Had Mewker not been a genius, he might have
compromised everything by still playing the hum-
ble, deferential, conscientious part ; but hypocrisy
on a low key was not his cue now ; he knew his



318 Captain Belgeate.
man too well for that, and besides, familiar as this
branch of art had been, there was another still
more natural to him ; he was wonderful in the syc-
ophant, but matchless in the bully ! Those little,
weak, bladdery eyes seemed almost to distil venom,
as, wrapping his knobby arms in a knot, he strode
up to the astonished Belgrave, and asked him
" how he dared invade the privacy of his honse,
the home of his wife and children, and the sanctu-
ary of his sister ? How he dared trespass upon the
hospitality that had been extended toward, nay,
that had been lavished upon him ? Was not the
respectability of the Mewker family, a family
related to the wealthy Balgangles of Little-Oramp-
ton, and connected by marriage with the Shell-
barques of Boston, a sufficient protection agaiinst
his nefarious designs? And did he undertake,
under the mask of friendship," and Mewker drew
up his forehead into a complication of lines like an
indignant web, " to come, as a hypocrite, a member
of the church (O Mewker !) with the covert inten-
tion of destroying the peace and happiness of his
only sister?"

Belgrave was a man who never swore ; but on
this occasion he uttered an exclamation : " My
grief!" said he, "I never had no such idee."



Captain Belgeave. 319

" What, then, are your intentions ?" said Mewker
fiercely.
" T' make it all straight," replied the Captain.
