"'No!' Mr. Hugh answered, as sternly as before, 'he has nothing to say for you. Go; and consider this a lucky escape.' "Joseph turned upon the banker, with his face all in a crimson flame, and his eyes flashing fire. 'Let _him_ consider it a lucky escape,' he said, pointing to Mr. Henry Dunbar,—'let _him_ consider it a lucky escape, if when we next meet he gets off scot free.' "He was gone before any body could answer him. "Then Mr. Hugh Dunbar turned to his nephew. "'As for you,' he said, 'you have been a spoilt child of fortune, and you have not known how to value the good things that Providence has given you. You have begun life at the top of the tree, and you have chosen to fling your chances into the gutter. You must begin again, and begin this time upon the lowest step of the ladder. You will sell your commission, and sail for Calcutta by the next ship that leaves Southampton. To-day is the 23rd of August, and I see by the _Shipping Gazette_ that the _Oronoko_ sails on the 10th of September. This will give you little better than a fortnight to make all your arrangements." "The young cornet started from his chair as if he had been shot. "'Sell my commission!' he cried; 'go to India! You don't mean it, Uncle Hugh; surely you don't mean it. Father, you will never compel me to do this.' "Percival Dunbar had never looked at his son since the young man had entered the room. He sat with his elbow resting upon the arm of his easy-chair, and his face shaded by his hand, and had not once spoken. "He did not speak now, even when his son appealed to him. "'Your father has given me full authority to act in this business,' Mr. Hugh Dunbar said. 'I shall never marry, Henry, and you are my only nephew, and my acknowledged heir. But I will never leave my wealth to a dishonest or dishonourable man, and it remains for you to prove whether you are worthy to inherit it. You will have to begin life afresh. You have played the man of fashion, and your aristocratic associates have led you to the position in which you find yourself to-day. You must turn your back upon the past, Henry. Of course you are free to choose for yourself. Sell your commission, go to India, and enter the counting-house of our establishment in Calcutta as a junior clerk; or refuse to do so, and renounce all hope of succeeding to my fortune or to your father's.' "The young man was silent for some minutes, then he said, sullenly enough— "'I will go. I consider that I have been harshly treated; but I will go.'" "And he did go?" said Mr. Balderby.