he whole sum from the heir. Mr.
Berryl offered his bond for the amount of the reasonable charges in his
account; but this Mordicai absolutely refused, declaring that now he had
the power in his own hands, he would use it to obtain the utmost penny
of his debt; that he would not let the thing slip through his fingers;
that a debtor never yet escaped him, and never should; that a man's
lying upon his deathbed was no excuse to a creditor; that he was not
a whiffler, to stand upon ceremony about disturbing a gentleman in
his last moments; that he was not to be cheated out of his due by such
niceties; that he was prepared to go all lengths the law would allow;
for that, as to what people said of him, he did not care a doit--'Cover
your face with your hands, if you like it, Mr. Berryl; you may be
ashamed for me, but I feel no shame for myself--I am not so weak.'
Mordicai's countenance said more than his words; livid with malice, and
with atrocious determination in his eyes, he stood. 'Yes, sir,' said
he, 'you may look at me as you please--it is possible I am in earnest.
Consult what you'll do now, behind my back or before my face, it comes
to the same thing; for nothing will do but my money or your bond, Mr.
Berryl. The arrest is made on the person of your father, luckily made
while the breath is still in the body. Yes--start forward to strike
me, if you dare--your father, Sir John Berryl, sick or well, is my
prisoner.'

Lady Berryl and Mr. Berryl's sisters, in an agony of grief, rushed into
the room.

'It's all useless,' cried Mordicai, turning his back upon the ladies;
'these tricks upon creditors won't do with me; I'm used to these scenes;
I'm not made of such stuff as you think. Leave a gentleman in peace in
his last moments. No! he ought not, nor shan't die in peace, if he don't
pay his debts; and if you are all so mighty sorry, ladies, there's the
gentleman you may kneel to; if tenderness is the order of the day, it's
for the son to show it, not me. Ay, now, Mr. Berryl,' cried he, as Mr.
Berryl took up the bond to sign it, 'you're beginning to know I'm not a
fool to be trifled with. Stop your hand, if you choose it, sir--it's all
the same to me; the person, or the money, I'll carry with me out of this
house.'

Mr. Beryl signed the bond, and threw it to him.

'There, monster!--quit the house!'

'Monster is not actionable--I wish you had called me rascal,'
said Mordicai, grinning a horrible smile; and taking up the