UNCLE MAX BREAKS THE ICE
Uncle Max was one of those men who like to take their
own way about things; he never hurried himself, or
allowed other people’s impatience to get the
better of him. ’There is a time for everything,
as Solomon says,’ was his favourite speech when
any one reproached him with procrastination; ’depend
upon it, the best work is done slowly. What is
the use of so much hurry? When death comes we
shall be sure to leave something unfinished.’
So for two whole days he just chatted commonplaces
with Aunt Philippa, rallied Sara, who loved a joke,
and talked politics with Uncle Brian, and never mentioned
one word about my scheme; if I looked anxiously at
him he pretended to misunderstand my meaning, and,
in fact, behaved from morning to night in a most provoking
way.
At last I could bear it no longer, and one wet afternoon,
when I knew he was in the drawing-room, making believe
to write his letters, but in reality getting a deal
of amusement out of Sara’s sprightly conversation,
for she was never silent for two minutes if she could
help it, I shut myself up in my own room, and would
not go near him. I knew he would ask where Ursula
was every half-hour, and would soon guess that I was
out of humour about something; and possibly in an
hour or two his conscience would prick him, and he
would feel that I deserved reparation.
This little piece of ill-tempered artifice bore excellent
fruit, for before I had nearly finished the piece
of plain sewing I had set myself as a sort of penance,
there was a tap at the door, and Sara came in, looking
very excited, with her bright eyes full of wonder.
’Oh, Ursula, there is such a fuss downstairs!
Uncle Max has been telling us all about your absurd
scheme. Mother is as cross as possible; she is
so angry, and yet half crying at the same time.’
‘And Uncle Brian,’ I exclaimed eagerly,—’what
does he say?’
’Oh, you know father’s way. He just
smiled as though the whole thing were beneath his
notice, and went on reading his paper, and when mother
appealed to him he said, coolly, that it was none of
his business or hers either if Ursula chose to make
a fool of herself; she had the right to do so,—something
like that, you know.’
‘How very pleasant!’ I remarked satirically,
for I hated the way Uncle Brian put down his foot
on things that displeased him. I preferred Aunt
Philippa’s voluble arguments to that.
‘To make things worse,’ went on Sara cheerfully,
’Mrs. Fullerton and Lesbia have come in, and
mother and Mrs. Fullerton are trying which can talk
the faster. Lesbia asked for you, and then did
not speak another word. What shall you do, Ursula,
dear?’
‘I shall just go down and ask Aunt Philippa
for a cup of tea,’ I returned coolly, folding
up my work. Sara looked half frightened at my
boldness, and then she began to laugh.
