"Easy for you to talk," exclaimed Miss Keeldar, who was beginning to wax warm in her tenant's cause--"you, whose family have lived at Briarmains for six generations, to whose person the people have been accustomed for fifty years, who know all their ways, prejudices, and preferences--easy, indeed, for _you_ to act so as to avoid offending them. But Mr. Moore came a stranger into the district; he came here poor and friendless, with nothing but his own energies to back him, nothing but his honour, his talent, and his industry to make his way for him. A monstrous crime indeed that, under such circumstances, he could not popularize his naturally grave, quiet manners all at once; could not be jocular, and free, and cordial with a strange peasantry, as you are with your fellow-townsmen! An unpardonable transgression that when he introduced improvements he did not go about the business in quite the most politic way, did not graduate his changes as delicately as a rich capitalist might have done! For errors of this sort is he to be the victim of mob outrage? Is he to be denied even the privilege of defending himself? Are those who have the hearts of men in their breasts (and Mr. Helstone, say what you will of him, has such a heart) to be reviled like malefactors because they stand by him, because they venture to espouse the cause of one against two hundred?"
"Come, come now, be cool," said Mr. Yorke, smiling at the earnestness with which Shirley multiplied her rapid questions.

"Easy for you to talk," exclaimed Miss Keeldar warmly, "you, whose family have lived at Briarmains for six generations, who knows all the people's ways and prejudices - easy, indeed, for you to avoid offending them. But Mr. Moore came a stranger into the district, poor and friendless, with nothing but his own energies and talent to back him. A monstrous crime indeed that he could not become popular all at once; could not be jocular and free with strangers! Unpardonable that he did not introduce improvements as gradually as a rich capitalist might have done! For these errors is he to be the victim of mob outrage? Is he to be denied the privilege of defending himself? Are brave men to be reviled because they stand by him, and support the cause of one against two hundred?"
"Come now, be cool," said Mr. Yorke, smiling at Shirley's earnestness.
