And, perhaps, so far as he was himself concerned, it was better for his soul’s health to be free from all connection with a man like Askam.
Thus he reflected, as he took his homeward way, and on arriving at the Red Gables, found the rooms dark, and Michael still absent.
About half-past ten he arrived, and found Roger alone, in an easy-chair by the fireside.
‘Halloa! Back again!’ exclaimed Michael.
‘Ay!’
‘You took her away altogether, did you?’
‘Yes.’
‘Quite right, too. Brutes like him want showing that they can’t ride rough-shod over every one and everything.’[everything.’]
‘Michael, do you think he is a little cracked?’
‘Not a particle, unless being born bad, and a bully, is being cracked. It is a somewhat debatable question, you know, now. We are so very liberal and tolerant in these days. It seems to be the theory that if by chance you behave decently, you ought at once to have a statue put up to you; whereas, if you conduct yourself like a savage, or a blackleg, or as if you had been brought up amongst professional thieves, and the lowest riff-raff, the thing is, that you are not quite all there, poor fellow!—that’s all, and ought not to be considered accountable for your actions. It’s not a view that I ever took, and I say that Otho Askam is no more mad than you are at this moment. He’s vicious, and he’s a bully. And I suppose that Miss Wynter had crossed him in some way, and he wanted to punish her publicly. That’s about the tune of it.’[it.’]