“Shut up! Not a word out of you! There may be murder done in this house to-night! You’re not too big yet for me to thrash, even if you can line the help up against me in my own factory.”
Despite his white-hot rebellion Nathan saw a facial expression that made him fear his father. It cowed him. Beside, at heart he was still much of a boy and the habit of obedience was strong in him.
“Now,” declared Johnathan, “you’re going to listen to me. Edith! Anna! Go out! This is my affair and Nathan’s—alone!”
The terrified women withdrew. Father and son faced one another beneath that ghastly white light from the burner sticking out from the wall.
“You’ve been going with that girl—unbeknown to me—you’ve been seen with her!”
Johnathan began moving back the chairs dramatically.
“All right! Suppose I have! What of it?”
“Then you—you—admit it!”
“Yes. I admit it!”
“Unbeknown to me—against all I’ve told you—you’ve gone with her and now you admit it!”