“Then you could not have been listening, sir, attentively,” retorted Sir James. “I look upon it as disobedient and undutiful and—and cowardly.”
“Oh, father! cowardly!” cried Mark, making another unsuccessful attempt to set his shoulder free. “How could it be cowardly?”
“Why, sir, if there’s any selfishness in it you want to shuffle it off your shoulders on to mine.”
“Oh, no, father; don’t say that.”
“But I have said it, sir,” cried Sir James.
“But he doesn’t mean it, Mark,” cried Dean.
“What, sir! What! What! What’s that, sir? How dare you!” thundered Sir James. “Are you going to be insolent and disobedient too?”
“Excuse me, Sir James,” said the doctor. “Let me say a few words.”
“No, sir,” cried Sir James fiercely, “not one word! This is my affair. I never interfere with you over your teaching of my boys.”
“I beg your pardon, Sir James.”