lready found out for himself, but it
disposed of his scruples about old adherents, and it was well for
Eustace to hear it from such oracular lips as might neutralise the
effect of Bullock's flattery, for it had become quite plain to my
opened eyes that he was trying to gain the squire's ear, and was very
jealous of Harold.

I knew, too, that to listen to his advice was the way to Lord
Erymanth's heart, and rejoiced to hear Harold begging for the names of
recent books on drainage, and consulting our friend upon the means of
dealing with a certain small farm in a tiny inclosed valley, on an
outlying part of the property, where the yard and outhouses were in a
permanent state of horrors; but interference was alike resented by
Bullock and the farmer, though the wife and family were piteous
spectacles of ague and rheumatism, and low fever smouldered every
autumn in the hamlet.

Very sound advice was given and accepted with pertinent questions, such
as I thought must convince anyone of Harold's superiority, when he must
needs produce a long blue envelope, and beg Lord Erymanth to look at it
and tell him how to get it presented to the Secretary of State.

It was graciously received, but no sooner did the name of Stanislas
Prometesky strike the earl's eyes than he exclaimed, "That rascally old
demagogue! The author of all the mischief. It was the greatest error
and weakness not to have had him executed."

"You have not seen my father's statement?"

"Statement, sir! I read statements till I was sick of them, absolutely
disgusted with their reiteration, and what could they say but that he
was a Pole? A Pole!" (the word uttered with infinite loathing). "As
if the very name were not a sufficient conviction of whatever is
seditious and treasonable, only that people are sentimental about it,
forsooth!"

Certainly it was droll to suspect sentiment in the great broad giant,
who indignantly made reply, "The Poles have been infamously treated."

"No more than they deserved," said Lord Erymanth, startled for once
into brevity. "A nation who could never govern themselves decently,
and since they have been broken up, as they richly deserved, though I
do not justify the manner--ever since, I say, have been acting the
incendiary in every country where they have set foot. I would as soon
hear of an infernal machine in the country as a Pole!"

"Poles deserve justice as well as other men," said Harold, perhaps the
more doggedly