Oliver flushed. ‘There is no reason to look at the change in that light, Jim,’ he said earnestly. ‘I know my father was an honest man. There is no piece of knowledge I possess which I would be more unwilling to give up. I have never for a moment suspected your integrity—I would as soon question my own. But every man must act according to his individual light. These practices we are talking about are objectionable and can easily be rendered dishonest. At least everybody should know the nature and amount of breadstuff, like any other stuff, that he gets for his money, though I don’t say he is cheated if he knowingly and willingly takes an artificially bleached, roughly calculated purchase, several ounces under or over the mark, for the look or the fashion of it. The worst is that few people know what they are about in such transactions.’ ‘Well, all I have to say, Master Oliver,’ said Jim doggedly, ‘these are a deal too fine distinctions for me. I cannot consent to be treated like a man as has long been a party, in the capacity of foreman, to defrauding the public of their due—me as never tampered with light weights, which your father would have been the last to even either me or hisself to—not in our whole lives. I tell you, sir, it is putting shame on us both, and on a respectable trade, for you to sport them whims and fads in carrying it on at this time of day. Nobody will thank you for it, and as for your dark-coloured, home-tasted bread, nobody will like it or buy it. You’ll soon throw to the dogs as fine a baking business as was ever worked up in more than one generation.’ ‘I can’t help that,’ said Oliver inflexibly. ‘If the townspeople are fools and pin their faith to mock instead of to real merits, it shall be in spite of me and not because of me.’ ‘Then, Master Oliver, it’s right I should speak out. My nephew ’Arry, as was ready, with a little help, to buy the old business if it had come into the market, will begin in Friarton, on his own account, this here Michaelmas. He has axed me to jine him. And why shouldn’t I? I would not have deserted the old concern if I could have been of any use. But it seems my experience was all wrong. I’m too old a cock to begin afresh. Besides, I’m free to tell you the mode followed by a young gentleman as knows nothing of trade save out of books, and is, if he will pardon me for mentioning it, a rank enthusiast, will be all downhill and no mistake. I cannot stop you, Master Oliver; you refuse to be guided by me, so I must wash my hands of you, and jine my nephew ’Arry, to whom I can do a good turn, though it goes sore against the grain if you’ll believe me, sir, to start an opposition to Constable’s business, as I helped to make flourish, and which was the pride of my ’eart, years before you came into the world, Master Oliver.’ As Jim ended a slight quiver passed over his compact features.