human
I assured him,
gpt
I told Burgess, he said. There was a long silence.
human
I--told him everything.... I mean, one _does_ with Burgess. I found it wasn't news to him. George had told him--weeks ago.... One _does_ with Burgess,
gpt
What did he say?
human
He was rather helpful.
gpt
George told me that he wouldn't trouble to talk to you about it unless he saw his way to help you,
human
I went in and told him that I wanted a day or two's leave, if he could possibly spare me; I told him Sonia was going to have a child.... He waited for some time and then said, 'The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?' Said it as if he meant it, too; it was like trying to get extra leave in the old days; as a rule he'd accept any excuse, however bad, provided it was given in good faith; I once got an extra half for the whole school because it was so hot that, as I told him, we'd much _prefer not_ to be working.... Well, I told him the whole truth--all about Sonia and myself, all about Grayle....
gpt
It may have been good for my humility of spirit, but I can't say it was very edifying for Burgess.... I told him that Sonia's been dancing in the shadow of a volcano, that we were always on the verge of an appalling scandal and that it was more by luck than anything else that it had been averted. I described to him how we'd smuggled her home and what we were going to do to keep the child away from her.... Have you ever told a long story and discovered at some point that it's falling extraordinarily flat or that someone's shocked? Burgess never _said_ anything, and of course I couldn't see his face, but--I don't know whether you understand me--the silence seemed to become more intense at times. I felt that his eyes must be on me and I--not to put too fine a point on it--I began to feel rather frightened.... If I could have _seen_.... I knew from his voice when he first spoke that he was sitting down; and I suddenly remembered a most awful row I'd had with him when I was about sixteen. He sat there then with his back to the window, and I stood in front of him arguing and arguing; it was a little matter of discipline, and he'd decided to fire me out.... Well, I went through just the same thing this morning. I--I felt I was owning up; and I'd have given anything in the world to see his face.... You know how you spin out the explanation ... and rather overdo it ... you're _too_ plausible and you feel the whole time that you're not getting it across.... I went on and on ... and finally I stopped short; it wasn't any use, he knew everything--even if George hadn't told him.... I became stiff and dignified and said once more, 'If you can shift the work round so that I can be away for a day or two----' Then I heard him scraping for a light--and sighing--and throwing the matches away.... God! until you're blind, you've no conception how many things you hear. _You_ wouldn't notice the sound of a wooden match falling in the grate, but _I_ did; and, though I've given up smoking because I can't taste tobacco, I felt a little smarting at the back of my nostrils as Burgess got going with his pipe....
human
What advice did he give you?
gpt
He didn't give me any--_advice_. But, when I'd finished, he said he'd pull the time-table about and that I could stay away as long as I liked. I _knew_ he'd say that. Well, in the ordinary course I should have said 'Thank you' and cleared out, but I didn't find it easy to move. Burgess sat there, sucking at his pipe; I stood there--and I felt a perfect fool, because I was beginning to blush. And the old man said, 'Well, David O'Rane?' and I said, 'Well, sir?' And then there was another silence. And then he said, 'Thou hast no further need of me'--You know the way he talks? I _did_ thank him then and was starting to the door, when he called out, 'Thou art at peace in thine own mind?' That rather stung me, and I told him that, all things considered, I didn't think I was wholly to blame; and he answered rather enigmatically that, if I wasn't careful, I _should_ be. I asked him what he meant.