The young gentleman whom he regarded as the Radical doctor’s dupe, fell in for a share of his view of the doctor, and Mr. Romfrey became less fitted to observe Nevil Beauchamp’s doings with the Olympian gravity he had originally assumed.

The extreme delicacy of Rosamund’s conscience was fretted by a remorseful doubt of her having conveyed a just impression of Dr. Shrapnel, somewhat as though the fine sleek coat of it were brushed the wrong way.  Reflection warned her that her deliberative intensely sincere pause before she responded to Mr. Romfrey’s last demand, might have implied more than her words.  She consoled herself with the thought that it was the dainty susceptibility of her conscientiousness which caused these noble qualms, and so deeply does a refined nature esteem the gift, that her pride in it helped her to overlook her moral perturbation.  She was consoled, moreover, up to the verge of triumph in her realization of the image of a rivalling and excelling power presented by Mr. Romfrey, though it had frightened her at the time.  Let not Dr. Shrapnel come across him!  She hoped he would not.  Ultimately she could say to herself, ’Perhaps I need not have been so annoyed with the horrid man.’  It was on Nevil’s account.  Shrapnel’s contempt of the claims of Nevil’s family upon him was actually a piece of impudence, impudently expressed, if she remembered correctly.  And Shrapnel was a black malignant, the foe of the nation’s Constitution, deserving of punishment if ever man was; with his ridiculous metaphors, and talk of organs and pianos, orchestras and despotisms, and flying to the sun!  How could Nevil listen to the creature!  Shrapnel must be a shameless, hypocrite to mask his wickedness from one so clear-sighted as Nevil, and no doubt he indulged in his impudence out of wanton pleasure in it.  His business was to catch young gentlemen of family, and to turn them against their families, plainly.  That was thinking the best of him.  No doubt he had his objects to gain.  ’He might have been as impudent as he liked to me; I would have pardoned him!’ Rosamund exclaimed.  Personally, you see, she was generous.  On the whole, knowing Everard Romfrey as she did, she wished that she had behaved, albeit perfectly discreet in her behaviour, and conscientiously just, a shade or two differently.  But the evil was done.

CHAPTER XIV

THE LEADING ARTICLE AND MR. TIMOTHY TURBOT

Nevil declined to come to Steynham, clearly owing to a dread of hearing Dr. Shrapnel abused, as Rosamund judged by the warmth of his written eulogies of the man, and an ensuing allusion to Game.  He said that he had not made up his mind as to the Game Laws.  Rosamund mentioned the fact to Mr. Romfrey.  ‘So we may stick by our licences to shoot to-morrow,’ he rejoined.  Of a letter that he also had received from Nevil, he did not speak.  She hinted at it, and he stared.  He would have deemed it as vain