else; and at one time he had taken the lead among the neighbouring landowners, when he first began tile-drainage.In those days people used to speak of Squire Hamley's hobby; and at market ordinaries, or county dinners, they rather dreaded setting him off on long repetitions of arguments from the different pamphlets on the subject which he had read.And now the proprietors all around him were draining - draining; his interest to Government was running on all the same, though his works were stopped, and his tiles deteriorating in value.It was not a soothing consideration, and the squire was almost ready to quarrel with his shadow.He wanted a vent for his ill-humour; and suddenly remembering the devastation on his covers, which he had heard about not a quarter of an hour before, he rode up to the men busy at work on Lord Cumnor's land.Just before he got up to them he encountered Mr Preston, also on horseback, come to overlook his labourers.The squire did not know him personally, but from the agent's manner of speaking, and the deference that was evidently paid to him, Mr Hamley saw that he was a responsible person.So he addressed the agent, - 'I beg your pardon, I suppose you are the manager of these works?' Mr Preston replied, - 'Certainly.I am that and many other things besides, at your service.I have succeeded Mr Sheepshanks in the management of my lord's property.Mr Hamley of Hamley, I believe?' The squire bowed stiffly.He did not like his name to be asked or presumed upon in that manner.An equal might conjecture who he was, or recognize him, but, till he announced himself, an inferior had no right to do more than address him respectfully as 'sir.' That was the squire's code of etiquette.'I am Mr Hamley of Hamley.I suppose you are as yet ignorant of the boundary of Lord Cumnor's land, and so I will inform you that my property begins at the pond yonder - just where you see the rise in the ground.' 'I am perfectly acquainted with that fact, Mr Hamley,' said Mr Preston, a little annoyed at the ignorance attributed to him.'But may I inquire why my attention is called to it just now?' The squire was beginning to boil over; but he tried to keep his temper in.The effort was very much to be respected, for it was a great one.There was something in the handsome and well-dressed agent's tone and manner inexpressibly irritating to the squire, and it was not lessened by an involuntary comparison of the capital roadster on which Mr Preston was mounted with his own ill-groomed and aged cob.'I have been told that your men out yonder do not respect these boundaries, but are in the habit of plucking up gorse from my covers to light their fires.' 'It is possible they may!' said Mr Preston, lifting his eyebrows, his manner being more nonchalant than his words.'I daresay they think no great harm of it.However, I'll inquire.' 'Do you doubt my word, sir?' said the squire, fretting his mare till she began to dance about.'I tell you I've heard it only within this last half-hour.' 'I don't mean to doubt your word, Mr Hamley; it's the last thing I should think of doing.But you must excuse my saying that the argument which you have twice brought up for the authenticity of your statement, "that you have heard it within the last half-hour," is not quite so forcible as to preclude the possibility of a mistake.' 'I wish you'd only say in plain language that you doubt my word,' said the squire, clenching and slightly raising his horsewhip.'I can't make out what you mean - you use so many words.' 'Pray don't lose your temper, sir.I said I should inquire.You have not seen the men pulling up gorse yourself, or you would have named it.I surely may doubt the correctness of your informant until I have made some inquiry;at any rate, that is the course I shall pursue, and if it gives you offence, I shall be sorry, but I shall do it just the same.When I am convinced that harm has been done to your property, I shall take steps to prevent it for the future, and of course, in my lord's name, I shall pay you compensation - it may probably amount to half-a-crown.' He added these last words in a lower tone, as if to himself, with a slight, contemptuous smile on his face.'Quiet, mare, quiet,' said the squire, quite 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,'