Henry Green - Nothing

"Never heard of her. Who's she?"

"So unsuitable, dearest, a girl at his work."

"Well Jane" he said with a sort of lowpitched assurance, then yawned a fifth time, "our children will just have to work their own lives out, we can't do everything for them."

She gave no answer. They relapsed into easy silence. After quite an interval he began again.

"But Jane my dear as I've explained before this very evening, I'm worried about your Penelope. I fed I've a real responsibility towards you there darling."

He spoke so softly she could not have heard for she asked, "A real what, my heart?"

"Responsibility, love. Always told you a man about the house is what the child needs. Now just when she's going to have a stepfather you speak of sending her off to ah-" and he yawned yet once more "to one of those sleeping places, how d'you call 'em-" and he Came to an end.

"Boarding schools" she gently prompted.

"Yes-thick ankles-hockey, Jane."

"Oh-no the poor angel, then I'd never allow it" the mother protested comfortably but with a trifle more animation.

"There you are" he mumbled. "Always knew you couldn't send her away-when things came to the. point."

"Oh no" she quietly said "I'd stop her playing those games at school then."

"Expect you know best" he commented, yawning a last time.

There was a longer pause while his eyelids drooped.

"And how's your wicked diabetes my own darling?" she whispered.

"All right" he barely answered.

"And is there anything at all you want my own?"

"Nothing-nothing" he replied in so low a voice she could barely have heard and then seemed to fall deep asleep at last.

The End