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I wish you would listen to me, Llewellyn, said Leslie; it is not too late yet. The chance has been offered to you and the chance has been offered to me. It seems to me, on thinking things over, that only one of us can take it, for mother cant do without both of us.
Thats just what I said, interrupted Llewellyn; you are to go and I am to stay. It is all arranged. Dont, like a dear girl, worry over the thing any longer. Its done, and thats an end of it.
But you must let me speak, said Leslie. I can never go to St. Wodes unless I make a clean breast of all that is in my mind. If one of us is to grind for the present, ought not I to be the one? I am older than you, I have had a more thorough education, I can easily get a position as junior teacher in Miss Harkaways school. There is a vacancy, and she has half promised it to me. That will bring me in thirty pounds a year and my food, and, after a bit, I might do even better. Thus I should be altogether off mothers hands, and could even help her a trifle. Then, Lew, you will be really helping her at Oxford. As you are acquiring learning, and as those magnificent brains of yours are being cultivated to their full worth, you will be preparing for a learned profession, or a professorship, or something of that kind. Surely, surely, that would be a more substantial help to the sweetest mother in the world than your earning a pound a week now at Lee & Forrests.
There is something in what you say, Leslie; but there is not enough in it, said Llewellyn quietly. Believe me, I have thought of all this from every point of view. In the first place, professorships do not mean wealth, and, for mothers sake, I mean to be a wealthy man some day. You must go into trade to be wealthy now. Oh, it is not that I care for money, not a bit! But I want to save the mother, to keep her from toiling when she is old, to help the younger children. I cant stand Parker doing all the help, Leslie; the mere thought drives me half wild. Then I shall not always work at a pound a week. In a couple of years I may be earning a salary of two hundred a year, for I dont mind telling you that young Forrest has taken no end of a fancy to me, and he and I had a long talk to-day. He took me up to see his father, and his father would do anything for a boy Jim liked. Jim goes to Oxford in the autumn. He hates the shop, and he wont go into business, for he cant stand it, and so his father has to start him in a profession. But he hinted very broadly and so did the old man, too, for that matter that if I could take his place it would put matters a bit right and smooth down the pride of old Forrest; so I shall have my chance, Leslie a small partnership by and by; and I mean to take it, little girl, so you can go to Wingfield with a heart and a half, and win the academic honors of the family. It is a splendid chance for you, Leslie, and Im not the fellow to stand in your way.
But I just wish you would! she cried.
Llewellyn put one of his arms round her and drew her close to him.
One can take an interest in anything one sets ones mind to, he continued. I shall begin double entry and bookkeeping and all that sort of thing to-morrow, and the classics may go to Hong Kong for the present. Poor old Plato! I loved him, and I had dreams about him; but he and I must be strangers for the present. You think me silly now, dear, but you wont when I have succeeded. By the time I have a great big shop of my own you will think me the wise one of the family. Leslie, my dear, what is wrong?
For Leslie had squeezed his arm so tightly that the lad winced.
I cant bear to think of you with a shop, she cried, with that brain and those eyes. And oh, Lew! dont you remember how you translated Thucydides for us? And oh, Lew, it cant be borne.
It must be borne, he replied stoutly. I can have lessons in the classics if I have time enough presently. Oh, a university man is not the only man in the world, Leslie. But now we will talk no more of this. Once for all, my mind is made up.
What would our father have said, she cried; our father, who was a great scholar?
If he were to come back, and if he could speak to me, I am quite certain he would say that I was more worthy to be his son if I helped the mother quickly than if I did anything else, replied the boy.
Perhaps you are right, said Leslie, in a thoughtful voice.
Llewellyn rubbed his hand over his eyes.
I dont pretend, all the same, that its not
been no end of a tussle, he said; but now my mind is made up.
Quite?
Yes, quite.
Have you given an answer yet to Mr. Forrest?
Practically I have; but the mother must come round with me to see him to-morrow. The dear little mother wont much like it; but she must do it. You dont know how he respects her, Leslie.
I should think so, said Leslie; that goes without saying. She is quite the dearest, bravest little mother in the wide world.
Well, dry your tears, old girl; Ill look after her while you are away. Be cheerful, Leslie, and get all the good you can out of this magnificent thing, for I dont pretend that its not a great bit of fortune for you. It is quite possible and right for you to take help from Mr. Parker; but I could not do it. Its not in me to take favors from anyone. Such a thing would lower me in my own eyes. Oh, it does not lower you, Leslie; but it would me, for I am differently made. We must each walk according to our own lights. And now go to bed, old girl, for I am half dead with sleep.