"To one whom I have offended."
"That's me, of course," said the knight and read on.
As he read and re-read he grew more and more bewildered, for this was an
apology, an abject grovelling plea for forgiveness.
"_It is forbidden that I should see you----_"
"Quite right," said Sir Harry. "I told William that under no
circumstance he was to admit him."
"_My letters are returned unopened_" (Sir Harry smiled grimly. He _had_
received a letter in the Duke's handwriting and had promptly reposted
it), "_and with every day comes a surer knowledge of my error in
opposing your will...._
"_It is this realization that has decided me upon my future conduct.
You wish me to go away--I will go. You wish me to be more
considerate_"--("I've never said so in so many words," commented the
knight)--"_you desire that I should forego all local ambition and retire
to the oblivion from whence I sprang--so be it._"
"Remarkable," was all that Sir Harry could say.
"_If I have caused you pain by my presumption_"--("Pain!" said Sir
Harry, and thought of the sixty thousand pounds)--"_I am sorry. I
return to the wilds, to the illimitable breadth and length of the
wilderness. Here on some waterless plain, where vultures hover in the
clear blue sky...._"
"D'ye know," said Sir Harry helplessly. "D'ye know, Hal. I really
cannot understand this business. I really can _not_. Last week he was
referring to me as 'the sort of person who had made England what she
was'--in quite an objectionable way--spoke insultingly about the leather
trade and referred meaningly to Hidebound Arrogance. Now----!"
"It's Tuppy!" said Hal. "I knew it would happen; Tuppy is the chap who
is working the oracle. As soon as the idea occurred to me I said, 'By
Jove! that's a corker!'"
Sir Harry fixed his pince-nez more firmly on his nose and continued to
read--
"_I have dared too much_" ("I should jolly well say so," interjected
Hal), "_I have moved too fast and I pay the penalty. Our contract is
broken_" ("That's an important admission if he goes into court about the
lease," commented Sir Harry over his glasses); _"at the appointed time I
will remove myself. Farewell._"
Sir Harry folded up the paper. He looked at Hal, and Hal looked at him.
Then Sir Harry took off his glasses, folded them and placed them
ceremoniously in his waistcoat pocket.
"May we say," he queried with majestic calm, "that we have triumphed?"
Strangely enough this "Open Letter" inspired the same question in the
mind of Alicia Terrill.