I have no doubt that there are men and women who look back with a fond regret to the palmy days of Shap.
Vavasor reached the little inn about nine in the evening on a night that was pitchy dark, and in a wind which made it necessary for him to hold his hat on to his head. "What a beastly country to live in," he said to himself, resolving that he would certainly sell Vavasor Hall in spite of all family associations, if ever the power to do so should be his. "What trash it is," he said, "hanging on to such a place as that without the means of living like a gentleman, simply because one's ancestors have done so." And then he expressed a doubt to himself whether all the world contained a more ignorant, opinionated, useless old man than his grandfather,--or, in short, a greater fool.

 Vavasor reached the little inn on a pitch dark, windy night.
"What a beastly past of the country," he said to himself, resolving that he would certainly sell Vavasor Hall if it ever became his. "What trash it is, hanging on to such a place as that, simply because one's ancestors have done so. But the world does not hold a more ignorant, useless old fool than my grandfather."
