What, therefore, he became when he had
succeeded in clambering to the top, and looked down from
the lordly height he had after many years of plodding
service obtained, we must leave it to the imaginations
of our readers to determine. We reserve it to a future
page, to relate more interesting particulars.
Sufficient has been shown, however, from this outline of
his character, as well as from the conversations among
his officers, elsewhere transcribed, to account for the
governor's conduct in the case of Halloway. That the
recommendation of his son, Captain de Haldimar, had not
been attended to, arose not from any particular ill-will
towards the unhappy man, but simply because he had always
been in the habit of making his own selections from the
ranks, and that the present recommendation had been warmly
urged by one who he fancied pretended to a discrimination
superior to his own, in pointing out merits that had
escaped his observation. It might be, too, that there
was a latent pride about the manner of Halloway that
displeased and dissatisfied one who looked upon his
subordinates as things that were amenable to the haughtiness
of his glance,--not enough of deference in his demeanour,
or of supplicating obsequiousness in his speech, to
entitle him to the promotion prayed for.
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