"I don't intend to quarrel.
I'll wait till you choose to unlock the safe." This mild reply seemed to exasperate Harris far more than an angry retort would have done.

He was naturally short-tempered, and when conscious that he was being worsted in an argument before his fellow- clerks he was always particularly savage.
He walked up to Smith and demanded furiously, "Didn't I tell you I'm not going to be spoken to by a low gaol-bird like you?
If you don't hold your tongue I'll give you such a thrashing as will make you remember it." "Come now, you fellows," said Doubleday, "if you must have a row, keep it to yourselves.

The governor will be here in a second.

Plenty of time for a shindy in the evening." Even this interposition failed to put the irate Harris off his purpose.
Seizing a ruler, he struck Smith a blow on the shoulder with it that resounded all through the office.
"There, you cowardly dog, take that for daring to speak to a gentleman!" Smith sprang to his feet, his face flushed with sudden pain and anger.
At the same moment I, who had been a silent and miserable spectator of the scene hitherto, could bear it no longer, and rushed forward to help my old friend.

He had clenched his fist and seemed about to return the blow, when, catching sight of me, his face changed suddenly to one of misery and scorn, as letting fall his arm he dropped again on to his seat heedless of the second blow of his cowardly assailant.
Was ever misfortune like mine?
Not only had I done my friend the worst injury one fellow could do to another, but at the very moment when, at least, he was about to show his comrades that all spirit had not been crushed out of him, I had by my hateful presence baulked him of his purpose, and made him appear before every one a coward! And what a scorn his must be when he would rather submit tamely to a cowardly blow than have me suppose that for a moment anything _I_ could do would be of service to him! However, Mr Merrett's arrival put an end to further altercation for the present, and during the next few hours no one would have guessed what fires were smouldering under the peaceful surface of the Hawk Street counting-house.
As the evening approached I became more and more nervous and restless.
For, come what would of it, I had determined I _would_ speak to Jack Smith.
He seemed to guess my intention, for he delayed leaving the office unusually long, in the hope that I would leave before him.