tofhisdaughter,butIwasanxioustosendPerkinsandthewagonettehome,andtheopportunitywasagoodone.IalightedandsentamessagetoSirHenrythatIshouldwalkoverintimefordinner.ThenIfollowedFranklandintohisdining-room.
“Itisagreatdayforme,sir—oneofthered-letterdaysofmylife,”hecriedwithmanychuckles.“Ihavebroughtoffadoubleevent.Imeantoteachtheminthesepartsthatlawislaw,andthatthereisamanherewhodoesnotfeartoinvokeit.IhaveestablishedarightofwaythroughthecentreofoldMiddleton’spark,slapacrossit,sir,withinahundredyardsofhisownfrontdoor.Whatdoyouthinkofthat?We’llteachthesemagnatesthattheycannotrideroughshodovertherightsofthecommoners,confoundthem!AndI’veclosedthewoodwheretheFernworthyfolkusedtopicnic.Theseinfernalpeopleseemtothinkthattherearenorightsofproperty,andthattheycanswarmwheretheylikewiththeirpapersandtheirbottles.Bothcasesdecided,Dr.Watson,andbothinmyfavour.Ihaven’thadsuchadaysinceIhadSirJohnMorlandfortrespassbecauseheshotinhisownwarren.”
“Howonearthdidyoudothat?”
“Lookitupinthebooks,sir.Itwillrepayreading—Franklandv.Morland,CourtofQueen’sBench.Itcostme￡200,butIgotmyverdict.”
“Diditdoyouanygood?”
“None,sir,none.IamproudtosaythatIhadnointerestinthematter.Iactentirelyfromasenseofpublicduty.Ihavenodoubt,forexample,thattheFernworthypeoplewillburnmeineffigytonight.Itoldthepolicelasttimetheydiditthattheyshouldstopthesedisgracefulexhibitions.TheCountyConstabularyisinascandalousstate,sir,andithasnotaffordedmetheprotectiontowhichIamentitled.ThecaseofFranklandv.Reginawillbringthematterbeforetheattentionofthepublic.Itoldthemthattheywouldhaveoccasiontoregrettheirtreatmentofme,andalreadymywordshavecometrue.”
“Howso?”Iasked.
Theoldmanputonaveryknowingexpression.“BecauseIcouldtellthemwhattheyaredyingtoknowbutnothingwouldinducemetohelptherascalsinanyway.”
IhadbeencastingroundforsomeexcusebywhichIcouldgetawayfromhisgossip,butnowIbegantowishtohearmoreofit.Ihadseenenoughofthecontrarynatureoftheoldsinnertounderstandthatanystrongsignofinterestwouldbethesurestwaytostophisconfid