human
as she had told Robert Ferguson,
gpt
Do I understand, he said when she had finished,
human
I mean to give you the finest inheritance a young man can have: _the necessity for work!_--and work for the necessity. For, of course, your job is open to you in the office. But it will be at an honest salary after this; the salary any other unskilled man would get.
gpt
Please make yourself clear, he said laconically;
human
Exactly.
gpt
May I ask how you expect me to live?
human
The way most decent men live--_by work_. You can work; or else, as I said, you can starve. There's a verse in the Bible--you don't know your Bible very well; perhaps that's one reason you have turned out as you have; but there's a verse in the Bible that says if a man won't work, he sha'n't eat. That's the best political economy I know. But I never thought of it before, she said simply;
gpt
I never realized that the worst handicap a young man can have in starting out in life is a rich father--or mother. Ferguson used to tell me so, but somehow I never took it in.
human
So, he said--he was holding his cane in both hands, and as he spoke he struck it across his knees, breaking it with a splintering snap;
gpt
No! she said, eager to make herself clear;
human
That is all; you may go, my son.
gpt
Well, he said,
human
I _will_ go! And I'll never come back. This lets me out! You've thrown me over: I'll throw you over. I think the law will have something to say to this disinheritance idea of yours; but until then--take a job in your Works? I'll starve first! So help me God, I'll forget that you are my mother; it will be easy enough, for the only womanly thing about you is your dress --she winced, and flung her hand across her face as if he had struck her.
gpt
If I can forget that I am your son, starvation will be a cheap price. We've always hated each other, and it's a relief to come out into the open and say so. No more gush for either of us!