But I can't bear not to speak now. I don't know if it has
made any difference--with Billy's plans. It seems disloyal to tell you. But
you must forget it: he's forgotten, I am sure. He said--those silly things,
you know! I couldn't have told you then; it was too silly. And I said that
I didn't think it was for him or for me to talk about such things. It was
for men and women, not boys who couldn't even get their lessons."
"Elsie!" Mrs. Valentin gave a little choked laugh. "Did you say that? The
poor boy! Why, I thought you were such good friends!"
"He wasn't talking friendship, mother, and I was furious with him for
flunking his exams. He passed in only five out of seven. He ought to have
done better than that. He's not stupid; it's that fatal popularity. He's
captain of this and manager of that, and they give him such a lot of money.
And they pet him, too; they make excuses for him all the time. I told him
he must _do_ something before he began to have feelings. The only feeling
he had any right to have was shame for his miserable record."
"And that was all the encouragement you gave him?"
"If you call that 'encouragement,'" said Elsie.
Pages:
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151