He looked up sharply as I entered, jerked his chair round so as to get the light at his back, put on his spectacles, and ejaculated:-- "Well, sir!" This was a bad sign, and one with which I was only too familiar.

Nature had intended my father for a barrister.

He was an adept in all the arts of intimidation, and would have conducted a cross-examination to perfection.

As it was, he indulged in a good deal of amateur practice, and from the moment when he turned his back to the light and donned the inexorable spectacles, there was not a soul in the house, from myself down to the errand-boy, who was not perfectly aware of something unpleasant to follow.
"Well, sir!" he repeated, rapping impatiently upon the table with his knuckles.
Having nothing to reply to this greeting, I looked out of the window and remained silent; whereby, unfortunately.

I irritated him still more.
"Confound you, sir!" he exclaimed, "have you nothing to say ?" "Nothing," I replied, doggedly.
"Stand there!" he said, pointing to a particular square in the pattern of the carpet.