thasiyglanceseemedtodiveintomyeyes.

    “Stubborn?”hesaid,“andannoyed.Ah!itissistent.Iputmyrequestinanabsurd,almostiform.MissEyre,Ibegyourpardois,onceforall,Idon’twishtotreatyoulikeaninferior:thatis”(correghimself),“Iclaimonlysuchsuperiorityasmustresultfromtwentyyears’differenageaury’sadvanexperiehisislegitimate,etj’ytiens,asAdèlewouldsay;anditisbyvirtueofthissuperiority,andthisalohatIdesireyoutohavethegoodotalktomealittlenow,anddivertmythoughts,whicharegalledwithdwellingononepoint—keringasarustynail.”

    Hehaddeignedanexplanation,almostanapology,andIdidnotfeelinsensibletohisdession,andwouldnotseemso.

    “Iamwillingtoamuseyou,ifI,sir—quitewilling;butIotintroduceatopic,becausehowdoIknoilliyou?Askmequestions,andIwilldomybesttoahem.”

    “Then,inthefirstplace,doyouagreewithmethatIhavearighttobealittlemasterful,abrupt,perhapsexag,sometimes,onthegroundsIstated,hatIamoldenoughtobeyourfather,andthatIhavebattledthroughavariedexperiehmanymenofmanynations,androamedoverhalftheglobe,whileyouhavelivedquietlywithoofpeopleinonehouse?”

    “Doasyouplease,sir.”

    “Thatisnoanswer;orratheritisaveryirritating,becauseaveryevasiveone.Replyclearly.”

    “Idon’tthink,sir,youhavearighttoandme,merelybecauseyouareolderthanI,orbecauseyouhaveseeheworldthanIhave;yourclaimtosuperioritydependsontheuseyouhavemadeofyourtimeandexperience.”

    “Humph!Promptlyspoken.ButIwon’tallowthat,seeingthatitwouldneversuitmycase,asIhavemadeanindifferent,nottosayabad,useofbothadvantages.Leavingsu