"What! make a sot of myself--become a fool, as he is?"

"Then, why did you marry him?"

"Because I was the fool then, but I have suffered for it. Why, he
manages this property as if it wasn't mine--as if I didn't bring it to
him. Think of a man who is silly enough to forgive a tenant his gale
of rent, provided he makes a poor mouth, and says he is not able to pay
it."

"But I see no harm in that either; if the man is not able to pay, how
can he? What does Lindsay do but make a virtue of necessity. He cannot
skin a flint, can he?"

"That's an ugly comparison," she replied, "and I can't conceive why
you make it to me. I am afraid, Harry, you have suffered yourself to be
prejudiced against the only friend--the only true friend, you have in
the house. I can tell you, that although they keep fair faces to you,
you are not liked here."

"Very well; if I find that to be true, they will lose more than they'll
gain by it."

"They have been striving to secure your influence against me. I know it
by your language."

"In the devil's name, how can you know it by my language, mother?"

"You talked about skinning a flint; now, you had that from them