right with
him yet.

"And you mustn't be angry with me for speaking harshly to you," he
said.

"I wasn't a bit angry."

"Yes, you were; and I rather meant that you should be. But you
mustn't go away in dudgeon."

He stayed at the Manor House one day longer, and then he returned to
his room at the Income-tax Office, to the disagreeable sound of Sir
Raffle's little bell, and the much more disagreeable sound of Sir
Raffle's big voice.

CHAPTER LIX

John Eames Becomes a Man

Eames, when he was half way up to London in the railway carriage,
took out from his pocket a letter and read it. During the former
portion of his journey he had been thinking of other things; but
gradually he had resolved that it would be better for him not to
think more of those other things for the present, and therefore he
had recourse to his letter by way of dissipating his thoughts. It
was from Cradell, and ran as follows:--

INCOME-TAX OFFICE, May, 186--.

MY DEAR JOHN,--

I hope the tidings which I have to give you will not make
you angry, and that you will not think I am untrue to the
great friendship which I have for you because of that which
I am now going to tell you. There is no _man_--[and the
word "man" was underscored]--there is no _man_ whose regard
I value so highly as I do yours; and though I feel that you
can have no just ground to be displeased with me after all
that I have heard you say on many occasions, nevertheless,
in matters of the heart it is very hard for one person
to understand the sentiments of another, and when the
affections of a lady are concerned, I know that quarrels
will sometimes arise.

Eames, when he had got so far as this, on the first perusal of the
letter, knew well what was to follow. "Poor Caudle!" he said to
himself; "he's hooked, and he'll never get himself off the hook
again."

But let that be as it may, the matter has now gone too far
for any alteration to be made by me; nor would any mere
earthly inducement suffice to change me. The claims
of friendship are very strong, _but those of love are
paramount_. Of course I know all that has passed
between you and Amelia Roper. Much of this I had heard from
you before, but the rest she has now told me with that
pure-minded honesty which is the most remarkable feature
in her character. She has confessed that at one time she
felt attached to you, and that sh