Page:The Aspern Papers.djvu/229

 'You see the sort of thing it gets you into.'

'It hasn't got us into anything. Nothing has been done.'

'So much the better, mother darling,' said the young man. 'In that case we will go on to Venice. Where is he going?'

'I don't know, but I suppose he won't come on to Venice if we don't ask him.'

'I don't believe any delicacy would prevent him,' Macarthy rejoined. 'But he loathes me; that's an advantage.'

'He loathes you—when he wanted so to know you?'

'Oh yes, I understand. Well, now he knows me! He knows he hates everything I like and I hate everything he likes.'

'He doesn't imagine you hate your sister, I suppose!' said the old lady, with a little vague laugh.

'Mother,' said Macarthy, still in front of her with his hands in his pockets, 'I verily believe I should hate her if she were to marry him.'

'Oh, gracious, my son, don't, don't!' cried Mrs. Grice, throwing herself into his arms with a shudder of horror and burying her face on his shoulder.

Her son held her close and as he bent over her he went on: 'Dearest mother, don't you see that we must remain together, that at any rate we mustn't be separated by different ideas, different associations and institutions? I don't believe any family has ever had more of the feeling that holds people closely together than we have had: therefore for heaven's sake let us keep it, let us find our happiness in it as we always have done. Of course Agatha will marry some day; but why need she marry in