Whereupon Tim, noticing this sign of weakening, followed
his sister's lead, rose, kicked the tired clock like a ball across the
lawn, and exclaimed in a tone of challenge to the universe: "But where
did everything come from before that--before the East, I mean?" And he
glared at his immobile Uncle through the paper with an air of fearful
accusation, as though he distinctly held he was to blame. If that
didn't let the cat out of the bag, nothing would!
The big man, however, rested heavily with his legs crossed, as though
still he had not heard. Doubtless he felt as heavy as he looked, for
the afternoon was warm, and luncheon--well, at any rate, he remained
neutral and inactive. Something might happen to divert philosophical
inquiry into other channels; a rat might poke its nose above the pond;
a big fish might jump; an awfully rare butterfly come dancing; or
Maria, as on rare occasions she had been known to do, might stop
discussion with a word of power. The chances were in his favour on the
whole. He waited.
But nothing happened. No rat, nor fish, nor butterfly did the things
expected of them; they were on the children's side.
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