Mr. Tucker proved to be the pettifogger into whose hands Grafton had put his affairs, taking them from Mr. Dulany at Mr. Carvel’s death.  The man was all in a sweat, and had hardly got in the door before he began to talk.  He had no less astonishing a proposition to make than this, which he enunciated with much mouthing of the honour and sense of duty of Mr. Grafton Carvel.  His client offered to Mr. Richard Carvel the estate lying in Kent County, embracing thirty-three hundred acres more or less of arable land and woodland, with a fine new house, together with the indented servants and negroes and other chattels thereon.  Mr. Richard Carvel would observe that in making this generous offer for the welfare of his nephew, Mr. Tucker’s client was far beyond the letter of his obligations; wherefore Mr. Grafton Carvel made it contingent upon the acceptance of the estate that his nephew should sign a paper renouncing forever any claims upon the properties of the late Mr. Lionel Carvel.  This condition was so deftly rolled up in law-Latin that I did not understand a word of it until Mr. Swain stated it very briefly in English.  His quiet laugh prodigiously disconcerted the pettifogger, who had before been sufficiently ill at ease in the presence of the great lawyer.  Mr. Tucker blew his nose loudly to hide his confusion.

“And what say you, Richard?” said Mr. Swain, without a shade of accent in his voice.

I bowed my head.  I knew that the honest barrister had read my heart when he spoke of noblesse oblige.  That senseless pride of cast, so deep-rooted in those born in our province, had made itself felt.  To be a factor (so I thought, for I was young) was to renounce my birth.  Until that moment of travail the doctrine of equality had seemed very pretty to me.  Your fine gentleman may talk as nobly as he pleases over his Madeira, and yet would patronize Monsieur Rousseau if he met him; and he takes never a thought of those who knuckle to him every day, and clean his boots and collect his rents.  But when he is tried in the fire, and told suddenly to collect some one else’s rents and curse another’s negroes, he is fainthearted for the experiment.  So it was with me when I had to meet the issue.  I might take Grafton’s offer, and the chance to marry Dorothy was come again.  For by industry the owner of the Kent lands would become rich.

The room was hot, and still save for the buzzing of the flies.  When I looked up I discovered the eyes of all three upon me.

“You may tell your client, Mr. Tucker, that I refuse his offer,” I said.

He got to his feet, and with the customary declaration of humble servitude bowed himself out.

The door was scarce closed on him when the captain had me by the hands.

“What said I, Henry?” he cried.  “Did I not know the lad?”

Mr. Swain did not stir from his seat.  He was still gazing at me with a curious expression.  And then I saw the world in truer colour.  This good Samaritan was not only taking me into his home, but would fight for my rights with the strong brain that had lifted him out of poverty and obscurity.  I stood, humbled before him.