in the affair that he was now corresponding with the principal. "I'll
teach those fellows in Bedford Row to know who I am," he had said to
himself more than once, sitting on his high stool at Hamworth.

And then came the Groby Park Christmas dinner. To speak the truth Mr.
Mason had himself gone to the neighbouring butcher, and ordered the
surloin of beef, knowing that it would be useless to trust to orders
conveyed through his wife. He had seen the piece of meat put on
one side for him, and had afterwards traced it on to the kitchen
dresser. But nevertheless when it appeared at table it had been
sadly mutilated. A steak had been cut off the full breadth of it--a
monstrous cantle from out its fair proportions. The lady had seen the
jovial, thick, ample size of the goodly joint, and her heart had been
unable to spare it. She had made an effort and turned away, saying to
herself that the responsibility was all with him. But it was of no
use. There was that within her which could not do it. "Your master
will never be able to carve such a mountain of meat as that," she had
said, turning back to the cook. "Deed, an' it's he that will, ma'am,"
said the Irish mistress of the spit; for Irish cooks are cheaper than
those bred and born in England. But nevertheless the thing was done,
and it was by her own fair hands that the envious knife was used. "I
couldn't do it, ma'am," the cook had said; "I couldn't railly."

Mr. Mason's face became very black when he saw the raid that had been
effected, and when he looked up across the table his wife's eye was
on him. She knew what she had to expect, and she knew also that it
would not come now. Her eye steadily looked at his, quivering with
fear; for Mr. Mason could be savage enough in his anger. And what had
she gained? One may as well ask what does the miser gain who hides
away his gold in an old pot, or what does that other madman gain
who is locked up for long long years because he fancies himself the
grandmother of the Queen of England?

But there was still enough beef on the table for all of them to
eat, and as Mrs. Mason was not intrusted with the carving of it,
their plates were filled. As far as a sufficiency of beef can make
a good dinner Mr. and Mrs. Green did have a good dinner on that
Christmas-day. Beyond that their comfort was limited, for no one was
in a humour for happy conversation.

And over and beyond the beef there was a plum-pudding and three
mince-pies. Four min