And, by the way, I must not fail to offer you my little compliment.

It is a gratifying surprise to meet you in the dress of a gentleman, and to see'-- with a circular look upon the scattered bills--'that your necessities have already been so liberally relieved.' I bowed with a smile that was perhaps no less hateful than his own.
'There are so many necessities in this world,' said I.

'Charity has to choose.

One gets relieved, and some other, no less indigent, perhaps indebted, must go wanting.' 'Malice is an engaging trait,' said he.
'And envy, I think ?' was my reply.
He must have felt that he was not getting wholly the better of this passage at arms; perhaps even feared that he should lose command of his temper, which he reined in throughout the interview as with a red-hot curb, for he flung away from me at the word, and addressed the lawyer with insulting arrogance.
'Mr.Romaine,' he said, 'since when have you presumed to give orders in this house ?' 'I am not prepared to admit that I have given any,' replied Romaine; 'certainly none that did not fall in the sphere of my responsibilities.' 'By whose orders, then, am I denied entrance to my uncle's room ?' said my cousin.
'By the doctor's, sir,' replied Romaine; 'and I think even you will admit his faculty to give them.' 'Have a care, sir,' cried Alain.

'Do not be puffed up with your position.