said Tappitt, "he would never be able
to show himself again in the High Street."

Mrs. Tappitt, who was anxious but not enraged, did not see the matter
quite in the same light, but she was not able to oppose her husband
in his indignation. When she suggested that it might be well for them
to raise money and pay off their enemy's claim, merely stipulating
that a rival brewery should not be established in Baslehurst, he
swore an oath that he would raise no money for such a purpose. He
would have no dealings with so foul a traitor except through his
lawyer, Honyman. "But Honyman thinks you'd better settle with him,"
pleaded Mrs. T. "Then I'll go to another lawyer," said Tappitt. "If
Honyman won't stand to me I'll go to Sharpit and Longfite. They won't
give way as long as there's a leg to stand on." For the time Mrs.
Tappitt let this pass. She knew how useless it would be to tell her
husband at the present moment that Sharpit and Longfite would be the
only winners in such a contest as that of which he spoke. At the
present moment Mr. Tappitt felt a pride in his anger, and was almost
happy in the fury of his wrath; but Mrs. Tappitt was very wretched.
If that nasty girl, Rachel Ray, had not come in the way all might
have been well.

"He shan't eat another meal in this house," said Tappitt. "I don't
care," he went on, when his wife pleaded that Luke Rowan must be
admitted to their table because of Mrs. Rowan and Mary. "You can say
what you like to them. They're welcome to stay if they like it, or
welcome to go; but he shan't put his feet under my mahogany again."
On this point, however, he was brought to relent before the hour
of dinner. Baslehurst, his wife told him, would be against him if
he turned his guests away from his house hungry. If a fight was
necessary for them, it would be everything to them that Baslehurst
should be with them in the fight. It was therefore arranged that
Mrs. Tappitt should have a conversation with Mrs. Rowan after dinner,
while the young people were out in the evening. "He shan't sleep in
this house to-morrow," said Tappitt, riveting his assertion with very
strong language; and Mrs. Tappitt understood that her communications
were to be carried on upon that basis.

At three o'clock the Tappitts and Rowans all sat down to dinner. Mr.
Tappitt ate his meal in absolute silence; but the young people were
full of the ball, and the elder ladies were very gracious to each
other. At such entertainments