His consequent capacity for suffering acutely from all the
dislike that his temper and obstinacy can bring upon him is proved by
his wistful, wounded eyes, by a plaintive note in his voice, a painful
want of confidence in his welcome, and a constant but indifferently
successful effort to correct his natural incivility of manner and
proneness to take offence. By his keen brows and forehead he is clearly
a shrewd man; and there is no sign of straitened means or commercial
diffidence about him: he is well dressed, and would be classed at a
guess as a prosperous master manufacturer in a business inherited from
an old family in the aristocracy of trade. His navy blue coat is not of
the usual fashionable pattern. It is not exactly a pilot's coat; but it
is cut that way, double breasted, and with stout buttons and broad
lappels, a coat for a shipyard rather than a counting house. He has
taken a fancy to Valentine, who cares nothing for his crossness of grain
and treats him with a sort of disrespectful humanity, for which he is
secretly grateful.)
VALENTINE. May I introduce---this is Mr. Crampton---Miss Dorothy
Clandon, Mr. Philip Clandon, Miss Clandon. (Crampton stands nervously
bowing. They all bow.) Sit down, Mr. Crampton.
DOLLY (pointing to the operating chair). That is the most
comfortable chair, Mr.
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