In regard to the effect of the sermon of Dr. Veiga on Mr. Prohack, it was as if Mr. Prohack had been a desk with many drawers and one drawer open, and the sermon had been dropped into the drawer and the drawer slammed to and nonchalantly locked. The drawer being locked, Mr. Prohack turned to the weeping figure in front of him, which suddenly ceased to weep and became quite collected and normal. "Now, my child," said Mr. Prohack, "I have just been informed that everything has a consequence. I've seen the consequence. What is the thing?" He was rather annoyed by Mimi's tears, but in his dangerous characteristic desire to please, he could not keep kindness out of his tone, and Mimi, reassured and comforted, began feebly to smile, and also Mr. Prohack remarked that her mouth was acquiring firmness again. "I ought to tell you in explanation of anything of a personal nature that I may have said to him in your presence, that the gentleman just gone is my medical adviser, and I have no secrets from him; in that respect he stands equal with you and above everybody else in the world without exception. So you must excuse my freedom in directing his attention to you." "It's I who ought to apologise," said Miss Warburton, positively. "But the fact is I hadn't the slightest idea that you weren't alone. I was just a little bit upset because I understand that you want to get rid of me." "Ah!" murmured Mr. Prohaek, "who put that notion into your absurd head?" He knew he was exercising his charm, but he could not help it. "Mr. Charles. He's just been down to my room and told me." "I hope you remembered what I said to you about your duty so far as he is concerned." "Of course, Mr. Prohack." She smiled anew; and her smile, so clever, so self-reliant, so enigmatic, a little disturbed Mr. Prohack. "What did my son say to you?" "He said that he was urgently in need of a thoroughly competent secretary at once--confidential--and that he was sure I was the very woman to suit him, and that he would give me double the salary I was getting." "Did you tell him how much you're getting?" "No." "Well, neither did I! And then?" "Then he told me all about his business, how big it was, and growing quickly, too, and how he was after a young woman who had tact and resource and could talk to any one from a bank director to a mechanic or a clergyman, and that tens of thousands of pounds might often depend on my tact, and that you wouldn't mind my being transferred from you to him." "And I suppose he asked you to go off with him immediately?" "No, at the beginning of next week." "And what did you say?" demanded Mr. Prohack, amazed and frightened at the manoeuvres of his unscrupulous son.