The boldest only stopped to gratify their curiosity by a hasty
glance at the walls of his cottage and garden, and to apologize for it
by a courteous salutation, which the inmate sometimes deigned to return
by a word or a nod. Earnscliff often passed that way, and seldom without
enquiring after the solitary inmate, who seemed now to have arranged his
establishment for life.
It was impossible to engage him in any conversation on his own personal
affairs; nor was he communicative or accessible in talking on any other
subject whatever, although he seemed to have considerably relented in
the extreme ferocity of his misanthropy, or rather to be less frequently
visited with the fits of derangement of which this was a symptom. No
argument could prevail upon him to accept anything beyond the simplest
necessaries, although much more was offered by Earnscliff out of
charity, and by his more superstitious neighbours from other motives.
The benefits of these last he repaid by advice, when consulted (as at
length he slowly was) on their diseases, or those of their cattle.
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