The poor woman’s voice was so raised and so shrill, that any other and more remorseful feeling which Richard might have conceived was drowned in his apprehensions that she would be overheard by his servants or his guests,—a masculine apprehension, with which females rarely sympathize; which, on the contrary, they are inclined to consider a mean and cowardly terror on the part of their male oppressors.
“Hush! hold your infernal squall,—do’.” said Mr. Avenel, in a tone that he meant to be soothing. “There—sit down—and don’t stir till I come back again, and can talk to you calmly. Leonard, follow me, and help to explain things to our guests.”
Leonard stood still, but shook his head slightly.
“What do you mean, sir?” said Richard Avenel, in a very portentous growl. “Shaking your head at me? Do you intend to disobey me? You had better take care!”
Leonard’s front rose; he drew one arm round his mother, and thus he spoke,
“Sir, you have been kind to me, and generous, and that thought alone silenced my indignation when I heard you address such language to my mother; for I felt that, if I spoke, I should say too much. Now I speak, and it is to say, shortly, that—”
“Hush, boy,” said poor Mrs. Fairfield, frightened; “don’t mind me. I did not come to make mischief, and ruin your prospex. I’ll go!”
“Will you ask her pardon, Mr. Avenel?” said Leonard, firmly; and he advanced towards his uncle.
Richard, naturally hot and intolerant of contradiction, was then excited, not only by the angry emotions, which, it must be owned, a man so mortified, and in the very flush of triumph, might well experience, but by much more wine than he was in the habit of drinking; and when Leonard approached him, he misinterpreted the movement into one of menace and aggression. He lifted his arm: “Come a step nearer,” said he, between his teeth, “and I’ll knock you down.” Leonard advanced the forbidden step; but as Richard caught his eye, there was something in that eye—not defying, not threatening, but bold and dauntless—which Richard recognized and respected, for that something spoke the Freeman. The uncle’s arm mechanically fell to his side. “You cannot strike me, Mr. Avenel,” said Leonard, “for you are aware that I could not strike again my mother’s brother. As her son, I once more say to you,—ask her pardon.”
“Ten thousand devils! Are you mad?—or do you want to drive me mad? You insolent beggar, fed and clothed by my charity! Ask her pardon!—what for? That she has made me the object of jeer and ridicule with that d—-d cotton gown and those double-d—-d thick shoes—I vow and protest they’ve got nails in them! Hark ye, sir, I’ve been insulted by her, but I’m not to be bullied by you. Come with me instantly, or I discard you; not a shilling of mine shall you have as long as I live. Take your choice: be a peasant, a labourer, or—”