The Present and the Past Read Online Free PDF Page A

not?’
    â€˜The same,’ said Flavia, smiling. ‘Everyone always means it.’
    â€˜Now there is something I have been- wanting to say,’ said Cassius, replenishing his plate, as if his thoughts were elsewhere. ‘Fabian is getting too old to be with women and children.’
    â€˜He will go to a public school in a year. A home life is best for boys in childhood. It is what I shall do for Henry, and so what I do for his brothers.’
    â€˜I suppose Guy is your favourite of your stepchildren?’
    â€˜I have no stepchildren. I have four sons and a daughter. I can see it in no other way.’
    â€˜I wonder if they can,’ said Cassius.
    â€˜If so, the blame is mine.’
    â€˜Their opinion of you would hardly be the same as your opinion of yourself.’
    â€˜Then perhaps the blame is theirs,’ said Mr Clare. ‘Children are not always blameless.’
    â€˜I wonder if they ought to see their own mother,’ said Cassius,keeping his tone even. ‘Yοu know she has returned to the place?’
    â€˜Yes, I know,’ said his wife.
    â€˜I am not a man who cannot change his mind.’
    â€˜It seems that you are not.’
    â€˜The best way to deal with a mistake is to rectify it.’
    â€˜If a mistake has been made.’
    â€˜It is never too late to mend.’
    â€˜A poor saying,’ said Mr Clare.
    â€˜Not to mend ourselves,’ said Flavia. ‘To mend what we have done, it is often too late. I think it generally is.’
    â€˜Do you feel with me that we took a wrong course?’ said Cassius.
    â€˜No, I think we did the best thing. I do not say there was any good thing.’
    â€˜No mistake was made at the time,’ said Mr Clare. ‘None could have been made.’
    â€˜A man’s feelings may change,’ said his son, not looking at anyone.
    â€˜You need not tell us, my boy. You give us the proof.’
    â€˜They have a way of returning,’ said Flavia, ‘with the return of the things that caused them. Just as they pass with their passing.’
    â€˜You think you are very wise and deep,’ said her husband.
    â€˜Well, it sounded as if she was,’ said Mr Clare.
    â€˜And the words suggested it to Cassius,’ said Flavia, ‘and he is not prone to such opinion.’
    â€˜One woman and two men!’ said Cassius, as if to himself. ‘I suppose this is what it must be.’
    â€˜And would a second woman mend matters?’ said his wife. ‘Well, perhaps she might. She might be the right person in the right place, doing the thing she could do.’
    â€˜My dear, good wife!’ said Cassius, in another and louder tone. ‘My helpmeet in the troubles of life! How I depend on you in my mind, if I have my own ways of showing it! I know you understand me.’
    â€˜Well, that is fortunate,’ said his father. ‘It might not be so.’
    â€˜I want your advice, Flavia. I ask for it, my dear. Would youadvise me to approach my first wife? Your opinion will be mine.’
    â€˜I hardly know what my opinion is. I have not thought. I should not think. It has not bearing on the matter.’
    â€˜Ah, I have never met a little woman with such an opinion of herself. Or one with a better right to it. But why not help a simple man in his own way? Unless you are afraid of what is in your mind. I daresay we all are really.’
    â€˜Oh, well, afraid of that. But we should not betray it. We always take great care.’
    â€˜To involve other people and protect ourselves?’
    â€˜Well, think what care that would need.’
    â€˜The thing to do is to keep it in our minds and to continue to be afraid of it,’ said Mr Clare.
    â€˜Well, what else could we do?’ said his daughter-in-law. ‘There is no danger that we shall accustom ourselves to it. It is not true that we get used to anything.’
    â€˜You both talk as if you had dark thoughts on a