"If he isn't a kind of a stool-pigeon for Harvey Green, then I'm mistaken again."
"Hardly. He cannot, already, have become so utterly unprincipled."
"It's a bad school, sir, this tavern-keeping," said the man.
"I readily grant you that."
"And it's nearly seven years since he commenced to take lessons. A great deal may be learned, sir, of good or evil, in seven years, especially if any interest be taken in the studies."
"True."
"And it's true in this case, you may depend upon it. Simon Slade is not the man he was, seven years ago. Anybody with half an eye can see that. He's grown selfish, grasping, unscrupulous, and passionate. There could hardly be a greater difference between men than exists between Simon Slade the tavern-keeper, and Simon Slade the miller."
"And intemperate, also?" I suggested.
"He's beginning to take a little too much," was answered.
"In that case, he'll scarcely be as well off five years hence as he is now."