Short Stories for English Courses

ht you told me to take the second door to the left," Faxon said

m, I ought to have said the fourth door to the right. It's a puzzling house, because my uncle

ic button which sent a circle of light about the walls of a l

y a shimmering Monet, but R

rice. But come along- I'll show you all this

really lo

res especially! Haven't you noticed the flowers? I suppose you think his man

at the speaker. "Has

ad. He and my mother

looks like him? Who mig

ard of. Does he rem

es

ask him if he's got

room, with the same conventionally handsome furniture and delicately grouped flowers; and Faxon's first glance showed him that only th

host, who faced the door, sat looking down at his untouched

close to facts when we left town this morning," Mr. Gri

errogatively. "Oh, facts-what are facts! Just th

nything from town?"

ttle more of that petite marmite. Mr. Faxon

n the pageant. That, Faxon reflected, was probably the joint in his armor-that and the flowers. He had changed the subject-not abruptly but firmly-when the young men entered, but Faxon perceived that it still poss

l Street can stand crashes better than it c

s;

. Grisben intervened: "Frank, a

to young Ra

! Isn't that wh

he rest of the time it's crowded restaurants and hot ballroom

new man who sa

k as if your new man

en bl

uncle turned to him with a renewed intensity of attention. There was such solicitude in Mr. Lavington's ga

od deal better," he be

. Lavington's expression. His face was naturally so colorless that it seemed not so much to pale as to fade, to dwindle

e dinner." With small precise steps he walked out of the

isben once more addressed himself to Rainer. "You

o the youth's eyes. "My unc

cle's opinion. You came of age to-day, didn't you? Y

or Rainer laughed and looked down

he doc

d to try twenty doctors to find one t

Rainer's gaiety. "Oh, come-I say!

nching on a big scale. He'll take you in and be glad to have you. You say your new doctor thinks it won't do you any good; but he doesn't pretend to say it wil

ded, as if a closer look at the youth's face had i

tried to stiffen his mouth, into a s

errapin. "You look like the day afte

y Mr. Lavington's three visitors (Rainer, Faxon noticed, left his pla

"No, don't bring back the filet.... Some terrapin; yes...." He looked affably about the table. "Sorry to have deserted you, but the storm ha

er broke out, "Mr. Grisb

ping himself to terra

t to have given N

k a second helping, addressed himself again to Rainer. "Jim's in New York now, and going back the day after to-morrow in Olyphant's private car. I'll ask Olyphant to squeeze you in if

once: it's a splendid life. I saw a fellow-oh, a r

r laughed, a sudden eagernes

ntly. "Perhaps Grisben's r

perceived in the study was now more visibly and

there with Olyphant isn't a thing to be missed. So drop a few dozen

to watch him as he turned his glance on Mr. Lavington. One could not look at Lavington without seeing the presence at

xed on his host remained unperturbed, and the clue he gave

ampagne glass the watchful butler had already brimmed; but some fatal attraction, at war

Mr. Lavington's back; and while the latter continued to gaze affectionately at his

om the sight to scan the other countenances about the table; but not one revealed t

iness of old unsatisfied hates. That was the thing that, as the minutes labored by, Faxon was becoming most conscious of. The watcher behind the chair was no longer merely malevolent:

hite-washed wall. Then the fixity of the smile became ominous: Faxon saw that its wearer was afraid to let it go. It was evident that Mr. Lavington was unutterably tired too, and the disc

e question of his nephew's future. "Let's have a cigar first. No-not here, Peters."

ck-Mr. Faxon wants to kno

tinued to address himself to his guest. "Not

lift the glass to his lips; but his hand sank inert, and he looked up. Mr. Lavington's glance was politely bent on him,

u've seen my dou

said yes? Faxon felt a dryness i

emely usual- looking," Mr. Lavington went on conver

r. Lavington pushed back his chair, and as he did so Mr. Grisben suddenly leaned fo

..." He turned to his nephew. "After such a sin of omission I don't presum

no, Uncle Jack! Mr. Grisben won

Lavington's last, and Mr. Lavington put out his small

years. ... I put it into the prayer that the coming ones

about him reach ou

e the same gesture. H

eated to himself with

up! I won't ..

making the same motion. He heard Mr. Grisben's genial "Hear! Hear!" and Mr. Balch's hollow echo. He said

It was this merciful preoccupation which saved him, kept him from crying out, from losing his hold, from slipping down into the bottomless blackness that gaped for him. As long as the problem of the glass