“Ah! and that 's the very thing I'll not suffer him to do. No, no, sir; I know the Colonel too well for that. He may, when he is well and about again, he may forgive his son, his son and heir, for having possessed himself with a knowledge of many important details; but he 'd not forgive the agent, Mr. Harding. I think I can hear the very words he 'd use. He said once on a time to me, 'I want no Grand Vizier, Harding; I 'm Sultan and Grand Vizier too.' So I said to Mr. Augustus, 'I 've no head for business after dinner, and particularly when I have tasted your father's prime Madeira.' And it is true, sir; true as you stand there. The doctor and I had finished the second decanter before we took our coffee.” L'Estrange now looked the speaker fully in the face; and to his astonishment saw that signs of his having drank freely--which, strangely enough, had hitherto escaped his notice--were now plainly to be seen there. “No, sir, not a bit tipsy,” said Harding, interpreting his glance; “not even what Mr. Cutbill calls 'tight'! I won't go so far as to say I 'd like to make up a complicated account; but for an off-hand question as to the value of a standing crop, or an allowance for improvements in the case of a tenant at will, I'm as good as ever I felt. What's more, sir, it's seventeen years since I took so much wine before. It was the day I got my appointment to the agency, Mr. L'Estrange. I was weak enough to indulge on that occasion, and the Colonel said to me, 'As much wine as you like, Harding--a pipe of it, if you please; but don't be garrulous.' The word sobered me, sir--sobered me at once. I was offended, I'll not deny it; but I couldn't afford to show that I felt it. I shut up; and from that hour to this I never was 'garrulous' again. Is it boasting to say, sir, that it's not every man who could do as much?” The curate bowed politely, as if in concurrence. “You never thought me garrulous, sir?” “Never, indeed, Mr. Harding.” “No, sir, it was not the judgment the world passed on me. Men have often said Harding is cautious, Harding is reserved, Harding is guarded in what he says; but none have presumed to say I was garrulous.” “I must say I think you dwell too much on a mere passing expression. It was not exactly polite; but I am sure it was not intended to convey either a grave censure or a fixed opinion.” “I hope so; I hope so, with all my heart, sir,” said he, pathetically. But his drooping head and depressed look showed how little of encouragement the speech gave him. “Mr. Augustus begs you 'll come to him in the library, sir,” said a footman, entering, and to L'Estrange's great relief, coming to his rescue from his tiresome companion.