Hesataloneinthedarkness, gazingatthedyingfre, , withalittleuneasylaugh, , andwithalittleshiverhewipedhishandonhiscoatandwentuptobed.
II
, andthedirty, shrivelledlittlepawwaspitchedonthesideboardwithacarelessnesswhichbetokenednogreatbeliefinitsvirtues.
“Isupposealloldsoldiersarethesame，”saidMrsWhite.“Theideaofourlisteningtosuchnonsense！Howcouldwishesbegrantedinthesedays?Andiftheycould, howcouldtwohundredpoundshurtyou, father?”
“Mightdroponhisheadfromthesky，”saidthefrivolousHerbert.
“Morrissaidthethingshappenedsonaturally，”saidhisfather，“thatyoumightifyousowishedattributeittocoincidence.”
“Well, dontbreakintothemoneybeforeIcomeback，”saidHerbert, asherosefromthetable.“I‘mafraidit’llturnyouintoamean, avariciousman, andweshallhavetodisownyou.”
Hismotherlaughed, andfollowinghimtothedoor, watchedhimdowntheroad, andreturningtothebreakfasttable, wasveryhappyattheexpenseofherhusband‘’sknock, norpreventherfromreferringsomewhatshortlytoretiredsergeant-majorsofbibuloushabitswhenshefoundthatthepostbroughtatailorsbill.
“Herbertwillhavesomemoreofhisfunnyremarks, Iexpect, whenhecomeshome，”shesaid, astheysatatdinner.
“Idaresay，”, pouringhimselfoutsomebeer；“butforallthat, thethingmovedinmyhand；thatIllswearto.”
“Youthoughtitdid，”saidtheoldladysoothingly.
“Isayitdid，”repliedtheother.“Therewasnothoughtaboutit；Ihadjust-Whatsthematter?”
, who, peeringinanundecidedfashionatthehouse, , , , , andhurriedlyunfasteningthestringsofherapron, putthatusefularticleofapparelbeneaththecushionofherchair.
