It was a gesture habitual to him, and was not intended to express contempt either for religion or for Cheriton, but only a want of comprehension of the affair; but it annoyed Mr Lester and called his attention to the fact that Alvar had appeared in a black velvet coat of a peculiar foreign cut, the sight of which he disliked on a week-day, and considered intolerable when it was contrasted with the spruce neatness of the rest of the party. He could not very well attack Alvar on the subject, but he sharply reproved Bob for cutting hunches of bread when no one wanted them, and found fault with the coffee. And then, apparently à propos of nothing, he began to make a little speech about the importance of example in a country place, and the influence of trifles.
“And I can assure every one present,” he concluded emphatically, “that there is no need to look far for an example of the evil effects of neglect in these particulars.”
“Elderthwaite?” whispered Nettie to Jack.
“Ay,” said Mrs Lester, “young people should show respect to Sunday morning. It is what in my father’s house was always insisted on. Your grandfather, too, used to say that he liked his dogs even to know Sunday.”
“It is strange to me,” said Alvar coolly.
“It will be well that you should give yourself the pains to become accustomed to it,” said his father curtly.
It was the first time that the stately stranger had been addressed in such a tone, and he looked up with a flash of the eye that startled the younger ones.
“Sir, it is by your will I am a stranger here,” he said, with evident displeasure.
“Stranger or no, my regulations must be respected,” said Mr Lester, his colour rising.
Alvar rose from his seat and proved his claim at any rate to the family temper by bowing to his grandmother and marching out of the room.