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marker.AndifheandItalkedaboutittillwewere
ahundredyearsold,hecouldneverpossibly
appreciatemypointofview.”
Michaelgotupandbeganwalkingupanddownthe
roomwithhisslow,ponderousmovement.
Francis,it’sathousandpitiesthatyouandIcan’t
changeplaces,”hesaid.Youareexactlythesonfather
wouldliketohave,andIshouldsomuchpreferbeing
hisnephew.However,youcomenext;that’sone
comfort.”
Hepausedamoment.
Yousee,thefactisthathedoesn’tlikeme,”hesaid.
Hehasnosympathywhateverwithmytastes,norwith
whatIam.I’manawfultrialtohim,andIdon’tsee
howtohelpit.It’spurewasteoftime,mygoing
onintheGuards.Idoitbadly,andIhateit.Now,
you’remadeforit;you’rethatsort,andthatsort
ismyfather’ssort.ButI’mnot;nooneknowsthat
betterthanmyself.Thenthere’sthequestion
ofmarriage,too.”
Michaelgaveamirthlesslaugh.
I’mtwenty-five,yousee,”hesaid,andit’sthefamily
customfortheeldestsontomarryattwenty-five,just
ashe’sbaptisedwhenhe’sacertainnumberofweeks
old,andconfirmedwhenheisfifteen.It’spartofthe
familyplan,andtheMedesandPersiansaren’t
initwhenthefamilyplanisinquestion.Then,again,
theluckyyoungwomanhastobesuitable;that
istosay,shemustbewhatmyfathercalls“oneofus.’
HowIloathethatphrase!Somymotherhasalist
ofthesuitable,andtheycomedowntoAshbridge
ingloomysuccession,andsheandIaresentouttoplay
golftogetherorgoontheriver.Andwhen,toour
unutterablerelief,thatisover,wehurrybacktothe
house,andIescapetomypiano,andshegoesand
flirtswithyou,ifyouarethere.Don’tdenyit.Andthen
anotheronecomes,andsheisdrearierthanthelast–at
least,Iam.”
Francislaybackandlaughedatthisdismalpicture
