Hereward are enough for each other. I only hope there will be something over for the wife. Well, she will not ask too much. She is a good, unexacting girl. I hope I did her justice. I hope I did not give a wrong impression.â
âNo, you gave the right one. Now all you can do is to erase it, knowing it can never be wholly effaced. I saw Hereward carrying it away with him.â
âTell me what you feel, Joanna.â
âI could not tell anyone else. I am too ashamed of it. I am glad that Hereward canât like his wife any better than me. Because I donât see how he can. And glad that we may have grandchildren. All this selfish gladness, and then to have failed my son!â
âWell, Galleon,â said Sir Michael. âYou have not heard our news. Or have you heard? You look rather full of something.â
âSome stray words did reach me, Sir Michael. I donât know if I gained the right impression.â
âI daresay you did. So tell us what you feel.â
âWell, it was a case of proximity, Sir Michael. That is how things must ensue, as I believe was said.â
âSo you listened to it all.â
âI mentioned that some stray words reached me, Sir Michael. That happened to be one of them. I could have supplied it.â
âWe could not be more pleased with the marriage than we are.â
âNo, Sir Michael; it is a line of safety. There is the familiarity with everything. And so no uncertainty to come.â
âMiss Ada is proud of Mr. Herewardâs place in letters.â
âWell, Sir Michael, it is even better, going so far.â
âYou would not go to the length yourself?â
âWell, Sir Michael, I have learned to go some way. I must suppress any personal bias. Sufferance is the badge of all my tribe.â
Chapter IV
âRing-a-ring-a-roses,
A pocket full of posies,
A-tish-a, a-tish-a,
All fall down.â
Sir Michael Egerton sank to the ground, and assisted his wife to do the same, an example that was followed by their three grandsons, with mirth in inverse proportion to their age.
âGalleon fall down too,â said the third, observing that the butler was at leisure.
âNo, Master Reuben, I have other things to do.â
âNo,â said Reuben, as if seeing this was not the case.
âYou can do them afterwards,â said the second grandson.
âNo, Master Merton, I have no time to waste.â
âIt seems as if you have,â said the eldest.
âI know what I am doing, Master Salomon. You are not old enough to understand.â
âI am not, if you are really doing something.â
âGalleon fall down too!â said Reuben, more insistently.
Sir Michael made a sign to Galleon, who complied with openly simulated liveliness, resorting to the aid of a chair, as if unconsciously.
âThat is not falling,â said Merton.
âPoor Galleon!â said Reuben, looking at him.
âIt must be easy to be a butler,â said Salomon. âIt would make other things seem hard.â
âNuts in May!â said Reuben, suddenly.
âYes, that is an idea,â said Sir Michael. âWe must choose our sides.â
âDo we have to fall down?â said Joanna.
âNo, my lady. Merely move forward and backward to the jingle,â said Galleon, his choice of word shedding its light.
âOh, what a good game! I wonder who invented it.â
âI cannot say, my lady. Or to what purpose.â
âThere are not enough of us for sides,â said Salomon.
âYes, I think there are,â said his grandfather. âYou and I and Galleon on one, and Grandma and the little ones on the other.â
âSalomon little too,â said Ruben, at once.
âNot as little as you,â said Merton.
âYes, all the same,â said Reuben, shrilly.
âYes, all the same,â said Salomon, in a pacific tone.
âAlways all the same,â said Reuben,
Learning to Kill: Stories