But she
has had a certain sort of bringing up. I should prefer
Tom to marry a girl with another sort, and this business
venture of his increases the chances that he won't. That's all."
"''Tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door,
but 'twill serve.'"
"I shouldn't like it."
"Well, it hasn't happened yet."
"Ah, you never can realise anything beforehand."
"Perhaps that has saved me some suffering. But you
have at least the consolation of two anxieties at once.
I always find that a great advantage. You can play one off
against the other."
Mrs. Corey drew a long breath as if she did not experience
the suggested consolation; and she arranged to quit,
the following afternoon, the scene of her defeat,
which she had not had the courage to make a battlefield.
Her son went down to see her off on the boat, after
spending his first day at his desk in Lapham's office.
He was in a gay humour, and she departed in a reflected
gleam of his good spirits. He told her all about it,
as he sat talking with her at the stern of the boat,
lingering till the last moment, and then stepping ashore,
with as little waste of time as Lapham himself, on the
gang-plank which the deck-hands had laid hold of.
He touched his hat to her from the wharf to reassure
her of his escape from being carried away with her,
and the next moment his smiling face hid itself in
the crowd.
Pages:
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159