"Get up this
moment, and sit down to a table somewhere. Your own room, where there is
nobody to disturb you, is better than amid the chit-chat here; do you
hear me? get up, sir, and go."

Johnnie stumbled to his feet appalled; he was too much startled to say
anything. He took his books across the room to the writing-table which
Reginald had abandoned in a similar way. But by the time he reached that
haven, he came to himself, and recovering his courage muttered something
about the hardship to which he was thus exposed, as boys have a way of
doing; upon which Mr. May got suddenly up, seized him by the shoulders
and turned him out of the drawing-room. "I said your own room, sir,"
cried this impartial father, distributing to all alike an equal share of
his urbanities. When he had accomplished this, he stood for a moment and
looked at the rest of his confused and uncomfortable family. "There is
not much cheerful society to be had here this evening, I perceive," he
said. "It is pleasant to come in from one's cares and find a reception
like this, don't you think? Let some one bring me some coffee to my
study. I am going to write."

"Whose fault is it that he gets such a reception?" burst forth Janey,
the moment her father had closed the door. "Who does it all, I wonder?
Who treats us like a set of wretches without any feeling? I can't hush,
I won't hush! Oh, shouldn't I be glad to go out as a housemaid, to do
anything!"

"Oh, Janey, hush! we can't help ourselves, we are obliged to put up with
it," said Ursula; "but Reginald, he is not obliged, he can save himself
when he likes. Oh, I know, I know papa is unreasonable; but, Reginald,
aren't you a little bit unreasonable too?"

"Don't you begin to reproach me," cried the young man, "I have had
enough for one day. Have I been such a charge upon him, Ursula? What has
he spent upon me? Next to nothing. That tailor's bill he spoke of, he
knew as well as I do that I paid it by the tutorship I had in the
vacation. It is his bill that is not paid, not mine. And then James's
money--"

"Oh, never mind that, never mind the past," cried Ursula, "think of the
present, that's what you ought to do. Oh, Reginald, think; if _I_ had
the chance of two hundred and fifty pounds a year! there is nothing I
would not do for it. I would scrub floors, as he said, I would do
anything, the dirtiest work. You will be independent, able to do what
you please, and never to ask papa for anything. Regina