I’m not going to support you any longer, I can tell you.  And, what’s more, do you know what I’m going to do just, now?  I’m going off to old Todd—­that’s my lawyer—­and I’m going to tell him to make another will and to leave every farthing I have—­and that isn’t much short of two millions, one way and another—­to Addison and Roscoe.  They don’t want it, but that don’t matter.  You shan’t have it—­no, not a farthing of it; and I won’t have a pile like that frittered away in charities and mismanagement.  There now, my fine young gentleman, just be off and see if your new business principles will get you a living.”

“All right, uncle; I’m going,” said the young man, quietly.  “I quite understand what our quarrel means for me, and, to tell you the truth, I am not sorry.  I have never wished to be dependent on you, or to have anything to do with a business carried on as Meeson’s is.  I have a hundred a year my mother left me, and with the help of that and my education, I hope to make a living.  Still, I don’t want to part from you in anger, because you have been very kind to me at times, and, as you remind me, you picked me out of the gutter when I was orphaned or not far from it.  So I hope you will shake hands before I go.”

“Ah!” snarled his uncle; “you want to pipe down now, do you?  But that won’t do.  Off you go! and mind you don’t set foot in Pompadour Hall,” Mr. Meeson’s seat, “unless it is to get your clothes.  Come, cut!”

“You misunderstand me,” said Eustace, with a touch of native dignity which became him very well.  “Probably we shall not meet again, and I did not wish to part in anger, that was all.  Good morning.”  And he bowed and left the office.

“Confound him!” muttered his uncle as the door closed, “he’s a good plucked one—­showed spirit.  But I’ll show spirit, too.  Meeson is a man of his word.  Cut him off with a shilling? not I; cut him off with nothing at all.  And yet, curse it, I like the lad.  Well, I’ve done with him, thanks to that minx of a Smithers girl.  Perhaps he’s sweet on her? then they can go and starve together, and be hanged to them!  She had better keep out of my way, for she shall smart for this, so sure as my name is Jonathan Meeson.  I’ll keep her up to the letter of that agreement, and, if she tries to publish a book inside of this country or out of it, I’ll crush her—­yes, I’ll crush her, if it cost me five thousand to do it!” and, with a snarl, he dropped his fist heavily upon the table before him.

Then he rose, put poor Augusta’s agreement carefully back into the safe, which he shut with a savage snap, and proceeded to visit the various departments of his vast establishment, and to make such hay therein as had never before been dreamt of in the classic halls of Meeson’s.

To this hour the clerks of the great house talk of that dreadful day with bated breath—­for as bloody Hector raged through the Greeks, so did the great Meeson rage through his hundred departments.  In the very first office he caught a wretched clerk eating sardine sandwiches.  Without a moment’s hesitation he took the sandwiches and threw them through the window.