"Thank you, yes," said Barnabas, "and quite safe!"
"S-safe?"
"As yet," answered Barnabas.
"You aren't d-drunk, are you?"
"No," said Barnabas, "nor are you, for once."
Barrymaine clenched his fists and took a step towards Barnabas, but
spying the bargeman, who now lurched forward, turned upon him in a
fury.
"What the d-devil d' you want? Get out of the way, d' ye hear?--get
out, I say!"
"Axing your pardon, sir, an' meaning no offence, but summat was said
about a bob, sir--vun shilling!"
"Damnation! Give the fellow his s-shilling, Dig, and then k-kick him
out."
Hereupon Mr. Smivvle, having felt through his pockets, slowly
produced the coin demanded, and handing it to the bargeman, pointed
to the door.
"No,--see him downstairs--into the street, Dig. And you needn't
hurry back, I'm going to speak my mind to this f-fellow--once and
for all! So l-lock the street door, Dig."
Mr. Smivvle hesitated, glanced at Barnabas, shrugged his shoulders
and followed the bargeman out of the room. As the door closed,
Barrymaine sprang to it, and, turning the key, faced Barnabas with
arms folded, head lowered, and a smile upon his lips: "Now," said he, "you are going to listen to me--d'you hear? We are
going to understand each other before you leave this room! D'you see?"
"Yes," said Barnabas.
"Oh!" he cried bitterly, "I know the sort of c-crawling thing you are,
Gaunt has warned me--"
"Gaunt is a liar!" said Barnabas.
"I say,--he's told me,--are you listening? Y-you think, because
you've bought my debts, you've bought me, too, body and soul,
and--through me--Cleone! Ah, but you haven't,--before that happens
y-you'll be dead and rotting--and I, and she as well. Are you
listening?--she as well! You think you've g-got me--there beneath
your foot--b-but you haven't, no, by God, you haven't--"
"I tell you Gaunt is a liar!" repeated Barnabas. "I couldn't buy
your debts because he had sold them already. Come with me, and I'll
prove it,--come and let me face him with the truth--"
"The truth? You? Oh, I might have guessed you'd come creeping round
here to see S-Smivvle behind my back--as you do my sister--"
"Sir!" said Barnabas, flushing.
"What--do you dare deny it? Do you d-dare deny that you have met
her--by stealth,--do you? do you? Oh, I know of your secret meetings
with her. I know how you have imposed upon the credulity of a
weak-minded old woman and a one-armed d-dotard sufficiently to get
yourself invited to Hawkhurst. But I tell you this shall stop,--it
shall! Yes, by God,--you shall give me your promise to c-cease your
persecution of my sister before you leave this room, or--"
"Or?" said Barnabas.
"Or it will be the w-worse for you!"
"How?"