II + 

Uncle Sydney arrived very soonтБатАФvery bluff and hearty, a little stouter than of old. With him came Enid, his third daughter. The two eldest were married, and the two youngest were in the schoolroom. + 

Uncle Sydney was full of jokes and fun. Myra looked at her brother admiringly. Really, there was nobody like Syd! He made things go. + 

Vernon laughed politely at his uncleтАЩs jokes which he privately thought both stupid and boring. + 

тАЬI wonder where you buy your tobacco in Cambridge,тАЭ said Uncle Sydney. тАЬFrom a pretty girl, IтАЩll be bound. Ha! Ha! Myra, the boyтАЩs blushingтБатАФactually blushing.тАЭ + 

тАЬStupid old fool,тАЭ thought Vernon disdainfully. + 

тАЬAnd where do you buy your tobacco, Uncle Sydney?тАЭ said Joe, valiantly entering the lists. + 

тАЬHa! Ha!тАЭ trumpeted Uncle Sydney. тАЬThatтАЩs a good one! YouтАЩre a smart girl, Joe. We wonтАЩt tell your Aunt Carrie the answer to that, eh?тАЭ + 

Enid said very little but giggled a good deal. + 

тАЬYou ought to write to your cousin,тАЭ said Uncle Sydney. тАЬHeтАЩd like a letter, wouldnтАЩt you, Vernon?тАЭ + 

тАЬRather,тАЭ said Vernon. + 

тАЬThere you are,тАЭ said Uncle Sydney. тАЬWhat did I tell you, miss? The child wanted to, but was shy. SheтАЩs always thought a lot of you, Vernon. But I mustnтАЩt tell tales out of school, hey, Enid?тАЭ + 

Later, after the heavy composite meal was ended, he talked to Vernon at some length of the prosperity of BentтАЩs. + 

тАЬBooming, my boy, booming.тАЭ + 

He went into long financial explanations: profits had doubled, he was extending the premisesтБатАФand so on and so on. + 

Vernon much preferred this style of conversation. Not being the least interested, he could abstract his attention. An encouraging monosyllable from time to time was all that was needed. + 

Uncle Sydney talked on, developing the fascinating theme of the Power and Glory of BentтАЩs, World without End, Amen. + 

Vernon thought about the book on musical instruments which he had bought that morning and read coming down in the train. There was a terrible lot to know. OboesтБатАФhe felt he was going to have ideas about oboes. And violasтБатАФyes, certainly, violas. + 

Uncle SydneyтАЩs talk made a pleasant accompaniment like a remote double bass. + 

Presently Uncle Sydney said he must be getting along. There was more facetiousnessтБатАФshould or should not Vernon kiss Enid good night? + 

How idiotic people were. Thank goodness heтАЩd soon be able to get up to his own room. + 

Myra heaved a happy sigh as the door closed. + 

тАЬDear me,тАЭ she murmured, тАЬI wish your father had been here. WeтАЩve had such a happy evening. He would have enjoyed it.тАЭ + 

тАЬA jolly good thing he wasnтАЩt,тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬI donтАЩt remember he and Uncle Sydney ever hitting it off really well.тАЭ + 

тАЬYou were only a little boy. They were the greatest of friends, and your father was always happy when I was. Oh, dear, how happy we were together.тАЭ + 

She raised a handkerchief to her eyes. Vernon stared at her. For a moment he thought: тАЬThis is the most magnificent loyalty.тАЭ And then suddenly: тАЬNo, it isnтАЩt. She really believes it.тАЭ + 

Myra went on in a soft reminiscent tone. + 

тАЬYou were never really fond of your father, Vernon. I think it must have grieved him sometimes. But then, you were so devoted to me. It was quite ridiculous.тАЭ + 

Vernon said suddenly and violently, and with a strange feeling that he was defending his father by saying so: + 

тАЬFather was a brute to you.тАЭ + 

тАЬVernon, how dare you say such a thing. Your father was the best man in the world.тАЭ + 

She looked at him defiantly. He thought: тАЬSheтАЩs seeing herself being heroic. тАШHow wonderful a womanтАЩs love can beтБатАФprotecting her deadтАЩтБатАФthat sort of thing. Oh! I hate it all. I hate it all.тАЭ + 

He mumbled something, kissed her, and went up to bed. + 