The Squire thought them interminable.

Dinner was a gloomy and embarrassed function.

His daughters were afraid of rousing a fresh whirlwind of temper, if the gates were mentioned; and nothing else was interesting.

The meal was short and spare, and the Squire noticed for the first time that while meat was offered to him, the others fed on fish and vegetables.

All to put him in the wrong, of course! After dinner he went back to the library.