[The Professor by (AKA Charlotte Bronte) Currer Bell]@TWC D-Link bookThe Professor CHAPTER VI 2/10
When I came in I found your fire out, and I had it lit again, and made that sulky drab of a servant stay and blow at it with the bellows till it had burnt up properly; now, say 'Thank you!'" "Not till I have had something to eat; I can thank nobody while I am so famished." I rang the bell and ordered tea and some cold meat. "Cold meat!" exclaimed Hunsden, as the servant closed the door, "what a glutton you are; man! Meat with tea! you'll die of eating too much." "No, Mr.Hunsden, I shall not." I felt a necessity for contradicting him; I was irritated with hunger, and irritated at seeing him there, and irritated at the continued roughness of his manner. "It is over-eating that makes you so ill-tempered," said he. "How do you know ?" I demanded.
"It is like you to give a pragmatical opinion without being acquainted with any of the circumstances of the case; I have had no dinner." What I said was petulant and snappish enough, and Hunsden only replied by looking in my face and laughing. "Poor thing!" he whined, after a pause.
"It has had no dinner, has it? What! I suppose its master would not let it come home.
Did Crimsworth order you to fast by way of punishment, William!" "No, Mr.Hunsden.Fortunately at this sulky juncture, tea, was brought in, and I fell to upon some bread and butter and cold beef directly. Having cleared a plateful, I became so far humanized as to intimate to Mr.Hunsden that he need not sit there staring, but might come to the table and do as I did, if he liked." "But I don't like in the least," said he, and therewith he summoned the servant by a fresh pull of the bell-rope, and intimated a desire to have a glass of toast-and-water.
"And some more coal," he added; "Mr. Crimsworth shall keep a good fire while I stay." His orders being executed, he wheeled his chair round to the table, so as to be opposite me. "Well," he proceeded.
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