Mr. Channing will be sorry; the precious
magistrates will be sorry; that blessed dean, who wanted to turn him
from the college, will be sorry. Not a soul of them but believes him
guilty; and I hope they'll be brought to repentance for it, in
sackcloth and ashes."
"Go on with your work," said Mr. Galloway, angrily.
Roland made a show of obeying. But his tongue was like a steam-engine:
once set going, it couldn't readily be stopped, and he presently looked
up again.
"I am not uncharitable: at least, to individuals. I always said the
post-office helped itself to the note, and I'd lay my last half-crown
upon it. But there _are_ people in the town who think it could only
have gone in another way. You'd go into a passion with me, sir,
perhaps, if I mentioned it."
Mr. Galloway--it has been before mentioned that he possessed an
unbounded amount of curiosity, and also a propensity to gossip--so far
forgot the force of good example as to ask Roland what he meant. Roland
wanted no further encouragement.
"Well, sir, there are people who, weighing well all the probabilities
of the case, have come to the conclusion that the note could only have
been abstracted from the letter by the person to whom it was addressed.
None but he broke the seal of it."
"Do you allude to my cousin, Mr. Robert Galloway?" ejaculated Mr.
Galloway, as soon as indignation and breath allowed him to speak.
"Others do," said Roland.
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