I was already watching him. As for Sir Charles Sperrigoe, he flushed crimson—as if somebody had struck him an insulting blow. He leaned forward.
"You—my dear sir, I am, I fear, inclining to deafness," he said. "Did I understand you to say———"
"I said I don't want it, and I won't have it!" repeated Parslewe, loudly. "I should have told old Matthew that if he'd ever asked me about it. I'm a man of fixed and immutable principle. When I went out to India as a young man, I made a vow that I'd never own or take anything in this life that I didn't earn by my own effort, and I'll stick to it! I don't want the Palkeney estate, nor the Palkeney house, nor the Palkeney money—I've plenty of money of my own, more than I know what to do with, and a house that suits me better than this does. If you want to know me, look again at that motto! What I please, that I'll do! And I won't have this—that's flat!"
Sir Charles's astonished face regained its normal colour, and he suddenly laughed with genuine amusement.
