"
He paused, and I looked into his haggard face in utter stupefaction to hear
such words from the lips of one whom I had ever looked upon as goodness
incarnate.
"Had I not known that some day I must speak to you as I am speaking now, I
had long since abandoned a task which I did not consider good. But I
feared to leave you. I feared that if I were removed my place might be
taken by some time-server who to earn a livelihood would tutor you as your
mother would have you tutored, and thrust you forth without warning upon
the life to which you have been vowed.
"Once, years ago, I was on the point of resisting your mother." He passed
a hand wearily across his brow. "It was on the night that Gino Falcone
left us, driven forth by her because she accounted it her duty. Do you
remember, Agostino?"
"0, I remember!" I answered.
"That night," he pursued, "I was angered--righteously angered to see so
wicked and unchristian an act performed in blasphemous self-righteousness.
I was on the point of denouncing the deed as it deserved, of denouncing
your mother for it to her face. And then I remembered you. I remembered
the love I had borne your father, and my duty to him, to see that no such
wrong was done you in the end as that which I feared. I reflected that if
I spoke the words that were burning my tongue for utterance, I should go as
Gino Falcone had gone.
Pages:
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108