"'O give ye good even. Here's a million of manners,'" quoted Mrs. Gwynn, satirically, smiling from one to the other as each sought to press forward his own view, yet to cast no reflections on the probity of the standpoint of the other.
Judge Roscoe laughed. He was an admirer of what he called "understanding in women," and the mere flavor of a Shakespearian collocation of words refreshed his spirit like an oasis in a desert.
Ashley looked at her doubtfully. He wondered that they could forgive Baynell for this gratuitous bit of official tyranny, as it seemed to him, and also the serious loss of the value of the horse. He said to himself that almost any rule is constrained to exceptions. He thought Baynell's course was small-minded, unjustifiable, and an ungrateful requital of hospitality, such as only important interests might warrant. He did not reckon on the strength of the attachment which Judge Roscoe, despite politics, had formed for his dear friend's son, or for his respect for the coercive force of a man's convictions of the requirements of duty. It was a sort of Brutus-like urgency which appealed to a high sense of probity and which commended itself to the ex-judge, accustomed to deal with subtle differentiations of moral intent as well as intricate principles of sheer law.
As for Mrs. Gwynn—it was sufficient that she had lost the horse. She cared too little for either man as an individual to consider the delicate adjustment of the problem of official integrity involved.
"I surely should have lost every claim to your good opinion if I had glozed it over and passed it by for personal reasons," Baynell argued after Ashley had gone.
She looked at him speculatively for an instant, wondering what possible claim he could fancy he possessed to her good opinion.
"If you think impressing a horse is a recommendation, a great many citizens of this town have cause to hold the quartermaster-general in high esteem. A perfect drove of horses passed here this afternoon. I looked for Acrobat, but I did not see him."
He was taken aback at this turn. "But you know, of course, it was against my own will—my own preference—the horse—it was a sacrifice on my part!"
"So glad to know it; I thought the sacrifice was mine!"
He shifted the subject.