Hull. He
was responsible for the woods, wasn't he? He told me he was.'
'Nothing of the kind! In the end the owner is responsible. This
fellow is attacking _me_!'
Elizabeth said nothing. She could only wait in hope to see how the
large sums mentioned in the contract might work.
'"Maximum price"! What's this?--"Had Mr. Mannering been willing to
enter into negotiations with us last year,"'--the Squire began to
read a letter accompanying the draft contract--'"when we approached
him, we should probably have been able to offer him a better price.
But under the scale of prices now fixed by the Government--"'
The owner of Mannering bounded out of his seat.
'And you actually mean to say that I may not only be forced to sell
my woods--but whether I am forced or not, I can only sell them at
the Government price? Intolerable!--absolutely _intolerable_! Every
day that Englishmen put up with these tyrannies is a disgrace to the
country!'
'The country must have artillery waggons and aeroplanes,' said
Elizabeth, softly.
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