Page 15 (1/2)
Then, when he enty-three, his mother died, and he was
left at home with Effie His mother's death was another blow out
of the dark He could not understand it, he kneas no good
his trying One had to submit to these unforeseen blows that
come unawares and leave a bruise that rean to be afraid of all that which was up
against him He had loved his mother
After this, Effie and he quarrelled fiercely They meant a
very great deal to each other, but they were both under a
strange, unnatural tension He stayed out of the house as ot a special corner for hiure by the fire, a
fresh, fair young felloith heavy lih alert and attentive, very hearty in his
greeting of everybody he knew, shy of strangers He teased all
the women, who liked him extremely, and he was very attentive to
the talk of the men, very respectful
To drink ht out the look of self-consciousness and unsureness,
almost bewilderment, in his blue eyes When he came home in this
state of tipsy confusion his sister hated him and abused hie
He had still another turn with a light-o'-love One
Whitsuntide he went a jaunt with two other young fellows, on