Theobald's mind
worked in this way: "Now, I know Ernest has told this boy what a
disagreeable person I am, and I will just show him that I am not
disagreeable at all, but a good old fellow, a jolly old boy, in fact a
regular old brick, and that it is Ernest who is in fault all through."
So he would behave very nicely to the boy at first, and the boy would be
delighted with him, and side with him against Ernest. Of course if
Ernest had got the boy to come to Battersby he wanted him to enjoy his
visit, and was therefore pleased that Theobald should behave so well, but
at the same time he stood so much in need of moral support that it was
painful to him to see one of his own familiar friends go over to the
enemy's camp. For no matter how well we may know a thing--how clearly we
may see a certain patch of colour, for example, as red, it shakes us and
knocks us about to find another see it, or be more than half inclined to
see it, as green.
Theobald had generally begun to get a little impatient before the end of
the visit, but the impression formed during the earlier part was the one
which the visitor had carried away with him. Theobald never discussed
any of the boys with Ernest.
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