The most difficult thing for a man who has been secretly coaxing his own anger, is to begin to give it vent without appearing unreasonable; and Mr. Tims's countenance was so cold, dry, and calm, that nothing could be made out of the "Good morning, Captain Delaware!" with which he opened the conversation.
"I thought, sir, that by making my visit so early, I should have found you at home," was Captain Delaware's brief rejoinder.
"Business called me abroad," replied Mr. Tims, as laconically.
"Were you going toward Emberton Park?" demanded the young officer.
"No, sir, I was not!" answered Mr. Tims, whose manner toward the son of "poor Sir Sidney Delaware," was always very different from that which he assumed to rich Mr. Burrel, and was peculiarly simple on the present occasion.
"You were not!" cried Captain Delaware; "then, let me tell you, sir, you should have been there yesterday. I beg to know, sir, why you were not to the time you yourself appointed for the signature of the mortgage, and the payment of the money advanced."
"Because it was not convenient, sir, and because the money was not ready," replied Mr. Tims, with imperturbable calmness.
Captain Delaware's command over himself abandoned him; and, raising the whip he had in hand, he shook it over the miser's head, exclaiming, "Not convenient! Not ready! By Heaven! if it were not for your years, I would make you find it convenient to keep your word when you have pledged it, and to be ready at the time you promise!"
He was dropping the whip, though his eyes were still flashing, when a voice close beside him, proceeding from an honest neighboring farmer, whose approach he had not observed, exclaimed, "Captain! Captain! Don't ye strike the old man! Don't ye, now! Don't ye! Oh, that's right, now--reason it with him, like--but don't ye strike him!"
"No, no, Ritson, I am not going to strike him!" replied Captain Delaware. "Go on, my good fellow, and leave us; I will not strike him!"