A minute or two and again he moved, this time with more evident impatience.

The next thing he did was to rise, step to the bell, and ring it violently.
The same servant appeared.
'Isn't the bath ready ?' Hubert asked.

His former mode of speaking had been brief and decided; he was now almost imperious.
'I believe it will be in a moment, sir,' was the reply, marked, perhaps, by just a little failure in the complete subservience expected.
Hubert looked at the man for an instant with contracted brows, but merely said--'Tell them to be quick.' The man returned in less than three minutes with a satisfactory announcement, and Eldon went upstairs to refresh himself.
Two hours later he had dined, with obvious lack of appetite, and was deriving but slight satisfaction from a cigar, when the servant entered with a message from Mrs.Eldon: she desired to see her son.
Hubert threw his cigar aside, and made a gesture expressing his wish to be led to his mother's room.

The man conducted him to the landing at the head of the first flight of stairs; there a female servant was waiting, who, after a respectful movement, led the way to a door at a few yards' distance.

She opened it and drew back.