'
'Hullo! what's all this about?' cried the other. 'What do you mean,
Turpin?'
The carpenter made plain his meaning; spoke of Miss Rodney's complaint, of
the irregular payment (for his wife, in her stress, had avowed everything),
and of other subjects of dissatisfaction; the lodger must go, there was an
end of it. Rawcliffe, putting on all his dignity, demanded the legal week's
notice; Turpin demanded the sum in arrear. There was an exchange of high
words, and the interview ended with mutual defiance. A moment after Turpin
and his wife knocked at Miss Rodney's door, for she was still in her
parlour. There followed a brief conversation, with the result that Miss
Rodney graciously consented to remain, on the understanding that Mr.
Rawcliffe left the house not later than Wednesday.
Enraged at the treatment he was receiving, Rawcliffe loudly declared that
he would not budge. Turpin warned him that if he had made no preparations
for departure on Wednesday he would be forcibly ejected, and the door
closed against him.
'You haven't the right to do it,' shouted the lodger. 'I'll sue you for
damages.'
'And I,' retorted the carpenter, 'will sue you for the money you owe me!'
The end could not be doubtful.
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