hat his father in his heart was convinced
that his brother had taken his own life. The two men, so closely
related, did not understand each other. Apollonius assumed that his
father had the same inward sense of honor which he himself possessed;
and the father saw in his son's refusal and in his argument of having
to maintain the position of the family, nothing but the old obstinacy
contending that his presence was indispensable and not even taking the
trouble to conceal itself--he thought that in his son's eyes he was
nothing but a blind, helpless old man. And what caused and furthered
their misunderstanding was reserve, that family trait which they held
in common. On the same morning a delegation had tendered Apollonius
the thanks of the town and its most prominent citizens had vied with
each other in giving tokens of esteem and respect. This was cause
enough to arouse arrogance in an ambitious soul, and cause enough for
the old gentleman, who considered that Apollonius had such a soul, to
believe in this arrogance. The old gentleman had to admit that his son
was indispensable and dared assert neither right nor might against
him. The emotion and mental exertion on the day before the death of
his eldest son had undermined his strength; he collapsed entirely now
and became each day queerer and more sensitive. He no longer demanded
subserviency from Apollonius; he found a certain self-tormenting
pleasure in reproaching his son with unfilial conduct, and in
continually giving expression to his bitter regret that such an
industrious son should have to put up with so much from an overbearing
old father who was not, and never could be, anything any more. At the
same time he rejoiced in his eccentric fashion over the industry of
his son, the growing honor and increasing fortunes of his house. He
lived to see the purchase of the slate quarry which Apollonius had
previously leased. The son endured his father's eccentricities with
the same loving, untiring patience which he had exhibited toward his
brother. He lived only in the thought of fulfilling as completely as
lay within his power the vow that he had made to himself, and in this
vow he had included his father. The success of his work gave him
strength to bear all little annoyances with cheerfulness.

On the day after the winter night's storm he had told the old building
inspector the whole story of his inner life. The councilman, who till
the day of his death clung to Apoll