Percy will be able to reckon this illness among the blessings of his life." Mr Rimbolt spoke feelingly and warmly.
Scarfe and Mrs Rimbolt exchanged glances; and the conversation shortly afterwards turned to the journey before the travellers.
Scarfe had come down to the drawing-room resolved, cost what it would, to settle scores with Jeffreys there and then by denouncing him to the family on whose favour he was dependent; and had Mr Rimbolt's entrance been delayed a few minutes, Mrs Rimbolt would have known all about young Forrester.

Once again, however, he was stopped in time, and a few moments' reflection convinced him it was as well.
Raby, he knew, whatever she might think of Jeffreys, would never forgive the informant who should be the means of turning him out of Wildtree, still less would Percy.

Nor was Mr Rimbolt likely to esteem his guest more highly in the capacity of tale-bearer; and he decidedly wished to "keep in" with all three.
And there was another reason still.
Scarfe was at the bottom of his heart not quite a villain, and much as he detested Jeffreys, and longed to be revenged--for what injury do certain minds feel half so much as that which one man commits in being better than another ?--he had an uncomfortable suspicion in his mind that after all Jeffreys was not quite the miscreant he tried to imagine him.
That he was guilty in the matter of young Forrester there was no doubt; but much as he should have liked to believe it, he could not be quite sure that the accident at Bolsover was the result of a deliberate murderous design, or indeed of anything more than the accidental catastrophe of a blundering fit of temper--criminal, if you like, and cowardly, but not fiendish.

And his conscience made coward enough of him just now to cause him to hesitate before plunging into ruin one who, hateful as he was to him, was after all a poor wretch, miserable enough for any one.
Not having done what he intended to do, Scarfe felt decidedly virtuous, and considered himself entitled to any amount of credit for his forbearance! It seemed a pity Raby should not know of this noble effort of self-denial.
"Miss Atherton," said he, just as they were about to separate for the night, "I'm afraid you will have forgotten all about me when you see me next." "You are very uncomplimentary, Mr Scarfe." "I do not mean to be; and I'm sure I shall not forget you." "Thank you.

This has been a very eventful visit." "It has; but I shall never regret that day on the ice, although I fear I made one enemy by what I did." "You don't understand Mr Jeffreys; he is very shy and proud." "I understand him quite well, and wish for Percy's sake every one here did too.