Page:Middle Aged Love Stories (IA middleagedlove00bacorich).djvu/101



Her lodger coughed and ejaculated, “You, indeed!”

“And when I said that their ingratitude actually made me wonder why I worked so hard for them, she said—oh, dear! It is all dreadful! I don’t know what to do!”

“I do!” returned her lodger promptly. “Go away and leave ’em! They aren’t fit to trouble you any more. Besides, they’re really not so bad, after all, you know. There has to be just about so much laziness and—and that sort of thing, don’t you see. Look at me, for instance! Think of how much misdirected energy I balance! And it gives other people something to do.... Go away and leave it all for a while!” he repeated smilingly.

“Go away! But where? Why should I? What do you mean?” she stammered, confused at something in his eyes, which never left her face.

“To England—you said you’d like