round to it—even as soon as he saw that it was coming—he collapsed in an extra degree.
“I wish you had been taken up, and locked up,” said the person of the house. “I wish you had been poked into cells and black holes, and run over by rats and spiders and beetles. I know their tricks and their manners, and they’d have tickled you nicely. Ain’t you ashamed of yourself?”
“Yes, my dear,” stammered the father.
“Then,” said the person of the house, terrifying him by a grand muster of her spirits and forces before recurring to the emphatic word, “ What do you mean by it?”
“Circumstances over which had no control,” was the miserable creature’s plea in extenuation.
“ I’ll circumstance you and control you too,” retorted the person of the house, speaking with vehement sharpness, “if you talk in that way. I’ll give you in charge to the police, and have you fined five shillings when you can’t pay, and then I won’t pay the money for you, and you’ll be transported for life. How should you like to be transported for life?”
“Shouldn’t like it. Poor shattered invalid. Trouble nobody long,” cried the wretched figure.
“Come, come!” said the person of the house, tapping the table near her in a businesslike manner, and shaking her head and her chin; “you know what you’ve got to do. Put down your money this instant.”
The obedient figure began to rummage in its pockets.
“Spent a fortune out of your wages, I’ll be bound!” said the person of the house. “Put it here! All you’ve got left! Every farthing!”