Mr. Wright sat down. He put his hand to his mouth as though to hide
some trembling betrayal; his very ears were purple.

Dr. Lavendar apologized profusely. "I was only in fun. I'm sure you
know that I meant no disrespect to the boy. I only wanted to cheer you
up."

"I understand, sir; it is of no consequence. I--I had something else
on my mind. It is of no consequence." The color faded, and his face
fell into its usual bleak lines, but his mouth twitched. A minute
afterwards he began to speak with ponderous dignity. "This love-making
business is, of course, most mortifying to me; and also, no doubt,
annoying to Mrs. Richie. To begin with, she is eleven years older than
he--he told his mother so. He added, if you please! that he hoped to
marry her."

"Well! Well!" said Dr. Lavendar.

"I told him," Mr. Wright continued, "that in my very humble opinion it
was contemptible for a man to marry and allow another man to support
his wife."

Dr. Lavendar sat up in shocked dismay. "Samuel!"

"I, sir," the banker explained, "am his father, and I support him. If
he marries, I shall have to support his wife. According to my poor
theories of propriety, a man who lets another man support his wife had
better not have one."