heard and was afraid. Who would be the next? they thought.

Finding that Linden made no further answer, Misery again began walking
about the house.

As he looked at them the men did their work in a nervous, clumsy,
hasty sort of way. They made all sorts of mistakes and messes.
Payne, the foreman carpenter, was putting some new boards on a part of
the drawing-room floor: he was in such a state of panic that, while
driving a nail, he accidentally struck the thumb of his left hand a
severe blow with his hammer. Bundy was also working in the drawing-
room putting some white-glazed tiles in the fireplace. Whilst cutting
one of these in half in order to fit it into its place, he inflicted a
deep gash on one of his fingers. He was afraid to leave off to bind
it up while Hunter was there, and consequently as he worked the white
tiles became all smeared and spattered with blood. Easton, who was
working with Harlow on a plank, washing off the old distemper from the
hall ceiling, was so upset that he was scarcely able to stand on the
plank, and presently the brush fell from his trembling hand with a
crash upon the floor.

Everyone was afraid. They knew that it was impossible to get a job
for any other firm. They knew that this man had the power to deprive
them of the means of earning a living; that he possessed the power to
deprive their children of bread.

Owen, listening to Hunter over the banisters upstairs, felt that he
would like to take him by the throat with one hand and smash his face
in with the other.