human
Come and look at my drawing, she said; and added under her breath:
gpt
Don't tell her!
human
I've got to, somehow. But when he came back and stood in front of his mother, his hands in his pockets, his shoulder lounging against the mantelpiece, he was apparently his careless self again.
gpt
Well, he said, gaily,
human
Yes, you are too good to me, he said;
gpt
Yes; I do work hard. I reckon there's no man in the iron business who can get more pork for his shilling than I can!
human
Why don't you spend some of your money on yourself, Mother, instead of on me?
gpt
There's nothing I want.
human
But there are so many things you could have!
gpt
I have everything I need, said Mrs. Maitland;
human
I'll tell you what _that_ is worth, he said, holding the dull-blue oval between his thumb and finger; then he mentioned a sum that made Nannie exclaim. His mother put down her knitting, and taking the bit of eternity in her fingers, looked at it silently.
gpt
Do you wonder I got that box, which is a treasure in itself, to hold such a treasure?
human
That's what it's worth, he said; he was holding the scarab in his palm with a sort of tenderness; his eyes caressed it.
gpt
But it isn't what I paid. The collector was hard up, and I made him knock off twenty-five per cent, of the price.
human
Hah! said Mrs. Maitland;
gpt
What's unfair in that? Blair said, sharply;
human
I buy in the cheapest market. You do _that_ yourself, my dear mother. When Blair said
gpt
he was farthest from filial affection.
human
Besides, he said, with strained self-control,
gpt
Oh, I didn't say you weren't honest. Only, if I was going to take advantage of anybody, I'd do it for something more important than a blue china beetle.
human
The trouble with you, Mother, is that you don't see anything but those hideous Works of yours!
gpt
If I did, you couldn't pay for your china beetles. Beetles? You couldn't pay for the breeches you're sitting in!
human
Oh, Mamma! oh, Blair!