"Oh, bother! Keep your Latin till you get back to Oxford, Tom," exclaimed the elder brother. "We talk English down here."
"And not always that, Dick," answered the younger brother, mischievously. "But come, Tincroft, must you really go now?"
"I am afraid I must."
"Isn't it beating a rather inglorious retreat, though? What will your friends at High Beech think about it?"
"I intend to walk over there this evening and say 'Good-bye,'" said John, sullenly.
"Do you really mean that, though?" Mr. Grigson said, gravely. "I think I wouldn't if I were you, dear fellow."
John really did mean it, though; for, like a good many other dull persons, he was obstinate when put upon his mettle. He did not see why he should not go and tell Mr. Mark a bit of his mind concerning his impertinent observations and inquiries. At any rate, he was not going to have it said of him that he was ashamed to show his face anywhere he pleased because scandal had been spoken. And, in short, whether or not there were any secret and unconfessed motive hidden in his heart, he braced up his resolution, and before the day had closed in, he was on his way to the farm.
"I'll let Mr. Rubric know that I am master of my own actions," thought he to himself as he strode along; "and as to Mr. Grigson, I am much obliged to him for his hospitality, but I am a free agent, I hope, for all that."
"It's the way of the world," mused poor John Tincroft, bitterly; "let a fellow like me be under a cloud, and every favourite of fortune may give him a kick. What is it to the parson and the squire if I have chosen to take my walks in this direction? They wouldn't have thought anything about it, if I had been rich. Why did I come down here to be first patronised and then bullied? I don't want their patronage, and won't be bullied," continued he, in his unreasonable anger; and then, having let off steam, so to speak, John cooled down. "Not but what they mean well enough, I daresay; but there's no harm in seeing Miss Wilson again, and saying 'Good-bye.' I'll give her a little good advice, too; that is, I'll put her on her guard against eavesdroppers and scandal-mongers. Poor girl!"
And so "chewing the cud of sweet and bitter fancies," John presently found himself at the farm, as unfit as can be well imagined of any man under similar circumstances for putting good resolutions into effect; in other words, as incapable of giving good advice as he had shown himself averse from taking it.