Clinton was ill-bred, and with that
vulgarity of mind which would make him rather proud than ashamed of
getting the best of a bargain with his friend--these things were not
the less taunts because they were true.
If the violent scenes which occur in ill-tempered families _felt_ half
as undignified and miserable as they _look_, surely they would be less
common! I believe Philip and Alice would have come to blows if I had
not joined with him to expel her from the room. I was not happy about
it, for my sympathy was on her side of the quarrel, but she had been
the one to declare war, and I could not control Philip. In short, it
is often not easy to keep the peace and be just too, as I should like
to have said to Aunt Isobel, if she had been at home. But she was to
be away until the 6th.
Alice defeated, I took Philip seriously to task. Not about his
friend--the subject was too sore, and Alice had told him all that we
thought, and rather more than we thought on that score--but about the
theatricals. I said if he really was tired of the business we would
throw it up, and let our friends know that the proposed entertainment
had fallen through, but that if he wanted it to go forward he must
decide what help he would give, and then abide by his promise.
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