'Come hither, lad,' said Mr Chester. 'You know Mr Geoffrey Haredale?'
Barnaby laughed, and looked at the landlord as though he would say,
'You hear him?' John, who was greatly shocked at this breach of decorum,
clapped his finger to his nose, and shook his head in mute remonstrance.
'He knows him, sir,' said John, frowning aside at Barnaby, 'as well as
you or I do.'
'I haven't the pleasure of much acquaintance with the gentleman,'
returned his guest. 'YOU may have. Limit the comparison to yourself, my
friend.'
Although this was said with the same easy affability, and the same
smile, John felt himself put down, and laying the indignity at Barnaby's
door, determined to kick his raven, on the very first opportunity.
'Give that,' said the guest, who had by this time sealed the note, and
who beckoned his messenger towards him as he spoke, 'into Mr Haredale's
own hands. Wait for an answer, and bring it back to me here. If you
should find that Mr Haredale is engaged just now, tell him--can he
remember a message, landlord?'
'When he chooses, sir,' replied John. 'He won't forget this one.'
'How are you sure of that?'
John merely pointed to him as he stood with his head bent forward, and
his earnest gaze fixed closely on his questioner's face; and nodded
sagely.
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