It's awful, but he
can't be checked--and yet he never oversteps the line, somehow."
"He's a queer boy," said Maud. "The way he talked to the Archdeacon
the other day was simply fearful; but the Archdeacon only laughed,
and said to papa afterwards that he envied him his son. The
Archdeacon was giggling half the afternoon; he felt quite youthful,
he said."
"It's the greatest gift to be able to do that," said Howard; "it's
a sort of fairy wand--the pumpkin becomes a coach and four."
"Jack's right ear must be burning, I think," said Maud, "and yet he
never seems to want to know what anyone thinks about him."
That was all the talk that Howard had with her at dinner. After the
ladies had gone, Mr. Sandys became very confidential about Jack's
prospects.
"I look upon you as a sort of relation, you see," he said, "in fact
I shall make bold to drop the Mr. and I hope you will do the same?
May we indeed take a bold step into intimacy and be 'Howard' and
'Frank' henceforth? I can't, of course, leave Jack a fortune, but
when I die the two dear children will be pretty well off--I may say
that. What do you think he had better go in for? I should like him
to take holy orders, but I don't press it. It brings one into touch
with human beings, and I like that. I find human beings very
interesting--I am not afraid of responsibility."
Howard said that he did not think Jack inclined to orders.
"Then I put that aside," cried the good-natured Mr.
Pages:
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75