III + 

There was a sudden interruption. His mother stood in the doorway. Her eyes were swollen with crying. She dabbed them with a handkerchief. She stood there theatrically miserable. + 

тАЬHeтАЩs gone,тАЭ she cried. тАЬWithout a word to me. Without a word. Oh! my little son. My little son.тАЭ + 

She swept across the floor and gathered Vernon in her arms. The tower, at least one storey higher than any he had ever built before, crashed into ruins. His motherтАЩs voice, loud and distraught, burrowed into his ear. + 

тАЬMy childтБатАФmy little sonтБатАФswear that youтАЩll never forsake me. Swear itтБатАФswear it.тАЭ + 

Nurse came across to them. + 

тАЬThere, maтАЩam, there, maтАЩam, donтАЩt take on so. YouтАЩd better get back to bed. Edith shall bring you a nice cup of hot tea.тАЭ + 

Her tone was authoritativeтБатАФsevere. + 

His mother still sobbed and clasped him closer. VernonтАЩs whole body began to stiffen in resistance. He could bear it a little while longerтБатАФa very little while longerтБатАФand heтАЩd do anything Mummy wanted if only sheтАЩd let go of him. + 

тАЬYou must make up to me, VernonтБатАФmake up to me for the suffering your father has caused me. Oh! my God, what shall I do?тАЭ + 

Somewhere, in the back of his mind, Vernon was aware of Katie, silent, ecstatic, enjoying the scene. + 

тАЬCome along, maтАЩam,тАЭ said Nurse. тАЬYouтАЩll only upset the child.тАЭ + 

The authority in her voice was so marked this time that VernonтАЩs mother succumbed to it. Leaning weakly on NurseтАЩs arm, she allowed herself to be led from the room. + 

Nurse returned a few minutes later very red in the face. + 

тАЬMy,тАЭ said Katie, тАЬdidnтАЩt she take on? Regular hystericsтБатАФthatтАЩs what they call it! Well, this has been a to-do! You donтАЩt think sheтАЩll do a mischief to herself, do you? Those nasty ponds in the garden. The Master is a oneтБатАФnot that he hasnтАЩt a lot to put up with from Her. All them scenes and tantrumsтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬThatтАЩll do, my girl,тАЭ said Nurse. тАЬYou can get back to your work, and under-servants discussing a matter of this kind with their betters is a thing that IтАЩve never known take place in a gentlemanтАЩs house. Your mother ought to have trained you better.тАЭ + 

With a toss of her head, Katie withdrew. Nurse moved round the nursery table, shifting cups and plates with unwonted sharpness. Her lips moved, muttering to herself. + 

тАЬPutting ideas into the childтАЩs head. IтАЩve no patience with itтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 