“Very well, sir!”
“I do not wish to distress you by taking away your means of livelihood.”
“You are very considerate, sir.”
There was something in Mr. Crabb’s tone that Socrates did not understand. It really seemed that he did not care whether he was taken back or not. But, of course, this could not be. It was absolutely necessary for him, poor as he was, that he should be reinstated. So Mr. Smith proceeded.
“To cut the matter short, I am willing to take you back on two conditions.”
“May I ask you to name them?”
“The first is, that you shall apologize to my nephew for your unjustifiable attack upon him day before yesterday.”
“What is the other, Mr. Smith?”
“The other is, that hereafter you will not exceed the limits of your authority.”
“And you wish my answer?” asked the usher, raising his eyes, and looking fixedly at his employer.