"You were married and I was not there! Yesterday! My
boy was married and he forgot me!"

"Mother! Don't look like that! Here, sit down,"
grabbing her helplessly by the arms. "I didn't want to
hurt you. I brought you here to tell you quietly. Cry!
Why don't you cry if you're worried! Oh! I believe she's
dying!" he shouted, staring around the empty church.

She spoke at last.

"You were married and I couldn't say God bless you! You
forgot me! I never forgot you, George, for one minute
since you were born."

"Mother, what fool talk is that? I only didn't want a
scene. I kept away from Lisa for weeks so as not to vex
you. Forget you! I think I have been very considerate
of you under the circumstances. You have a dislike
to Lisa, a most groundless dislike----"

"Oh, what is Lisa? " said Frances haughtily. "It is that
you have turned away from me. She has nothing to do with
the relation between you and me. How can any woman come
between me and my son?" She held up her hands. "Why,
you are my boy, Georgy. You are all I have!"

He looked at the face, curiously pinched and drawn as if
by death, that was turned up to his, and shrugged his
shoulders impatiently. "Now this is exactly what I tried