"Yes, I mean it!" he cried, his brain confused, his blood on fire.

"I don't care what you do.

Cut me off! Make me go to work like any common laborer! Crush out all the decency there is in me!" The figure of the huge old man was like a storm-scarred statue.

The tragedy of his countenance filled his son and daughter with awe and terror.

Then, slowly, like a statue falling, he stiffly tilted forward, crashed at full length face downward on the floor.