Dermod walked straight up to Harry
Feversham, looking for once in a way what he was, a very old man, and
stood there staring into Feversham's face with a muddled and bewildered
expression. Twice he opened his mouth to speak, but no words came. In
the end he turned to the table and lit his candle and Harry Feversham's.
Then he turned back toward Feversham, and rather quickly, so that Ethne
took a step forward as if to get between them; but he did nothing more
than stare at Feversham again and for a long time. Finally, he took up
his candle.
"Well--" he said, and stopped. He snuffed the wick with the scissors and
began again. "Well--" he said, and stopped again. Apparently his candle
had not helped him to any suitable expressions. He stared into the flame
now instead of into Feversham's face, and for an equal length of time.
He could think of nothing whatever to say, and yet he was conscious that
something must be said. In the end he said lamely:--
"If you want any whiskey, stamp twice on the floor with your foot. The
servants understand."
Thereupon he walked heavily up the stairs. The old man's forbearance was
perhaps not the least part of Harry Feversham's punishment.
Pages:
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80