Part 13 (1/2)
”I have changed my mind about the paper, Jason, and business presses I fear it is time to end our interview”
”You mean you dare--”
”To accept a sue you have done my character? I should not dare to refuse it Or let us put it this way, Jason The paper is ive it up”
The red had risen again to enta For a hter man before him, but my father neverhim, with his hand folded behind his back
”Show hio, Jason, re without your telling me For that reason I have orderedin every roo near these fires If you or any of your friends so ainst me, the paper is burned And as for you--”
With a quick, delicate htly across his throat
”And as for you, Jason, even the slightest suspicion that you, or your paid ive me too much pleasure I think you understand Pray don't ood ”
But Uncle Jason had recovered from the first cold shock of his surprise
He drew hiht His jaw, heavy and cumbersome always, thrust itself forward, and I could see the veins swell dangerously into a tangled, clotted ers worked convulsively, as though clawing at some unseen object close beside hih his teeth
”You fool,” he shouted suddenly, his te the weakened barriers of control ”You daenerate fool!”
And then, for an instant, my father's icy placidity left hi whir of steel His sh the yard of space that parted theed forward
”So you will have it, will you?” His words seemed to choke him ”Take it, then,” he roared, ”take it to hell, where you belong”
It was, I say, the matter of an instant In a leaden second he stood poised, his wrist drawn back, while the eyes of the other stared in horror at the long, thin blade And then the welts of cri it into a writhing fury, slowly effaced themselves His lips once ain his watchful indolence returned to him, and slowly, very slowly, he lowered the point to the floor's scarred surface His voice returned to its pleasant modulation, and with his words returned his icy little smile
”Your pardon, Jason,” he said ”I fear I have been tooThank your God, if you have one, that I was not entirely natural Take hier”
But Brutus had no need to obey the order My father stood, still s the empty doorway Then I realized that I was very cold and weak, and thatbeneath me I walked unsteadily to the table and leaned upon it heavily Thoughtfully my father sheathed his sins auspiciously, does it not,Indeed, it cannot be more than eleven of the clock The rum decanter, Brutus”
The lines about his rew broader
”I pride myself,” he went on, ”that my example is all I promised I fear I shall fall down in only one respect Perhaps you have observed it?”
”If I have,” I answered, ”I have forgotten”
”My table manners,” he said ”I fear they are al care, I noticed, not to stand in front of it
”Sad, is it not, that I should fail in such a trivialyour mother, to be exact My father-in-law, rest his soul, was an atrocity at table The viands, my son, scattered from his knife over the board, like chaff before the flail Yet, will you believe it? Any time he chose to speak his mouth was always full I watched him, watched him onder--or was it horror?--I cannot reo anywhere, but never to do likewise The result today is perhaps unfortunate Yet watch me, my son, even in that you see the practical value of a bad exa you”