CHAPTER V.

tinthisworldtheyareangels.Thesoulsofjustmenmadeperfectmayencountertheminheaven,butyoursoulwillneverbemadeperfect.Eighto’clockstrikes!yourhandsarethawed,gettowork!” “Work?whyshouldIwork?”saidIsullenly:“IcannotpleasethoughItoillikeaslave.”“Work,work!”reiteratedtheinwardvoice.“Imaywork,itwilldonogood,”IgrowledbutneverthelessIdrewoutapacketoflettersandcommencedmytask—taskthanklessandbitterasthatoftheIsraelitecrawlingoverthesun-bakedfieldsofEgyptinsearchofstrawandstubblewherewithtoaccomplishhistaleofbricks. Aboutteno’clockIheardMr.Crimsworth’sgigturnintotheyard,andinaminuteortwoheenteredthecounting-house.ItwashiscustomtoglancehiseyeatSteightonandmyself,tohanguphismackintosh,standaminutewithhisbacktothefire,andthenwalkout.Todayhedidnotdeviatefromhisusualhabitstheonlydifferencewasthatwhenhelookedatme,hisbrow,insteadofbeingmerelyhard,wassurlyhiseye,insteadofbeingcold,wasfierce.Hestudiedmeaminuteortwolongerthanusual,butwentoutinsilence. Twelveo’clockarrivedthebellrangforasuspensionoflabourtheworkpeoplewentofftotheirdinnersSteighton,too,departed,desiringmetolockthecounting-housedoor,andtakethekeywithme.Iwastyingupabundleofpapers,andputtingthemintheirplace,preparatorytoclosingmydesk,whenCrimsworthreappearedatthedoor,andenteringcloseditbehindhim. “You’llstayhereaminute,”saidhe,inadeep,brutalvoice,whilehisnostrilsdistendedandhiseyeshotasparkofsinisterfire. AlonewithEdwardIrememberedourrelationship,andrememberingthatforgotthedifferenceofpositionIputawaydeferenceandcarefulformsofspeechIansweredwithsimplebrevity. “Itistimetogohome,”Isaid,turningthekeyinmydesk. “You’llstayhere!”hereiterated.“Andtakeyourhandoffthatkey!leaveitinthelock!” “Why?”askedI.“Whatcauseisthereforchangingmyusualplans?” “DoasIorder,”wastheanswer,“andnoquestions!Youaremyservant,obeyme!Whathaveyoubeenabout—?”Hewasgoingoninthesamebreath,whenanabruptpauseannouncedthatragehadforthemomentgotthebetterofarticulation. “Youmaylook,ifyouwishtoknow,”Ireplied.“Thereistheopendesk,therearethepapers.” “Confoundyourinsolence!Whathaveyoubeenabout?” “Yourwork,andhavedon