Part 9 (1/2)
”You want soives an order ”You've done nothing but sarden?”
”I--I don't feel like gardening”
”Or read Where is your book that----”
”I--I don't feel like reading”
”The truth is, you don't knohat you _do_ want,” said Alicia firot a definite task
Until you retired from the business you were always perfectly happy Now that your days are free you don't knohat to do with yourself Here!
co down on the table and picked up a skein of white wool that lay near Her husband, with a resigned expression, mutely held up his hands The as placed over theled, or drop an end, or breathe too audibly, Mrs Hedderwick began to wind it into a ball
As the uncongenial task went on, Robert reflected disconsolately that his bid for freedom had not met with much success He had had hopes that this year at least Alicia would have consented to go to some other place for their holiday He was tired of Croe Also, he was not enthusiastic for another holiday spent under the wing of Alicia's mother, Mrs Ainsley She was too like her--he checked the heretical thought and substituted ”too determined”--to make him anxious to renew her acquaintance ed”
The word buzzed unpleasantly in the brain His prophetic instinct told hied to yield to Alicia's wishes If he ventured to suggest once ht be preferable to Cromer, he knew too ould happen Alicia would say firmly, ”No, Robert; you know We settled on Cro he dared greatly and put his foot down; supposing he said, ”I will _not_ go there: I will go to Brighton!”
ould happen? He knew perfectly well that he would never have the courage to be so rebellious as all that; but he kept playing with the notion as one plays with teht say, ”I will _not_, Alicia!” and then bolt from the house It would be rather fun, an adventure, to run awayall by hihed aloud at the thought
”I see nothing aled,” said Alicia's voice reprovingly, and he ju at that,else”
Alicia sniffed, but maintained a fortunate silence When she finished she said, ”I a for an hour or so
Will you be in?”
”Yes, my dear,” said Robert cheerfully, and a few minutes later he heard the front door close
Left to hi
Reain, a trifleon life This, for the average ets melancholy--particularly if it is his own life he reflects on
Robert Hedderwick had been chief cashi+er in a big store for more than fifteen years He had earned two hundred and fifty pounds a year (with an occasional bonus) for some time, and on the whole he had enjoyed his work At least it had always been interesting, and had given hiular and definite occupation And though at times he used to wish he was a partner or had e of fifty an uncle had died and left him a handsome competence Alicia at once had entle to obey At first he had welcomed the relief from thraldoer, if he wished, without feeling ”I ht-fifty”
It was a luxury to sit at ease in his strip of garden on a fineand read the newspaper It was not unpleasant to think that his for, ”Lucky chap, Hedderwick!” what time they were under the eyes of their master
But these and sirow, not exactly discontented, but restless and vaguely unhappy He had no hobbies, save reading, and none but the ardent student wishes to read throughout the day He felt hi or wood-carving; still, recognizing the need of so The strip of land at the back of the house was s by twenty broad Two-thirds of this was grass, which he iven up to flowers As Robert knew nothing of flowers, he e and planting When the serious business of horticulture was finished he would e weeds and watering But the sum total of his labor in the little plot did not amount to more than four or five hours a week
His as an active--too active for the vicar's wife--supporter of Saint Frideswide's Church, and when her husband became one of the leisured classes she did her utmost to spur him to a like interest He obeyed passively, became a sidesman, and in due course vicar's warden
He was not, to use the vicar's words, ”a keen churchood man, cheerful, kindly, with some har round and lead the procession of collectors He would coanization of the annual treat or the parish tea, but secretly he appreciated the occupation and the is helped to fill a portion of a vacant existence, but they were not enough He felt that he was rusting
This evening ”melancholy marked him for her own” It had been a day more vacant of incident than usual, and he was alht of the recent defeat by Alicia rankled, and he turned over in his mind schehton ”It's all very well,” he grumbled to himself, ”but I don't see why I should continually knuckle under I've been too easy-going It's ti I wonder if ”
He was still wondering when Alicia returned, and the solution of his difficulties was not yet Alicia, as in an aggressive good-humor, commented on his dulness Robert replied in a tone that she characterized as ”snappy”; she alsothat disagreed with hioaded at last beyond caution and fear ”Who wouldn't be snappy, doing nothing half the day, and the other half doing what he doesn't like? Nothing ever happens here--it's like being a fly buzzing in a tuh he can see all sorts of interesting things through the glass”
”You ought to be thankful for your many mercies,” said his wife coldly: she knew the treat like a child, you had better go to bed That is, if you have finished supper”