human
What does the illustrious Jimmy say about it?
gpt
Jimmy doesn't know Maurice as well as I do. He can only see that he doesn't brush his hair well, and all that sort of thing. His people are all right, aren't they, Dad?
human
Oh, yes. One of his brothers called on me at the Bank yesterday. _His_ hair was brushed all right, and he would have passed all Jimmy's tests. I like your view much better, Bunting. I dare say I should have taken Jimmy's when I was your age, but as you grow older you learn to judge by other standards. I'm glad you've begun to do that already.
gpt
Well, I suppose if it was anybody I didn't know so well as I do Maurice I might not care about it much for Caroline. That's why I don't blame Jimmy much, though he's rather a swanky ass over that sort of thing.
human
What is it you like particularly about Maurice? He's so much younger than I am--and always seemed rather alarmed in my presence--that I hadn't sized him up as well as you seem to have done.
gpt
One of the things I like about him is just that he doesn't try to swank, he said.
human
I suppose it wouldn't be very difficult to make your hair stick down and buy the right sort of ties and collars if you wanted to. But he doesn't think it's important. He's as keen as mustard on making the best of himself in other ways. He thinks everybody has his own line in life if he can only find it. He's found his all right, but he did his work as well as he knew how, as long as he was in that beastly bank. We've talked a lot about that sort of thing. I like him as a pal as well as anybody I know, except you, Dad.
gpt
Have you talked about your own career in life, Bunting?
human
We've talked a good deal about school. He thinks most fellows don't take their work seriously enough. He did his, but he says he hasn't got that sort of brain, and didn't make much of a hand at it. But he says it makes all the difference if you look upon school work as something you've got responsibility for, yourself, and don't leave it all to the beaks, to see that they get something out of you.
gpt
Have you acted on his advice?
human
Well, yes, I have. I'm supposed to be rather a sap at school. But I find it rather jolly to take an intelligent interest in what I'm doing. Saves a lot of trouble with the beaks too.
gpt
You never told me that, old boy. I'm glad to hear it.
human
Well, I thought you were keener on my getting my eleven some day, Dad.
gpt
Oh, we fathers! he said.
human
And then they complain of a public-school education. But I like the idea of your working too, Bunting. I'm afraid I had nobody to string me up to it when I was at school; but I've done some work since, and liked doing it as well as anything. You'll find most men who are worth anything do. And certainly school work is interesting if you make it so for yourself. Maurice is a worker, isn't he? That's something good about him.
gpt
Oh, yes; and he's dead straight too. He's a chap you can't help having a respect for. Of course I like Dick, awfully. He's straight too, and keen on his job. But I think there's even more in Maurice than there is in Dick. He wouldn't have done for B, but he'll do all right for Caroline. He thinks all the world of her, too. I know that.
human
Did you see this coming, then, Bunting?
gpt
Well, no, I didn't. I didn't think she liked him in that sort of way, though she was always jolly decent to him. She seemed a lot older than him, and of course he is a bit different from the men she's made friends with before. But I'm glad she's had the sense to see what a good chap he is. Jimmy says she might have married anybody, and it's a come-down for her. But I don't think so.
human
Nor do I, old son, said Grafton.
gpt
Nothing that Caroline could possibly do would be a come-down for her. She's one of the people you can always trust to do what's right.
human
She gets it from you, Dad.
gpt
No, old boy. She gets it from somebody much better than me.