“Did he tell you that he was disobedient and disrespectful to me?”
“No; he told me that you treated him so badly that he was unwilling to live in the same house with you,” answered Gilbert, boldly.
“Well, upon my word!” exclaimed Mrs. Crawford, fanning herself vigorously. “Dr. Crawford, did you hear that?”
“Yes.”
“And what do you think of it?”
“Well, I think you may have been too hard upon Carl.”
“Too hard? Why, then, did he not treat me respectfully? This boy seems inclined to be impertinent.”
“I answered your questions, madam,” said Gilbert, coldly.
“I suppose you side with your friend Carl?”
“I certainly do.”