The Awakening of Helena Richie
Page 75"Yes. Well?"
"In those days I was of--of somewhat hasty temper."
"So I have heard," said Dr, Lavendar, Benjamin Wright glared. "When I was young, listening to gossip was not
thought becoming in the cloth. When he came, I learned that he had
stayed over in Mercer--without my consent, mark you--to go to the
theatre!"
"Well?" said Dr, Lavendar. "He was twenty-four. Why should he have
your consent?"
Mr., Wright waved this question aside. "When he came home, I spoke
with some severity," "This quarrel," said Dr. Lavendar, "is not built on such folly as
that."
Benjamin Wright shook his head, and made a careless gesture with his
trembling hand. "Not--entirely. I reproved him, as I say. And he was
days my temper was somewhat quick--I--"
"Yes?"
But Mr. Wright seemed unable to proceed, except to say again, "I--
reproved him," "But," Dr. Lavendar protested, "you don't mean to tell me that Samuel,
just for a reproof, an unkind and unjust reproof, would--why, I cannot
believe it!"
"It was not unjust!" Benjamin Wright's melancholy eyes flamed angrily.
"I know, Samuel," said Dr. Lavendar. "He is obstinate; I've told him
so a hundred times. And he's conceited--so's everybody, more or less;
if in nothing else, we're conceited because we're not conceited. But
he's not a fool. So, whether he is right or not, I am sure he thinks
he had something more to complain of than a good blowing-up?"
speaking with a gasp, "he had. Slightly."
Dr. Lavendar's stern lip trembled with anxiety. "What?"
"I--chastised him; a little."
"You--what?"
Benjamin Wright nodded; the wrinkled pouches under his eyes grew dully
red. "My God!" he said plaintively; "think of that--a hasty moment!
Thirty-two years; my God! I--spanked him."
Dr. Lavendar opened his lips to speak, but found no words.
"And he was offended! Offended? What right had he to be offended?
I was the offended party. He went to a low theatre. Apparently
you see nothing wrong in that? Well, I've always said that every
parson had the making of an actor in him. It's a toss-up--the stage or
of his staying away all night? Smoking! Drinking! He'd been drunk. He
confessed it. And there was a woman in it. He confessed that. Said
they'd all 'gone to supper together.' Said that he was 'seeing the
world'--which a man ('man,' if you please!) of his years had a
right to do. Well; I suppose you'd have had me smile at him, and tuck
him up in bed to sleep off his headache, and give him a stick of
candy? That wasn't my way. I reproved him. I--chastised him. Perfectly
proper. Perhaps--unusual. He was twenty-four, and I laid him across my
knee, and--well; I got over it in fifteen minutes. I was, perhaps,
hasty My temper in those days was not what it is now. But I forgave
him in fifteen minutes; and he had gone! He's been gone--for thirty-
two years. My God!"