FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2263   2264   2265   2266   2267   2268   2269   2270   2271   2272   2273   2274   2275   2276   2277   2278   2279   2280   2281   2282   2283   2284   2285   2286   2287  
2288   2289   2290   2291   2292   2293   2294   2295   2296   2297   2298   2299   2300   2301   2302   2303   2304   2305   2306   2307   2308   2309   2310   2311   2312   >>   >|  
d--she's a helpless sort of little creature, and she seems to have put herself under my protection. I can't help that. But that's all. Do you understand?" This speech produced a queer turmoil in Stephen, as though his brother had accused him of a petty view of things. Feeling that he must justify himself somehow, he began: "Oh, of course I understand, old boy! But don't think, anyway, that I should care a damn--I mean as far as I'm concerned--even if you had gone as far as ever you liked, considering what you have to put up with. What I'm thinking of is the general situation." By this clear statement of his point of view Stephen felt he had put things back on a broad basis, and recovered his position as a man of liberal thought. He too leaned over, looking at the ducks. There was a silence. Then Hilary said: "If Bianca won't get that child into some fresh place, I shall." Stephen looked at his brother in surprise, amounting almost to dismay; he had spoken with such unwonted resolution. "My dear old chap," he said, "I wouldn't go to B. Women are so funny." Hilary smiled. Stephen took this for a sign of restored impersonality. "I'll tell you exactly how the thing appeals to me. It'll be much better for you to chuck it altogether. Let Cis see to it!" Hilary's eyes became bright with angry humour. "Many thanks," he said, "but this is entirely our affair." Stephen answered hastily: "That's exactly what makes it difficult for you to look at it all round. That fellow Hughs could make himself quite nasty. I wouldn't give him any sort of chance. I mean to say--giving the girl clothes and that kind of thing---" "I see," said Hilary. "You know, old man," Stephen went on hastily, "I don't think you'll get Bianca to look at things in your light. If you were on--on terms, of course it would be different. I mean the girl, you know, is rather attractive in her way." Hilary roused himself from contemplation of the ducks, and they moved on towards the Powder Magazine. Stephen carefully abstained from looking at his brother; the respect he had for Hilary--result, perhaps, of the latter's seniority, perhaps of the feeling that Hilary knew more of him than he of Hilary--was beginning to assert itself in a way he did not like. With every word, too, of this talk, the ground, instead of growing firmer, felt less and less secure. Hilary spoke: "You mistrust my powers of action?" "No, no,"
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2263   2264   2265   2266   2267   2268   2269   2270   2271   2272   2273   2274   2275   2276   2277   2278   2279   2280   2281   2282   2283   2284   2285   2286   2287  
2288   2289   2290   2291   2292   2293   2294   2295   2296   2297   2298   2299   2300   2301   2302   2303   2304   2305   2306   2307   2308   2309   2310   2311   2312   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Hilary

 
Stephen
 

brother

 

things

 

wouldn

 

hastily

 

Bianca

 

understand

 

action

 

chance


affair

 

bright

 

altogether

 

humour

 

answered

 

difficult

 

giving

 

fellow

 

beginning

 

feeling


seniority

 

respect

 

secure

 

result

 

assert

 

firmer

 

ground

 

growing

 
abstained
 

carefully


mistrust

 

clothes

 
attractive
 

Powder

 

Magazine

 

contemplation

 

roused

 

powers

 

concerned

 

statement


situation

 

general

 
thinking
 

protection

 

helpless

 
creature
 

Feeling

 

justify

 

accused

 
speech