Michael

nal one of unpunctuality, for unpunctuality, so Lord Ashbridge held, was the politeness not only of kings, but of all who had any pretence to decent breeding. His father gave him a carefully-ic

r, and the twelve Lord Ashbridges in uniform looked down fr

ara and a breastplate of rubies, while Og, after one futile attempt to play with the footmen, yielded himself up to the chilling atmosphere of good breeding, and ate his m

head, he asked him if he had received his letter. An affirmative monosyllable, followed by the hissing of Lord Ashbridge's cigarette end as he dropped it into his coffee cup, answered him, and he p

would like to have a talk with you when

that she was about to retire, and kissed Michael affectionately. Both her laugh and her salute were encouraging; he felt that he was being backed up. Then a pro

estic, to the fireplace, where he stood for a mom

t it, and I am just going to tell you. If, as you have informed me, you have actually sent it in, you will wr

ctful as possible, consistent with firmness,

aying 'if I have sent it in.' You have received m

himself he resented the tone of Michael's reply. To make matters worse he gave his little falsetto cackle, which no doubt was intended to convey the impression of c

one that froze Michael's cordiality completely up. "I glanced through it; I saw a lot of nonsense-or so it struck me-about

"But you make a mistake if you do no

tion (and one of the most important conventions was that Combers should be fine, strapping, normal people) he hated the thought that it was his son who presented that a

he said. "I am asking your permission now to inq

he flavour of irony in the "permission to inquire" was not there by accident. To speak like that implied contempt of his opposition; he felt that he was being tr

rubbish, sir, there is

d soon agree," said Lor

discuss it any more, if you treat me like this. I will say good night, if you i

an adept at the art of self-deception-as, for instance, when he habitually beat the golf professional-could not disguise from himself that his policy ha

t shown, and laid his hand on Michael's shoulder as he s

ght it best to treat your absurd schemes with a certain

had scored. And as his object was

r," he said, with quiet respect, "

again retreated

aid. "Now sit down again, and we wil

easonable and cordial, to behave filially, while all the time his nerves were on edge with

nto the Guards, as you know, because it was the right thing to do. A business

paused a

to me useless. We're for show. And my heart is quite entirely

as speaking to Francis was congealed now when he felt the contem

, his large person completely filling his chair, just as his atmosphere fill

an tell you," he

igarette to the fireplace before he spoke. He felt t

alue, but you have, also, the responsibilities of it, which I am afraid you are inclined to shirk. You haven't got the large view; you haven't the sense of patriotism. There are a great many things in my position-the position into which you will step-which I would much sooner be without. But we have received a tradition, and we are bound to hand it on intact. You may

d. The only thing that he did not allow for was that he personally immensely enjoyed his social and dominant position, thinking it indeed the only position which was really worth having. This naturally gave an aid to comprehension, and he did not take into acc

to you, the sense, broadly speaking, that you are English and of the highest English class, and have intended to devote yourself to more selfish and pleasure-loving aims, and to dwell in a tinkle of pleasant sounds that ple

denly rose

eel, and all that I can't say, I know is unintelligible to you. Yo

ng gleefully along, and had the very distinct impression of having ru

understand you, M

aining me all wrong. For instance, I don't regard music as

ishes and my authori

d his shoulder

ority I can't recognise it when the question of my whole life is at stake. I know that I am your son, and I want

himself to the conventions which he so much enjoyed, it was like the defiance

e that answer fr

ael. "But I should like to say once more

s desire to laugh. In fact,

said. "But you may know that I have a very

threat?" as

s a h

said Michael. "I wish you could leave everything you have to Francis. I tell you in all sincer

elf-complacent as to be seldom disposed to anger,

ced your jealousy of yo

s face w

us and untrue,

ridge tur

for that,

at his high toweri

your accusation that I am je

he boy there came an impulse of pure pity for his father's disappointment in having a son like himself. He saw with the candour which was so real a part o

