to restrain my feelings, I poured upon him the boiling
rage of my indignation, and did and said many bitter things, that had
been better unsaid. He threatened to complain of me to his father. I
dared him to do his worst--and left the room in a state of dreadful
excitement.

The next morning, while busy in the office, Mr. Moncton came in, and
closed the door carefully after him.

I rose as he entered and stood erect before him. I knew by the deadly
pallor of his face, that something decisive was about to take place.

"Geoffrey," he said, in a low, hoarse voice, which he vainly
endeavoured to make calm, "you have grossly insulted my son, and spoken
to him in the most disrespectful terms of me, your friend and
benefactor. Without you will make a full and satisfactory apology to me
for such intemperate language, and ask his pardon, you may dread my
just displeasure."

"Ask his pardon!" I cried; almost choking with passion--"for what? For
his treating me like a menial and a slave!--Never, Mr. Moncton, never!"

My uncle regarded me with the same icy glance which froze my blood when
a child, while I recapitulated my wrongs, with all the eloquence which
passion gives--passion which makes even the slow of speech act the part
of an orator.

He listened to me with a smile of derision.

Carried beyond the bounds of prudence, I told him, that I would no
longer be subjected to such degrading tyranny; that his deceitful
conduct had cancelled all ties of obligation between us; that the
favours lately conferred upon me, I now saw had only been bestowed to
effect my ruin; that he had been acting a base and treacherous game
with me to further his own dishonest views; that I was fully aware of
his motives, and appreciated them as they deserved; that he well knew
the story of my illegitimacy was a forgery, that I had the means to
prove it one, and would do it shortly; that the term of my articles
would expire on the following day, and I would then leave his house for
ever and seek my own living.

"You may do so to-day," he replied, in the same cool sarcastic tone;
and unlocking his desk he took out the indentures.

A sudden terror seized me. Something in his look threatened danger: I
drew a quicker breath, and advanced a few paces nearer.

All my hopes were centered in that sheet of parchment, to obtain which,
I had endured seven years of cruel bondage. "No, no," said I, mentally,
"he cannot be such a villain--he dare not do it