III

           ItwasnotintheroomknownattheredhouseasMr.Royall’s“office”thathereceivedhisinfrequentclients.Professionaldignityandmasculineindependencemadeitnecessarythatheshouldhavearealoffice,underadifferentroof;andhisstandingastheonlylawyerofNorthDormerrequiredthattheroofshouldbethesameasthatwhichshelteredtheTownHallandthepost-office.

           Itwashishabittowalktothisofficetwiceaday,morningandafternoon.Itwasonthegroundfloorofthebuilding,withaseparateentrance,andaweatheredname-plateonthedoor.Beforegoinginhesteppedintothepost-officeforhismail—usuallyanemptyceremony—saidawordortwotothetown-clerk,whosatacrossthepassageinidlestate,andthenwentovertothestoreontheoppositecorner,whereCarrickFry,thestorekeeper,alwayskeptachairforhim,andwherehewassuretofindoneortwoselectmenleaningonthelongcounter,inanatmosphereofrope,leather,tarandcoffee-beans.Mr.Royall,thoughmonosyllabicathome,wasnotaverse,incertainmoods,toimpartinghisviewstohisfellow-townsmen;perhaps,also,hewasunwillingthathisrareclientsshouldsurprisehimsitting,clerklessandunoccupied,inhisdustyoffice.Atanyrate,hishourstherewerenotmuchlongerormoreregularthanCharity’satthelibrary;therestofthetimehespenteitheratthestoreorindrivingaboutthecountryonbusinessconnectedwiththeinsurancecompaniesthatherepresented,orinsittingathomereadingBancroft’sHistoryoftheUnitedStatesandthespeechesofDanielWebster.