It shook the cruelty of his purpose a little, and he had a vague feeling
that he was doing wrong. Not without a proud struggle, during which
no word was spoken, could he beat it down. Meanwhile, the phantom had
advanced a pace toward the centre of the room.
"That is the state of the matter, ma'am," he resumed, coldly. "People
who will not pay me my rent must not live in my tenements. You must
move out. I have no more to say."
"Dr. Renton," she said, faintly, "I have a sick child,--how can I move
now? O, sir, it's Christmas eve,--don't be hard with us!"
Instead of touching him, this speech irritated him beyond measure.
Passing all considerations of her difficult position involved in her
piteous statement, his anger flashed at once on her implication that
he was unjust and unkind. So violent was his excitement that it whirled
away the words that rushed to his lips, and only fanned the fury that
sparkled from the whiteness of his face in his eyes.
"Be patient with us, sir," she continued; "we are poor, but we mean
to pay you; and we can't move now in this cold weather; please, don't
be hard with us, sir.
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