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’You know, don’t you?’ said Matthew finally
’Yes,’ said Williaive me’
’Don’t cry, William I haven’t seen you do that since you were twelve, when Covington was beating you up and I had to drag hiton is up to now? Probably running a brothel in Tijuana; ies about all he was fit for Mind you, if Covington is running it~ the place will be darrmed efficient, so leadcan be done I’ve seen all the specialists fro they can do Do you ? I still feel bloody awful Wakeor if I’m any more trouble, and I’ll find my oay home’
’This is your hoed ’Will you tell my father, William? I can’t face him Youre an only son, too; you understand the probleo down to New York tomorrow and tell him if you’ll proetting drunk if that’s what you wish to do, or fro as many women as you want, but you must stay here’
’Best offer I’ve had in weeks, Williaet so tired nowadays!
William watched Matthew fall into a deep sleep and relass fro on the sheets
’Don’t die,’ he said quietly ’Please don’t die, Matthew Have you forgotten that you and I axe going to run the big~ gest bank in A to see Charles Lester The great ed visibly at William’s news and see, Willia when Matthew stopped his monthly visits to see me I’ll come up every weekend He ant to be with you and Kate, and I’ll try not to make it too obvious how hard I took the news God knohat he’s done to deserve this Sincefor Matthew, and now there is no one to leave it to Susan has no interest in the bank’
’Come to Boston when ever you want to, sir You!U always beyoure doing for Matthew!
The old man looked up at him ’I wish your father were alive to see hoorthy his son is of the nae places with Matthew, and let hi back to him soon, sir’
"Yes, of course Tell hi different’
’Yes, sir’
Williaht to find that Matthew had stayed at ho America’s latest best seller, Gone With The Wind, as he sat out on the veranda He looked up as Williah the French s
’How did the old man take it?’
’He cried,’ said William q’he chairman of Lester’s bank cried?’ said Matthew ’Never let the shareholders know that’
Matthew stopped drinking and worked as hard as he could until the last few days William was amazed by his determination and had continually to make him slon He was always on top of his work and would tease Willias before a large dinner, Mattheould play tennis with Williaainst him on the river ’I’ll know I’m dead when I can’t beat you,’ heto stay on at the Red House The weeks went so slowly and yet so quickly for Willia if Mattheould still be alive
Matthew died on a Thursday, forty pages still to read of Gone With The Wind
Ile funeral was held in New York, and William and Kate stayed with Charles Lester In six raves of his wife and only son, he told Williaer saw any purpose in this life Willia father William and Kate returned to Boston the next day The Red House seeely empty without Matthew The past few months had been at once the happiest and unhappiest period in Williaht him a closeness, both to Matthew and to Kate, that normal life would never have allowed
When William retumed to the bank after Matthew’s death, he found it hard to get back into any sort of noret up and start to head towards Matthew’s office for advice or a laugh, or er there It eeks before Willia this