"He can do us a great deal of mischief, you know," said Mrs. Fenwick.
"What he can do, he will do," said the parson. "He even gave me a bad name, no doubt; but I fancy he was generous enough to me in that way before yesterday. He will now declare that I am the Evil One himself, and people won't believe that. A continued persistent enmity, always at work, but kept within moderate bounds, is more dangerous now-a-days, than a hot fever of revengeful wrath. The Marquis can't send out his men-at-arms and have me knocked on the head, or cast into a dungeon. He can only throw mud at me, and the more he throws at once, the less will reach me."
As to Sam, they were agreed that, whether he were innocent or guilty, the old miller should be induced to regard him as innocent, as far as their joint exertion in that direction might avail.
"He is innocent before the law till he has been proved to be guilty," said the Squire.
"Then of course there can be nothing wrong in telling his father that he is innocent," said the lady.
The Squire did not quite admit this, and the parson smiled as he heard the argument; but they both acknowledged that it would be right to let it be considered throughout the parish that Sam was to be regarded as blameless for that night's transaction. Nevertheless, Mr. Gilmore's mind on the subject was not changed.
"Have you heard from Loring?" the Squire asked Mrs. Fenwick as he got up to leave the Vicarage.
"Oh, yes,—constantly. She is quite well, Mr. Gilmore."
"I sometimes think that I'll go off and have a look at her."
"I'm sure both she and her aunt would be glad to see you."