Then he took off his hat again, and when there was silence
he said,--
"I thank you heartily, one and all, good friends, for the welcome
that you have given me. Glad indeed I am to come down to my father's
home, and to be so greeted by those who knew him, and especially by
those who followed him in the field in the evil days which have, we
may hope, passed away for ever. You all know, perhaps, that I owe my
return here as master to the noble generosity of Mr. Harvey, your
late landlord, who restored me the estates, not being bound in any
way to do so, but solely because he considered that he had already
been repaid the money he gave for them. This may be true, but,
nevertheless, there is not one man in a hundred thousand who would so
despoil himself of the benefits of a bargain lawfully made, and I beg
you therefore to give three cheers, as hearty as those with which you
greeted me, for Mr. Harvey."
Three cheers, as long and loud as those that had before risen,
responded to the appeal.
"Such a man," Cyril went on, when they subsided, "must have been a
just and good landlord to you all, and I shall do my best to give you
no cause for regret at the change that has come about."
He paused for a moment to speak to Mr. Popham, who stood beside him,
and then went on,--
"I did not know whether I could ask you to drink to my health, but I
learn from Mr. Popham that the cellars have been left well filled;
therefore, my first orders on coming to the house of my fathers will
be that a cask of wine shall be speedily broached, and that you shall
be enabled to drink my health.
Pages:
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411