John, who happened to be present, stepped forward unsolicited, and said, "Then Hugo lies. He himself has had the gloves."
"What do you say?" said the baron, motioning to the steward to go.
"I say the truth."
"What do you mean, sir, by accusing my son in the presence of a servant?"
"Mr. X. is not a servant, and, besides, he is innocent."
"Yes, very innocent—playing cards together and drinking with the boys! That's a nice business, eh?"
"Why did you not mention it before? Then you would have found out that I do not drink with the boys."
"'You,' you d—d hobbledehoy! What do you mean by calling me 'you.'"
"Mr. Secretary can look for another 'hobbledehoy' to teach his boys, since Mr. Secretary is too covetous to engage a grown person." So saying, John departed.
On the next day they were to return to the town, for the Christmas holidays were at an end. So he would have to go home again—back into hell, to be despised and oppressed, and it would be a thousand times worse after he had boasted of his new situation, and compared it with his parents' house to the disadvantage of the latter. He wept for anger, but after such an insult there was no retreat.