n the time parts
us. Come in! come in! I am in one of my malicious humors this morning,
caused entirely, Mrs. Valeria, by my anxiety to see you. When I am in
my malicious humors I must tease something. I am teasing Ariel. Look
at her! She has had nothing to eat all day, and she hasn't been quick
enough to snatch a morsel of cake yet. You needn't pity her. Ariel has
no nerves--I don't hurt her."

"Ariel has no nerves," echoed the poor creature, frowning at me for
interfering between her master and herself. "He doesn't hurt me."

I heard Benjamin beginning to swing his cane behind him.

"Drop the string!" I reiterated, more vehemently than ever. "Drop it, or
I shall instantly leave you."

Miserrimus Dexter's delicate nerves shuddered at my violence. "What a
glorious voice!" he exclaimed--and dropped the string. "Take the cakes,"
he added, addressing Ariel in his most imperial manner.

She passed me, with the strings hanging from her swollen wrists, and the
dish of cakes in her hand. She nodded her head at me defiantly.

"Ariel has got no nerves," she repeated, proudly. "He doesn't hurt me."

"You see," said Miserrimus Dexter, "there is no harm done--and I dropped
the strings when you told me. Don't _begin_ by being hard on me, Mrs.
Valeria, after your long absence." He paused. Benjamin, standing silent
in the doorway, attracted his attention for the first time. "Who is
this?" he asked, and wheeled his chair suspiciously nearer to the door.
"I know!" he cried, before I could answer. "This is the benevolent
gentleman who looked like the refuge of the afflicted when I saw him
last.--You have altered for the worse since then, sir. You have stepped
into quite a new character--you personify Retributive Justice now.--Your
new protector, Mrs. Valeria--I understand!" He bowed low to Benjamin,
with ferocious irony. "Your humble servant, Mr. Retributive Justice! I
have deserved you--and I submit to you. Walk in, sir! I will take care
that your new office shall be a sinecure. This lady is the Light of
my Life. Catch me failing in respect to her if you can!" He backed his
chair before Benjamin (who listened to him in contemptuous silence)
until he reached the part of the room in which I was standing. "Your
hand, Light of my Life!" he murmured in his gentlest tones. "Your
hand--only to show that you have forgiven me!" I gave him my hand.
"One?" he whispered, entreatingly. "Only one?" He kissed my hand once,
respectfully--and dro