human
Some pride can't be carried about, I suppose, he said at last.
gpt
It's as bad as a whole gallery of family portraits--worse, for you cannot raise money on it.
human
I see. Rooted in the Mitchelhurst soil, you think? Very possibly. He looked round, as far as the screens permitted.
gpt
And so, when this went, all went. But how very sad!
human
And your other uncle, said Mr. Hayes briskly, after a pause.
gpt
How is he?
human
My other uncle?
gpt
Yes, your uncle on your father's side--Mr. Harding.
human
Oh, he is very well--getting to be an old man now.
gpt
But as prosperous as ever?
human
More so, said Harding in his rough voice.
gpt
His money gathers and grows like a snowball. But he is beginning to think about enjoying it--he is evidently growing old. He says it is time for him to have a holiday. He never took one for some wonderful time--eighteen years I think it was; but he has not worked quite so hard of late.
human
Well, he deserves a little pleasure now.
gpt
I don't know about that. If a man makes himself a slave to money-getting I don't see that he deserves any pleasure. He deserves his money.
human
Let the poor fellow amuse himself a little--if he can. The question is whether he can, after a life of hard work. What is his idea of pleasure?
gpt
Yachting. He discovered quite lately that he wasn't sea-sick; he hadn't leisure to find it out before. So he took to yachting. He can enjoy his dinner as well on board a boat as anywhere else, he can talk about his yacht, and he can spend any amount of money.
human
You haven't any sympathy with his hobby?
gpt
I? I've no money to spend, and I _am_ sea-sick.
human
You are? I remember now, said Mr. Hayes, thoughtfully,
gpt
Ah? It's a family peculiarity? A proud distinction? Harding laughed quietly, looking away. He was accustomed to laugh at himself and by himself.
human
It's something to be able to invoke the Rothwell ancestry to give dignity to one's qualms,
gpt
Bad taste, he said to himself, and he returned abruptly to the money-making uncle.
human
I suppose Mr. Harding has a son to come after him?
gpt
Yes, there's one son,
human
And does he take to the business?
gpt
I don't know much about that. I fancy he wants to begin at the yachting end, anyhow.
human
Only one son.