The man had become voluble; he approached Miss Rodney smiling in a sickly way, his head bobbing forward. 'It's something,' she replied, 'that you have still the grace to feel ashamed. Well, there's no need for us to discuss this matter; it can have, of course, only one result. To-morrow morning you will oblige me by giving notice to Mrs. Turpin--a week's notice.' 'Leave the house?' exclaimed Rawcliffe. 'On Saturday next--or as much sooner as you like.' 'Oh! but really--' 'As you please,' said Miss Rodney, looking him sternly in the face. 'In that case I complain to the landlady of your behaviour, and insist on her getting rid of you. You ought to have been turned out long ago. You are a nuisance, and worse than a nuisance. Be so good as to leave the room.' Rawcliffe, his shoulders humped, moved towards the door; but before reaching it he stopped and said doggedly-- 'I _can't_ give notice.' 'Why not?' 'I owe Mrs. Turpin money.' 'Naturally. But you will go, all the same.' A vicious light flashed into the man's eyes. 'If it comes to that, I shall _not_ go!' 'Indeed?' said Miss Rodney calmly and coldly. 'We will see about it. In the meantime, leave the room, sir!' Rawcliffe nodded, grinned, and withdrew. Late that evening there was a conversation between Miss Rodney and Mrs. Turpin. The landlady, though declaring herself horrified at what had happened, did her best to plead for Mr. Rawcliffe's forgiveness, and would not be brought to the point of promising to give him notice. 'Very well, Mrs. Turpin,' said Miss Rodney at length, 'either he leaves the house or I do.' Resolved, as she was, _not_ to quit her lodgings, this was a bold declaration. A meeker spirit would have trembled at the possibility that Mrs. Turpin might be only too glad to free herself from a subjection which, again and again, had all but driven her to extremities. But Miss Rodney had the soul of a conqueror; she saw only her will, and the straight way to it. 'To tell you the truth, miss,' said the landlady, sore perplexed, 'he's rather backward with his rent--' 'Very foolish of you to have allowed him to get into your debt. The probability is that he would never pay his arrears; they will only increase, the longer he stays. But I have no more time to spare at present. Please understand that by Saturday next it must be settled which of your lodgers is to go.'