A little answer of laughter was clipt in the bud. The threat was to be considered. A moment later Brander’s step crossed the passage, and the man himself entered the room. His eye sought the fire-place, found its relief in the dead coldness there, and came back with a twinkle of mockery to the prisoner. “You are hungry?” he said. “What would you suppose, fellow?” “That you are, of course. ’Tis a pitiful sensation. I’ve suffered it, believe me.” “D’you think to starve me into tameness?” “What!--a high-spirited gentleman like you? I believe--as I have advised elsewhere--that far more caustic measures will be necessary to prevail with you. Still, hunger is a very good ground-bait to precede the angler and his hook.” “And you think to subdue me by such means? ’Tis a protecting clause of humanity that scoundrels cut their cloth according to the measure of their own cowardice.” “According to the features of their hostages, by your leave, sir.” “I’m not going to ask you what you mean.” “You shall have the explanation gratis. You’ve twitted me, vulgarly enough on the loss of these----” He signified with a fierce gesture his flapless earholes. “Twitted?” said Tuke. “Where is the reason to twit a docked curt?” “You’ll find they left me my teeth, by God--my teeth and my nails.” He almost shouted--“You shall grow a love-lock--you shall grow a love-lock, sir, to hide the place that your lady mayn’t know when she whispers there!” “What! are you going to cut off my ears?” “Aye, you may grin your fill. You’ll grin to suffer that on an empty belly. You shall feel the hook before we land you, and grin like a sole!” There was something so horribly relishing in the man’s tone that the listener’s heart went sick. “Mutilation!” said he. “Beware what you say, fellow.” “’Tis what we’ll do, man. We’ll lop your fine heroics toe by toe, till there remain nought but stumps to foot it on. Why--d’ye suppose we’ve pushed the matter so far to shrink at a shadow? I give you warning. We’ve neither time nor mood for palaver. To-night you shall have for reflection--the devils of cold and hunger to counsel you; and so be you’re in a like frame of obstinacy after that test to-morrow you shall be pruned for token to your friends over there, and again and yet again till you or they are convinced of the wisdom of an exchange. I’ve learnt the right art of clipping in Calabria, sir, and will shave you that ’twill be a pleasure to you to feel the razor.” He stopped, with a dark and malignant look on his face--backed a step, opened the door and disappeared.