'Arry sat under the gross
injustice with an air of doggish defiance.
'I thought you said I was to go to Wanley?' he exclaimed at length,
angrily, glaring at his brother.
Richard avoided the look.
'You'll have to learn to behave yourself first,' he replied. 'If you
can't be trusted to do your duty here, you're no good to me at
Wanley.'
'Arry would give neither yes nor no. The council broke up after
formulating an ultimatum.
In the afternoon Richard had another private talk with the lad. This
time he addressed himself solely to 'Arry's self-interest, explained
to him the opportunities he would lose if he neglected to make
himself a practical man. What if there was money waiting for him?
The use of money was to breed money, and nowadays no man was rich
who didn't constantly increase his capital. As a great ironmaster,
he would hold a position impossible for him to attain in any other
way; he would employ hundreds, perhaps thousands, of men; society
would recognise him. What could he expect to be if he did nothing
but loaf about the streets?
This was going the right way to work. Richard found that he was
making an impression, and gradually fell into a kinder tone, so that
in the end he brought 'Arry to moderately cheerful acquiescence.
'And don't let men like that Keene make a fool of you,' the monitor
concluded.
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