But
neither Louis nor Batchgrew seemed to realize the point. They
both apparently flattered themselves with much simplicity upon the
partiality of the lifelong friend and valuer for Louis, without
perceiving the logical deduction that if he was partial he was a
rascal. Further, Thomas Batchgrew "rubbed Rachel the wrong way" by
subtly emphasizing his own marvellous abilities as a trustee and
executor, and by assuring Louis repeatedly that all conceivable books
of account, correspondence, and documents were open for his inspection
at any time. Batchgrew, in Rachel's opinion, might as well have said,
"You naturally suspect me of being a knave, but I can prove to you
that you are wrong."
Finally, they came to the grand total of Louis' inheritance, which
Rachel had known by heart for several days past; yet Batchgrew rolled
it out as a piece of tremendous news, and immediately afterwards
hinted that the sum represented less than the true worth of Louis'
inheritance, and that he, Batchgrew, as well as his lifelong friend
the valuer, had been influenced by a partiality for Louis. For
example, he had contrived to put all the house property, except the
house at Bycars, into Julian's share; which was extremely advantageous
for Louis because the federation of the Five Towns into one borough
had rendered property values the most capricious and least calculable
of all worldly possessions.
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