Oh, father, don’t say that.
Yes, I will say that! I say he ought to have been drowned years ago! Didn’t he rob me of a son and daughter?
I presume he would say that you robbed him in the same way.
Presume, eh! What right have you to presume? (bringing down his cane,) I’ll teach you to presume, you hussy! You charge your father with robbing! (thump—thump.)
Oh, no, father, I don’t charge you with anything. I don’t mean anything.
I do. I mean everything, (striking the table with his cane.) You must have been taking lessons from the red-skins in America, and haven’t retained their manners. You are a regular wild-cat—catamount—tiger—rattlesnake!
A servant enters and announces the arrival of Lieutenant Powers.
Send the contemptible dog in! he exclaimed in a rage.
Father, he is your son. Don’t call him a dog.
I shall call him what I please! I will!—I will!