Part 31 (1/2)
”Yes, dear, I suppose so.”
”Some people have no more spirit than a fly,” continued Percy. ”Fancy a girl like our Hazel settling down in a bit of a hut like this, when she might have been the making of us all.”
”Ah, yes, my dear,” sighed Mrs Thorne, ”that is what I often tell your sister, who might, if she had liked, have married--”
”My dear mother, will you kindly discuss that with Percy when I am not here!”
”Oh, of course, if you wish it, Hazel,” cried Mrs Thorne. ”I am not mistress here, Percy. This is Hazel's home, where I and your poor little sisters are allowed to live on sufferance and--”
_Sob_--_sob_--_sob_.
”Oh, I say, Hazy, it's too bad,” cried Percy. ”You know how weak and ill poor mamma has been, and yet you treat her like this.”
”Yes, my boy; I'm a mere nonent.i.ty now, and the sooner I am dead and put beneath the sod the better. I'm only a useless burden to my children now.”
”Don't talk like that, ma dear,” cried the lad. ”You only wait a bit, and as soon as I've got my plans in order I'll make you a regular jolly home.”
”That you will, I know, my dear boy,” cried Mrs Thorne; ”and I hope you will try hard to do something to redeem our lost position.”
”What are your plans, Percy?” said Hazel suddenly.
”Oh, nothing that you could understand,” he said haughtily. ”I don't wonder at poor ma being miserable, if you treat her as you are treating me!”
”Percy,” said Hazel gently, ”only a few months ago you had no secrets from me, and we planned together how we would work and make mamma a happy home.”
”And nicely you've done it,” cried the lad ungraciously.
”You declared, upon your honour as a gentleman, that you would never turn from me, but that you would strive to take poor papa's place, and be a help and protector to your mother and sisters. I ask you, how are you keeping your word?”
Percy fidgeted about in his chair, glanced at his mother, and then began playing with his pipe.
”If you have made some grievous mistake, dear, tell us at once, so that we may join with you in trying to repair it; but do not weakly take umbrage at my asking you rather searchingly what you have been doing.”
”I don't know what you mean,” said the boy sulkily.
”Tell me exactly how you came to leave your office?”
”I did tell you. A set of cads!”
”Then I shall write to Mr Geringer, and ask him to send me the full particulars. Perhaps we can make peace for you so that you can go back.”
”Go back, Hazy?”
”Yes: go back. I do not wish to seem unkind, Percy, but you will not be able to stop here.”
”And why not, pray?” cried the lad defiantly.
”There is one reason why not,” said Hazel, pointing to the pipe. ”You ought not to have lit that here, Percy. This is not my house, but the cottage attached to the school, in which, while I teach the children, I am allowed to live.”
”Now you're beginning about my bit of tobacco,” cried the lad. ”You're as bad as old Geringer!”