"I'm master of my own house."

"Of course, dear boy. I beg your pardon, I'm sure."

"Granted! I'll let you see I'm not going to be dictated to by haughty, ill-tempered women. Madam, my friend wants some soda and brandy. Get it at once."

Wrigley gave Janet a nod and a smile, as if to say, "Better humour him."

"All right, dear boy," he said; "I won't have any now."

"I say you shall, sir. Sit down. Think I'm going to let her show her airs to you."

"Oh, nonsense, nonsense!"

"Hold your tongue. I know what I'm talking about. She's got Clive on the brain. Always throwing my brother at me. Scoundrel about poor Lyddy Milsom, but she can't let him drop."

"Mr Wrigley, I will see to my husband," said Janet coldly. "You will excuse me; it is getting late."

"Really, I beg your pardon," said Wrigley, speaking with gentlemanly deference. "Yes, it will be better. Good-night, Mrs Reed. I am very sorry he should have been so affected, but it is really nothing.

Believe me."

"Hold your tongue, will you? Mind your own business," cried Jessop sharply. "I know what you're saying."

"All right, old fellow. Get up to bed now. Good-night."

Jessop made a dash at his wrist and held it fast.

"Sit down. Not going yet. I'm master here. Won't go and fetch the soda and brandy, won't she? Very well; then she shall hear something she won't like. Look here, madam, what do you say to our dear brother now? On the stilts, is he? Well, then, he has got to come down."

"Here, that will do, my dear Jessop," said Wrigley, with a hurried laugh. "Don't take any notice, Mrs Reed."

"You hold your tongue, I say again," cried Jessop, gripping Wrigley's wrist so tightly that, without a struggle, there was no escape. "She has to hear it."

"Nonsense, nonsense!"

"Is it?" cried Jessop, sitting bolt upright now.

"We shall see about that. She's always at me about him."

"Now, my dear old Jessop, friend of all these years, do you think I want you to insult Mrs Reed before me?"

"Insult, is it? You should hear how she insults me."

"And I daresay you deserve it, just as you do now."

"No, you don't. Want to make friends at court, do you?"

"There, there! let me help you to bed, old fellow."

"I'm going up to bed when I like, and when you're gone."

"All right, then, I'll go now. I should have been rattling off to town in the cab if you hadn't stopped me. There! good-night."

"Sit down. She's got to hear it. Do you hear, you Janet? He's a fine boy, our Clive. Sort of Abel, he is, and I'm a kind of Cain, am I? But we shall see. Cries about him, she does, and before her lawful husband.

Jealous of him. Do you hear, Janet?"

"Mr Wrigley, pray go," she cried indignantly.

"My dear madam, I really am trying to go, but you see."

"A blackguard with his pretty mistress down in Derbyshire. Nice saint!"

Janet turned and her eyes flashed, while Jessop burst into a jeering laugh.

"That bites her. n.o.body must look at a pretty girl. She's everybody, Wrigley. Do you hear? Old Bob Wrigley--I say, wasn't it Ridley, though?"

"Yes, all the same; but come now, be a good boy, and go to bed. You're hurting my wrist."

"Serve you right."

"But you're driving the sleeve-links into the flesh."

"Serve you right. You've driven sleeve-links into plenty of people's flesh. Sit still. And you, Madam Janet, do you hear? We're going to ruin him."

"Reed! Don't make an a.s.s of yourself. He doesn't know what he is saying, Mrs Reed."

"Ha, ha! Don't I? Ruined, I tell you. Play Jacob to me, would he?

Down upon his knees he comes."

Janet looked sharply from one to the other, and Wrigley, who made no effort to go now, uttered an uneasy laugh.

"I've been down and found out all about him and his nice little ways.

Do you hear, madam? Pretty mistress. Beats you all to fits. Dark.

Large eyes. Juno sort of a girl. He's got fine taste, our Clive. He knows a pretty girl when he sees one. This isn't a white-faced Lyddy, but dark, I tell you; skin like cream, teeth of pearls, and a red, full, upturned lip. A beauty!"

"'Pon my word, my dear Jessop, you ought to be ashamed of yourself,"

said Wrigley.

"I am, to be here, and not down there, trying--bah! it wouldn't want any trying--cutting the blackguard out."

"Really, Mrs Reed, I feel quite ashamed to be here listening to such nonsense, but pray don't take any notice; it is all said in a teasing spirit, and to-morrow morning he will not know what occurred."

Janet looked at him searchingly, but she made no reply. In fact, she had no time, for Jessop chuckled.

"Won't I?" he cried. "Don't you make any mistake, lawyer. Sharper fellow than you think for. I'm drunk, am I? Only my legs, old man.

Head's sober as a judge. You think you are making me your tool, do you?

All right: perhaps so; but I'm a very sharp tool, old man, and if you don't use me properly I may cut your fingers." Wrigley coughed.

"There!" he said; "you have had a good long talk, and you can let me go."