"She is leading you into a gulf of--of brimstone," fired old Brandon. "Day by day you creep down a step lower into it, sir, like a calf that is being wiled to the shambles. Once fairly in, you'll be smothered: the whole world won't be able to pull you out again." Tod answered with a torrent of words. The chief burden of them was--that if he chose to walk into the brimstone, it was not Mr. Brandon who should keep him out of it. "Is it not?" retorted Mr. Brandon--and though he was very firm and hard, he gave no sign of losing his temper. "We'll see that. I am in this town to strive to save you, Joseph Todhetley; and if I can't do it by easy means, I'll do it by hard ones. I got you out of one scrape, thanks to Johnny here, and now I'm going to get you out of another." Tod held his peace. That past obligation was often on his conscience. "You ought to take shame to yourself, sir," continued old Brandon. "You were placed at Oxford to study, to learn to be a man and a gentleman, to prepare yourself to fight well the battle of life, not to waste the talents God has given you, and fritter away your best days in sin." "In sin?" retorted Tod, jerking his head fiercely. "Yes, sir, in sin. What else do you call it--this idleness that you are indulging in? The short space of time that young men spend at the University must be used, not abused. Once it has passed, it can never again be laid hold of. What sort of example are you setting my ward here, who is as your younger brother? Stay where you are, Johnny Ludlow. I choose that you shall be present at this." "Johnny need not fret himself that he'll catch much harm from my iniquities," said Tod with a sneer. "Now listen to me, young man," spoke Mr. Brandon. "If you persist in this insane conduct and refuse to hear reason, I'll keep you out of danger by putting you in prison." Tod stared. "You owe me a hundred pounds." "I am quite conscious of that, sir: and of my inability hitherto to repay it." "For that debt I will shut you up in prison. Headstrong young idiots like you must be saved from themselves." Tod laughed slightly in his insolence. A defiant, mocking laugh. "I should like to see you try to shut me up in prison! You have no power to do it, Mr. Brandon: you have never proved the debt." Mr. Brandon rose, and took a step towards him. "You dare to tell _me_ I cannot do a thing that I say I will do, Joseph Todhetley! I shall make an affidavit before a judge in chambers that you are about to leave the country, and obtain the warrant that will lock you up. And I say to you that I believe you are going to leave it, sooner or later; and that Chalk woman with you!" "What an awful lie," cried Tod, his face all ablaze. "Lie or no lie, I believe it. I believe it is what she will bring you to, unless you are speedily separated from her. And if there be no other way of saving you, why, I'll save you by force."