quite truthfully when I say how I sympathise with you in having a son

exactly like his statue in

aid, "it is within your power. You w

to him possible that his appeal should bear no further fruit t

u good night, f

on earlier, for she presided at the organ with the long, camel-like back turned towards the congregation, and started playing a slow, melancholy voluntary when the boy who blew the bellows said to her in an ecclesiastical whisper: "His lordship has arrived, my lady." Those of the household who could sing (singing being construed in the sense of making a loud and cheerful noise in the throat) clustered in the choir-pews near the organ, while the family sat in a large, square box, with a stove in the centre, amply supplied with prayer-books of the time when even Protestants might pray for Queen Caroline. Behind them, separated from the rest of the church by an ornamental iro

le, and a great carnation in his buttonhole; and when the time came for the offertory he put a sovereign in the open plate himself, and proceeded with his minuet-like step to go round the church and collect the gifts of the encouraged congregation. He followed all the prayers in his book, he made the responses in a voice nearly as loud as that in which he read the lessons; he sang the hymns with a curious buzzing sound, and never for a moment did he lose sight of the fact that he was the head of the Comber family, doing hi

for Michael happened to have none of the symbols of thankfulness about his person, and he saw a slight quiver pass through Aunt Barbara's hymn-book. After a rather portentous lunch, however, there came some relief, for his father did not ask his company on the u

do this, and she opened the discussion

to be very serious, solid people, but for unconscious humour there isn't a family in England or even in the States to compare with t

n to break through M

," he said. "But really I'm wr

I was saying, lunch! I am in disgrace too, because I said perfectly plainly yesterday that I was on your side; and there we were at lunch, with your father apparently unable to see either you or me, and unconscious of our presence. Fancy pretending not to see me! You can't help seeing me, a large, bright object like me! And what will happen next? That's what tickles me t

ezing effect of this. Michael thawed to

't see the funny side of things till it is pointed out. I thought lunch a sort of hell, you know. Of course, it was funny,

en they were pompous or adopting attitudes, she could attend to nothing but their absurdity, which engr

e, he thinks that his wishes, his authority, should be sufficient to make me act as if it was. Well, I won't do that. He may go on,"-and that pleasant smile lit up Michael's plain face-"he may go on be

arbara

" she asked. "What

t her quite simp

said. "I hav

that's nonse

hing, but he likes me. Other people don't. And I can't see why they should

avy with people who understood you. You aren't heavy with me, for in

do, if I'm like th

at hand, and marked the

ourself. If I thought about myself I should consider how old and fat and ugly I am. I'm not ugly, really; you needn't be foolish and tell me so. I should spoil my life by trying to be young, and only eating devilled codfish and drinking hot plum-juice, or whatever is

nd whistled to Og, who had stretched his weary l

think about yourself. That is wise of you; if you were a little wiser still, you would picture to yourself how ridiculous I shall look apologising for Og. Kindly kick him, Michael; he will understand. Naughty! And as for your not having any friends, that would be exceedingly sad, if you had gone the right way to get them and failed. But you haven't. You haven't eve

und and faced

be so cross, my

I?" as

ost always is. You expect not to be understood, and that's dreadfully cross. You think your father doesn't understand you; no more he does, but don't go on thinking about it. You think it is a great bo

at-about Francis, I

ourse it does. Every cross young

te that," be

ly one eye, whereas you have two rather jolly ones. And do try to see the joke in other people, Michael. You didn't see the joke in your interview last

shook

see them

it is sham. When dignity is real, you don't know it's dignity. But your father knew he

el fr

ous enough last night. There was I in rank rebellion to my fa

hand on Mic

uch sorrier if you had given in and ceased to vex him. But there it is! Accept that, and the

n Wednesday, and then on

don't know. . . . The man who puts on a yachting-cap, and asks if there's a bit of a sea on. It prov

town and study. Oh, here

immediately a footman came out with a long dog-lead and advanced hesitatingly to Og. Og was convinced that he had come to play with him, and crouched and growled and retreated and advanced

he said. "I shall do it quite sincer