“But how will he find out _what is_ honourable, unless he can reason?” replied De Grey. “Oh,” said Archer, “his own feelings always tell him what is honourable.” “Have not _your feelings_,” asked De Grey, “changed within these few hours?” “Yes, with circumstances,” replied Archer; “but right or wrong, as long as I think it honourable to do so and so, I’m satisfied.” “But you cannot think anything honourable, or the contrary,” observed De Grey, “without reasoning; and as to what you call feeling, it’s only a quick sort of reasoning.” “The quicker, the better,” said Archer. “Perhaps not,” said De Grey. “We are apt to reason best when we are not in quite so great a hurry.” “But,” said Archer, “we have not always time enough to reason _at first_.” “You must, however, acknowledge,” replied De Grey, smiling, “that no man but a fool thinks it honourable to be in the wrong _at last_. Is it not, therefore, best to begin by reasoning to find out the right _at first_?” “To be sure,” said Archer. “And did you reason with yourself at first? And did you find out that it was right to bar Dr. Middleton out of his own schoolroom, because he desired you not to go into one of his own houses?” “No,” replied Archer; “but I should never have thought of heading a Barring Out, if he had not shown partiality; and if you had flown into a passion with me openly at once for pulling down your scenery, which would have been quite natural, and not have gone slily and forbid us the house out of revenge, there would have been none of this work.” “Why,” said De Grey, “should you suspect me of such a mean action, when you have never seen or known me do anything mean, and when in this instance you have no proofs?” “Will you give me your word and honour now, De Grey, before everybody here, that you did not do what I suspected?” “I do assure you, upon my honour, I never, indirectly, spoke to Dr. Middleton about the playhouse.” “Then,” said Archer, “I’m as glad as if I had found a thousand pounds! Now you are my friend indeed.” “And Dr. Middleton—why should you suspect him without reason any more than me?” “As to that,” said Archer, “he is your friend, and you are right to defend him; and I won’t say another word against him. Will that satisfy you?” “Not quite.” “Not quite! Then, indeed you are unreasonable!” “No,” replied De Grey; “for I don’t wish you to yield out of friendship to me, any more than to honour. If you yield to reason, you will be governed by reason another time.” “Well; but then don’t triumph over me, because you have the best side of the argument.” “Not I! How can I?” said De Grey; “for now you are on _the best side_ as well as myself, are not you? So we may triumph together.”