'Of course. I knew that. I hope you told him he couldn't have
it.'
'I really didn't know what to say,' returned Mrs Milvain, in a
feeble tone of worry.
'Then you must leave the matter to me, that's all. There's no
money for him, and there's an end of it.'
Maud set her features in sullen determination. There was a brief
silence.
'What's he to do, Maud?'
'To do? How do other people do? What do Dora and I do?'
'You don't earn enough for your support, my dear.'
'Oh, well!' broke from the girl. 'Of course, if you grudge us our
food and lodging --'
'Don't be so quick-tempered. You know very well I am far from
grudging you anything, dear. But I only meant to say that Jasper
does earn something, you know.'
'It's a disgraceful thing that he doesn't earn as much as he
needs. We are sacrificed to him, as we always have been. Why
should we be pinching and stinting to keep him in idleness?'
'But you really can't call it idleness, Maud. He is studying his
profession.'
'Pray call it trade; he prefers it. How do I know that he's
studying anything? What does he mean by "studying"? And to hear
him speak scornfully of his friend Mr Reardon, who seems to work
hard all through the year! It's disgusting, mother.
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