“Nay, Sir; I’ve a friend in the parlor waiting for me,” rejoined the landlord, dryly.  He appeared already to regret having given way to that momentary feeling of self-esteem.

“I wish I had,” observed Richard, smiling.  “It’s lonely work coming down here by one’s self, and finding nobody to speak to.”

There was a short pause, during which Richard was rapt in admiration of the key.

“Now, if his thick skin prove impervious to flattery,” thought he, “then will I fly my last shaft into his very gizzard.”

Mr. Trevethick’s skin was quite compliment-proof, if an invitation into the bar parlor was to be the evidence of its having been pierced.

“You should come down in the summer-time, Sir,” said he, coolly; “then you will find lots of folks to talk with.  At present I am afraid you must put up with your own company.”  And the huge frame of the landlord was already moving toward the door.

“I am afraid so, indeed,” said Richard, carelessly.  “Parson Whymper ought to have known better than to send me down here at such a time as this.”

John Trevethick stopped at once, and Richard saw reflected in the glass above the fire-place a look of intense interest.  He could not have supposed so phlegmatic a face was capable of so much expression.

“Parson who, did you say, Sir?  Whymper?”

“Yes; an excellent friend of me and mine; the chaplain of Mr. Carew, of Crompton.  It was he who told me how I might fill my sketch-book with the beauties of Gethin; and added, that I should have a hearty welcome from one John Trevethick, if I gave his name.”

“And that you shall, Sir,” cried the landlord, returning to the table, and striking his broad palm upon it, to give emphasis to his words.  “A friend of Mr. Whymper’s should be always welcome here.  How is he, Sir?  And how is Mr. Carew?”

“I have seen neither of them since I was staying at Crompton three months ago or so,” said Richard, coolly.  “They were well enough then, though the Squire was doing his best, as usual, to exhaust his constitution and his purse; and the chaplain, as usual, also, was making things as straight as he could, and putting the skid on where he dared.  But you know all about that, Mr. Trevethick, I dare say, almost as well as I do.  I am sorry you won’t take another glass of wine.”

“I think I will, if you permit me to change my mind, Sir,” said the other, suiting the action to the word.  “Now, the idea of your being so intimate with Parson Whymper, and having staid at Squire Carew’s!  Why, the Squire’s my landlord, and owns all about here—­leastway, short of Dunloppel.  It’s unlucky that this copper should have cropped out just beyond him, as it were.”

“There is no mine here belonging to him then, eh?”

“Well, no, Sir; not, properly speaking, a mine, there ain’t;” and the well-practiced hand of the landlord shook as he put down the glass, so that it clanked against the bottle.