DOI article:
Grahame, Kenneth: A falling out
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21805#0200
196 A Falling Out
glory of sulks. The fit passed directly, his eyes were opened, and
his soul sat in the dust as he sorrowfully began to cast about for
some atonement heroic enouo-h to salve the wrong.
Needless to say, Selina demanded no sacrifice nor heroics what-
ever 3 she didn’t even want him to say he was sorry. If he
would only make it up, she would have done the apologising part
herseif. But that was not a boy’s way. Something solid, Harold
feit, was due from him 3 and until that was achieved, making up
must not be thought of, in order that the final effect might not be
spoilt. Accordingly, when his release came, and poor Selina hung
about, trying to catch his eye, Harold, possessed by the demon of
a distorted motive, avoided her steadily—though he was bleeding
inwardly at every minute of delay—and came to me instead.
Of course I approved his plan highly 3 it was so much better
than just going and making it up tamely, which any one could do 3
and a girl who had been jobbed in the ribs by a hostile elbow
could not be expected for a moment to overlook it, without the
liniment of an offering to soothe her injured feelings.
“ I know what she wants most,” said Harold. “ She wants that
set of tea-things in the toy-shop window, with the red and blue
flowers on ’em 3 she’s wanted it for months, ’cos her dolls are
getting big enough to have real afternoon tea 3 and she wants it
so badly that she won’t walk that side of the Street when we go
into the town. But it costs five Shillings ! ”
Then we set to work seriously, and devoted the afternoon to a
realisation of assets and the composition of a Budget that might
have been dated without shame from' Whitehall. The result
worked out as follows :
By
glory of sulks. The fit passed directly, his eyes were opened, and
his soul sat in the dust as he sorrowfully began to cast about for
some atonement heroic enouo-h to salve the wrong.
Needless to say, Selina demanded no sacrifice nor heroics what-
ever 3 she didn’t even want him to say he was sorry. If he
would only make it up, she would have done the apologising part
herseif. But that was not a boy’s way. Something solid, Harold
feit, was due from him 3 and until that was achieved, making up
must not be thought of, in order that the final effect might not be
spoilt. Accordingly, when his release came, and poor Selina hung
about, trying to catch his eye, Harold, possessed by the demon of
a distorted motive, avoided her steadily—though he was bleeding
inwardly at every minute of delay—and came to me instead.
Of course I approved his plan highly 3 it was so much better
than just going and making it up tamely, which any one could do 3
and a girl who had been jobbed in the ribs by a hostile elbow
could not be expected for a moment to overlook it, without the
liniment of an offering to soothe her injured feelings.
“ I know what she wants most,” said Harold. “ She wants that
set of tea-things in the toy-shop window, with the red and blue
flowers on ’em 3 she’s wanted it for months, ’cos her dolls are
getting big enough to have real afternoon tea 3 and she wants it
so badly that she won’t walk that side of the Street when we go
into the town. But it costs five Shillings ! ”
Then we set to work seriously, and devoted the afternoon to a
realisation of assets and the composition of a Budget that might
have been dated without shame from' Whitehall. The result
worked out as follows :
By