The Squire admitted uncomfortably that it was
his own fault--only, in fact, what he deserved for making a
land-agent, accountant, and legal adviser out of a poor lady who had
merely engaged herself to be his private secretary for classical
purposes.
All the same he confessed that she had never yet neglected the
classical side of her duties. His thoughts contrasted the library
and the collections as they were now, with what they had been a
couple of months before. Now he knew where books could be found; now
one could see the precious things he possessed. Her taste--her
neatness--her diligence--nothing could beat them. And she moved so
quietly--had so light a foot--and always a pleasant voice and smile.
Oh yes, she had been a great catch--an astonishing catch--no doubt
of that. All the same he was not going to be entirely governed by
her! And again he thought complacently of the weak places in her
scholarship--the very limited extent of her reading--compared to
his. 'By Zeus!--[Greek: ei pot' estin]--if it weren't for that, I
should never keep the whip-hand of her at all!'
She had made a forlorn attempt again, that morning, to dissuade him
from the park adventure.
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