III + 

Suddenly the world became very exciting. There was a warтБатАФin South AfricaтБатАФand Father was going to it! + 

Everyone was excited and upset. For the first time, Vernon heard of some people called the Boers. They were the people that Father was going to fight. + 

His father came home for a few days. He looked younger and more alive and a great deal more cheerful. He and Mummy were quite nice to each other and there werenтАЩt any scenes or quarrels. + 

Once or twice, Vernon thought, his father squirmed uneasily at some of the things his mother said. Once he said irritably: + 

тАЬFor GodтАЩs sake, Myra, donтАЩt keep talking of brave heroes laying down their lives for their country. I canтАЩt stand that sort of cant.тАЭ + 

But his mother had not got angry. She only said: + 

тАЬI know you donтАЩt like me saying it. But itтАЩs true.тАЭ + 

On the last evening before he left, VernonтАЩs father called to his small son to go for a walk with him. They strolled all round the place, silently at first, and then Vernon was emboldened to ask questions. + 

тАЬAre you glad youтАЩre going to the war, Father?тАЭ + 

тАЬVery glad.тАЭ + 

тАЬIs it fun?тАЭ + 

тАЬNot what youтАЩd call fun, I expect. But it is in a way. ItтАЩs excitement, and then, too, it takes you away from thingsтБатАФright away.тАЭ + 

тАЬI suppose,тАЭ said Vernon thoughtfully, тАЬthere arenтАЩt any ladies at the war?тАЭ + 

Walter Deyre looked sharply at his son, a slight smile hovering on his lips. Uncanny, the way the boy sometimes hit the nail on the head quite unconsciously. + 

тАЬThat makes for peace, certainly,тАЭ he said gravely. + 

тАЬWill you kill a good many people, do you think?тАЭ inquired Vernon interestedly. + 

His father replied that it was impossible to tell accurately beforehand. + 

тАЬI hope you will,тАЭ said Vernon, anxious that his father should shine. тАЬI hope youтАЩll kill a hundred.тАЭ + 

тАЬThank you, old man.тАЭ + 

тАЬI suppose,тАЭ began Vernon and then stopped. + 

тАЬYes?тАЭ said Walter Deyre encouragingly. + 

тАЬI supposeтБатАФsometimesтБатАФpeople do get killed in war.тАЭ + 

Walter Deyre understood the ambiguous phrase. + 

тАЬSometimes,тАЭ he said. + 

тАЬYou donтАЩt think you will, do you?тАЭ + 

тАЬI might. ItтАЩs all in the dayтАЩs work, you know.тАЭ + 

Vernon considered the phrase thoughtfully. The feeling that underlay it came dimly to him. + 

тАЬWould you mind if you were, Father?тАЭ + 

тАЬIt might be the best thing,тАЭ said Walter Deyre, more to himself than to the child. + 

тАЬI hope you wonтАЩt,тАЭ said Vernon. + 

тАЬThank you.тАЭ + 

His father smiled a little. VernonтАЩs wish had sounded so politely conventional. But he did not make the mistake Myra would have done, of thinking the child unfeeling. + 

They had reached the ruins of the Abbey. The sun was just setting. Father and son looked round and Walter Deyre drew in his breath with a little intake of pain. Perhaps he might never stand here again. + 

тАЬIтАЩve made a mess of things,тАЭ he thought to himself. + 

тАЬVernon?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, Father?тАЭ + 

тАЬIf I am killed, Abbots Puissants will belong to you. You know that, donтАЩt you?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, Father.тАЭ + 

Silence again. So much that he would have liked to sayтБатАФbut he wasnтАЩt used to saying things. These were the things that one didnтАЩt put into words. Odd, how strangely at home he felt with that small person, his son. Perhaps it had been a mistake not to have got to know the boy better. They might have had some good times together. He was shy of the boyтБатАФand the boy was shy of him. And yet somehow, they were curiously in harmony. They both of them disliked saying things. + 

тАЬIтАЩm fond of the old place,тАЭ said Walter Deyre. тАЬI expect you will be too.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, Father.тАЭ + 

тАЬQueer to think of the old monksтБатАФcatching their fishтБатАФfat fellows. ThatтАЩs how I always think of themтБатАФcomfortable chaps.тАЭ + 

They lingered a few minutes longer. + 

тАЬWell,тАЭ said Walter Deyre, тАЬwe must be getting home. ItтАЩs late.тАЭ + 

They turned. Walter Deyre squared his shoulders. There was a leavetaking to be got throughтБатАФan emotional one if he knew MyraтБатАФand he rather dreaded it. Well, it would soon be over. Goodbyes were painful thingsтБатАФbetter if one made no fuss about them, but then of course Myra would never see it that way. + 

Poor Myra. SheтАЩd had a rotten deal on the whole. A fine-looking creature, but heтАЩd married her really for the sake of Abbots PuissantsтБатАФand she had married him for love. That was the root of the whole trouble. + 

тАЬLook after your mother, Vernon,тАЭ he said suddenly. тАЬSheтАЩs been very good to you, you know.тАЭ + 

He rather hoped, in a way, that he wouldnтАЩt come back. It would be best so. Vernon had his mother. + 

And yet, at that thought, he had a queer traitorous feeling. As though he were deserting the boyтБатАКтБатАж + 