as due to his pacifical disposition (deeply believed in by him) to
spare himself the trouble of a visit to Bevisham.

The young gentleman whom he regarded as the Radical doctor's dupe, fell
in for a share of his view of the doctor, and Mr. Romfrey became less
fitted to observe Nevil Beauchamp's doings with the Olympian gravity he
had originally assumed.

The extreme delicacy of Rosamund's conscience was fretted by a
remorseful doubt of her having conveyed a just impression of Dr.
Shrapnel, somewhat as though the fine sleek coat of it were brushed the
wrong way. Reflection warned her that her deliberative intensely sincere
pause before she responded to Mr. Romfrey's last demand, might have
implied more than her words. She consoled herself with the thought that
it was the dainty susceptibility of her conscientiousness which caused
these noble qualms, and so deeply does a refined nature esteem the gift,
that her pride in it helped her to overlook her moral perturbation. She
was consoled, moreover, up to the verge of triumph in her realization of
the image of a rivalling and excelling power presented by Mr. Romfrey,
though it had frightened her at the time. Let not Dr. Shrapnel come
across him! She hoped he would not. Ultimately she could say to herself,
'Perhaps I need not have been so annoyed with the horrid man.' It was
on Nevil's account. Shrapnel's contempt of the claims of Nevil's family
upon him was actually a piece of impudence, impudently expressed, if she
remembered correctly. And Shrapnel was a black malignant, the foe of the
nation's Constitution, deserving of punishment if ever man was; with
his ridiculous metaphors, and talk of organs and pianos, orchestras
and despotisms, and flying to the sun! How could Nevil listen to the
creature! Shrapnel must be a shameless, hypocrite to mask his wickedness
from one so clear-sighted as Nevil, and no doubt he indulged in his
impudence out of wanton pleasure in it. His business was to catch young
gentlemen of family, and to turn them against their families, plainly.
That was thinking the best of him. No doubt he had his objects to gain.
'He might have been as impudent as he liked to me; I would have pardoned
him!' Rosamund exclaimed. Personally, you see, she was generous. On
the whole, knowing Everard Romfrey as she did, she wished that she had
behaved, albeit perfectly discreet in her behaviour, and conscientiously
just, a shade or two differently. But the evil was done.