once observed a darkly threatening action of the younger woman s hand obviously having reference to some one of whom they spoke and a feeble imitation of it on the part of mrs brown that made him earnestly hope he might not be the subject of their discourse with the present consolation that they were gone and with the comfort that mrs brown could not live for ever and was not likely to live long to trouble him the not s and son otherwise his than as they were attended with such disagreeable consequences composed his ruffled features to a more serene expression by thinking of the admirable manner in which he had disposed of captain a reflection that seldom failed to put him in a flow of spirits and went to the counting house to receive his master s orders there his master so subtle and of eye that rob before him more than half expecting to be with mrs brown gave him the usual morning s box of papers for mr and a note for mrs merely nodding his head as an to be careful and to use � a mysterious in the s imagination with dismal and threats and more powerful with him than any words alone again in his own room mr applied himself to work and worked all day he saw many visitors overlooked a number of documents went in and out to and from sundry places of resort and indulged in no more abstraction until the day s business was done but when the usual of papers from his table was made at last he fell into his thoughtful mood once more he was standing in his accustomed place and attitude with his eyes intently fixed upon the ground when his brother entered to bring back some letters that had been taken out in the course of the day he put them quietly on the table and was going immediately when mr the manager whose eyes had rested on him on his as if they had all this time had him for the subject of their contemplation instead of the said well john and what brings you here his brother pointed to the letters and was again withdrawing i wonder said the manager that you can come and go without inquiring how our master is we had word this morning in the counting house that mr was doing well replied his brother you are such a meek fellow said the manager with a smile � but you have grown so in the course of years � that and son ft if any come to him you d be miserable i dare swear now i should be truly sorry james returned the other he would be sorry said the manager pointing at him as if there were some other person present to whom he was appealing he would be truly sorry this brother of mine this junior of the place this piece of lumber pushed aside with his face to the wall like a rotten picture and left so for heaven knows how many years ae s all gratitude and respect and devotion too he would have me believe i would have you believe nothing james returned the other be as just to me as you would to any other man below you you ask a question and i answer it and have you nothing said the manager with unusual to complain of in him no proud treatment to resent no insolence no of state no of any sort what the devil are you man or mouse it would be strange if any two persons could be together for so many years especially as superior and inferior without each having something to complain of in the other � as he thought at all events replied john but apart from my history his history here exclaimed the manager why there it is the very fact that makes him an extreme case puts him out of the whole chapter well apart from that which as you hint gives me a reason to be thankful that i alone happily for all the rest possess surely there is no one in the house who would not say and feel at least as much you do not think that anybody here would be indifferent to a or misfortune happening to the head of the house or anything than truly sorry for it you have good reason to be bound to him too said the manager contemptuously why don t you believe that you are kept here as a cheap example and a famous instance of the of and son to the credit of the illustrious house no replied his brother mildly � i have long believed that i am kept here for more kind and disinterested reasons � and son but you were going said the manager with the of a tiger cat to some christian i observed nay james returned the other though the tie of brother hood between us has been long broken and thrown away who broke it good sir said the manager i by my i do not charge it upon you if the manager replied with that mute action of his mouth oh you don t charge it upon me and bade him go on i say though there is not that tie between us do not i entreat me with or what i say or would say i was only going to suggest to you that it would be a mistake to suppose that it is only you who have been selected here above all others for advancement confidence and distinction selected in the beginning i know for your great ability and and who communicate more freely with mr than any one and stand it may be said on equal terms with him and have been favored and enriched by him � that it would be a mistake to suppose that it is only 