"Consider the subject well before you give such a decided refusal," warned Sandow with an icy calm, under which lay a half-concealed threat. "It is the first demand I make on you; if you fail me now, any future accommodation is impossible. It is quite in my power to draw back from the proposed arrangement; think of that!"
"Frank, you would not force me"--
"I force you to nothing; I only explain to you that we part if you persist in your refusal. If you are prepared for the consequences, well and good. I hold to my conditions."
He bent over his writing table, and took from it some papers which he placed in his pocket-book. Gustave stood silently by, his eyes fixed on the floor, a dark cloud on his brow.
"Just at the moment when Frida is on her way here," murmured he. "Impossible. I cannot sacrifice that."
"Well?" asked Sandow, turning to him.
"Give me time for consideration. The thing has come so suddenly, so unexpectedly. I will think it over."
The elder brother was quite contented with this partial submission; he had certainly not doubted that his threat would produce its effect.
"Good! a week sooner or later does not matter. I hope you will have sense to see that one must act according to circumstances. But come now, it is high time that we were at the office. And once more, Gustave, give yourself up to my guidance for the future, and undertake no more extravagances like this journey. You see, it only gives rise to differences between us, and increases the difficulties of your position."
"Decidedly," said Gustave, half aloud, while he prepared to follow his brother. "My position is tolerably difficult, worse than I had anticipated."