As long as communication was confined to the
merest commonplace all went well, but if these were departed from ever
such a little he invariably felt that his father's instincts showed
themselves in immediate opposition to his own. When he was attacked
his father laid whatever stress was possible on everything which his
opponents said. If he met with any check his father was clearly
pleased. What the old doctor had said about Theobald's speaking ill of
no man was perfectly true as regards others than himself, but he
knew very well that no one had injured his reputation in a quiet
way, so far as he dared to do, more than his own father. This is a
very common case and a very natural one. It often happens that if
the son is right, the father is wrong, and the father is not going
to have this if he can help it.
It was very hard, however, to say what was the true root of the
mischief in the present case. It was not Ernest's having been
imprisoned. Theobald forgot all about that much sooner than nine
fathers out of ten would have done. Partly, no doubt, it was due to
incompatibility of temperament, but I believe the main ground of
complaint lay in the fact that he had been so independent and so
rich while still very young, and that thus the old gentleman had
been robbed of his power to tease and scratch in the way which he felt
he was entitled to do.
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