Mrs. Talbot, for this was now her name, blushed and looked uncomfortable. Her husband looked angry.
"Really, young man," he said, "it seems to me that is a very improper way of addressing your mother."
For the first time Robert fixed his eyes upon this man whom he was so suddenly called upon to think of as—not his father, for he could not tolerate the thought—but as his mother's husband. As before mentioned, he was a small-sized man, with black hair and side whiskers, a thin face, aquiline nose, and an expression which, so far from attracting, actually repelled the boy. It was a baleful look, which suggested Mephistopheles, though this well-known character in Faust did not occur to Robert, for he had never heard of him. The boy was not accustomed to regard new acquaintances with repugnance, but this was the feeling with which he regarded Mr. Talbot.
"I hate you!" he blazed out in sudden fury. "Oh, mother, why did you marry him?"
This, it must be admitted, was not a very cordial welcome, and the boy's anger was reflected in the face of his new step-father, who bit his nether lip, and glared at our hero with wrathful eyes.
"You are an impudent cub!" he exclaimed. "I won't forget the way you have received me."
"Oh, James, forgive him!" pleaded the mother. "He doesn't realize what he says. He will get over it to-morrow."
"I shall never get over it, mother!" said Robert. "If you must marry again, why at least didn't you marry a gentleman?"
"I'll get even with you for this, young man!" exclaimed Talbot furiously.