She went upstairs, and returned with some banknotes that rustled in her trembling hand. “It is two months since you came, and I've paid you one month,” she said, and she set her lips, and tried to govern her head, which nevertheless shook with the vehemence she was struggling to repress. She laid two ten-dollar notes upon the table, and then added a five, a little apart. “This second month was to be twenty instead of ten. I shall not want you any longer, and should be glad to have you go now--at once--to-night! But I had intended to offer you a little present at Christmas, and I will give it you now.” Lemuel took up the two ten-dollar notes without saying anything, and then after a moment laid one of them down. “It's only half a month,” he said. “I don't want to be paid for any more than I've done.” “Lemuel!” cried Miss Vane. “I insist upon your taking it. I employed you by the month.” “It don't make any difference about that; I've only been here a month and a half.” He folded the notes, and turned to go out of the room. Miss Vane caught the five-dollar note from the table and intercepted him with it. “Well, then, you shall take it as a present.” “I don't want any present,” said Lemuel, patiently waiting her pleasure to release him, but keeping his hands in his pockets. “You would have taken it at Christmas,” said Miss Vane. “You shall take it now.” “I shouldn't take a present any time,” returned Lemuel steadily. “You are a foolish boy!” cried Miss Vane. “You need it, and I tell you to take it.” He made no reply whatever. “You are behaving very stubbornly--ungratefully,” said Miss Vane. Lemuel lifted his head; his lip quivered a little. “I don't think you've got any right to say I'm ungrateful.” “I don't mean ungrateful,” said Miss Vane. “I mean unkind--very silly, indeed. And I wish you to take this money. You are behaving resentfully--wickedly. I am much older than you, and I tell you that you are not behaving rightly. Why don't you do what I wish?” “I don't want any money I haven't earned.” “I don't mean the money. Why don't you tell me the meaning of what I heard? My niece said you had been impudent to her. Perhaps she didn't understand.” She looked wistfully into the boy's face. After a long time he said, “I don't know as I've got anything to say about it.” “Very well, then, you may go,” said Miss Vane, with all her _hauteur_. “Well, good evening,” said Lemuel passively, but the eyes that he looked at her with were moist, and conveyed a pathetic reproach. To her unmeasured astonishment, he offered her his hand; her amaze was even greater--_more_ infinite, as she afterwards told Sewell--when she found herself shaking it.