“You are not going to punish me for—”
“Hold out your hand, sir!”
“Really, I acted for the best. If it was a mistake, I—”
“Do you hear me, sir? Hold out your hand at once!”
Felgate sullenly obeyed, and Mr Bickers there and then discharged his little debt, adding interest.
“Now go away, and don’t dare to come near me again! Stay, take with you these tokens of your ill-timed humour; they may serve to amuse someone else. Begone!” and he thrust into his hands the unlucky parcel and closed the door in his face.
Felgate, smarting and bewildered, walked back to his house with the parcel under his arm, furious with Mr Bickers, and as eager now for revenge on him as yesterday he had been for revenge on Railsford.
What could have happened to make all his carefully laid scheme fall through, and set Mr Bickers, whom he had counted upon as an ally, thus suddenly against him? Had Railsford met him with some counter-charge, or turned the tables by some unexpected move in the face of his accusers?
That could not be, for already the rumour had spread through the house that Mr Railsford had resigned his post.
What did Mr Bickers mean by talking of a joke, and thrusting back upon him the very proofs which but yesterday had been objects of such anxious care and solicitude to them both?