III
And now the long-dreaded, the sickening thing, had happened. All the father’s care and worry and training had gone for naught. Nathan had taken up with a girl!
Johnathan refused to believe it. It was absolutely impossible, after all his father had said to him, and warned him, and preached to him, and threatened. The boy simply couldn’t be such a deceiver, such a double-dealer, such an ingrate—such a sneak!
And yet rumors persisted. People had actually seen Nathan with the girl; swore they had seen him!
True, boy and girl had been doing nothing exceptionally amiss, except strolling along unfrequented by-paths looking rather sheepish and irresponsible, and acting mutually infatuated. Still, Nathan was deliberately disobeying his father; he was “carrying on” behind his father’s back. Suppose the hussy—she must be a hussy—intrigued the boy into premature matrimony! God in heaven!—Suppose he had to marry her! Johnathan went icy at the horror of it. Better the boy lay dead in his coffin. Somehow he must be saved from his folly. Yet such was his precocity and independence that it must be done in a manner not to drive him into the girl’s arms or make him run away and therefore cause another loss of his services at the box-shop. Yes, in God’s name, what was the pitiable, harassed father to do? He prayed much over it. He lost sleep. His face grew drawn, and gray appeared in fine strands at his temples.
Then one Sunday afternoon in April Johnathan came home from a few hours’ work on his books to find the gas lighted in the front parlor and some one playing on the cottage organ.
The father purposely went around to the rear door. His wife was preparing supper in the kitchen.
“Who’s in the parlor?” he demanded hotly.
“Only Edith and a friend of hers—and Nathan.”
“A friend of Edith’s—a girl?”
“Yes! I didn’t think there was any harm letting them play on the organ.”
“Who is she—the girl?”
“Her name’s Gardner. She’s visiting the Cuttners. She sang in the choir last Sunday.”
“Anna! Answer me, quick! Is it the girl Nat’s been seen publicly on the streets with?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps so! What if it is? There’s no crime in Nat being seen walking the streets with a girl, that I know of. Nat’s got to have his girl friends some time.”
“But my God, woman! Suppose she compromises the innocent, unsuspecting boy! Suppose——”
“Compromises him?”
“Suppose the boy loses his head and has to marry her! I’ll see him dead before I’ll see him make hamburg of his life as marriage made hamburg of mine!”
“You’ll only make it worse by opposing him! Do have a little sense!” The wife was too calloused to appreciate the insult to herself.
“I know! That’s the hard part. What can I do? I feel so helpless and weak and incompetent.”
“Why go to all this fuss? Why do anything at all about it? You’re an awful lot of trouble to yourself at times, John Forge! Let the whole thing work itself out If you don’t attach any importance to it, neither will Nathan.”
“But he’s such a sickly, sentimental young fool! I can’t trust him! I can’t trust him, I say!”
Nevertheless, intent on seeing what manner of Circe was ruining his son’s life, Johnathan shed hat and coat and headed grimly for the parlor.
Hands in pockets, face glowering, Johnathan stood between the portières, waiting for the music to cease. Nathan was advised of his father’s appearance by a warning dig from Edith’s elbow. Miss Gardner sensed something amiss, stopped playing, turned around.
“This is my father,” said Nathan thickly. “Pa, this is Miss Gardner.”
Carol arose and moved over effusively, one hand on a hip, the other outstretched to Johnathan.
“Oh, Mr. Forge,” she gushed, “I’ve heard so much about you and so wanted to meet you——”
Johnathan did not remove his hands from his pockets. He addressed himself to his daughter.
“Edith, your mother wants you! Nathan, you and I have business to discuss. Miss Gardner will excuse us.”
Edith’s face flamed scarlet.
“But, dad, I’ve asked Miss Gardner to stay to supper——”
“I’m sorry! We’ve got other company to supper. Miss Gardner will excuse us from supper too.”
At the coarse insult, the righteously angered Gardner girl threw her chin in the air.
“I’m sorry I’m intruding,” she said. “I’ll be going.”
“Carol! I——” Nathan’s face was piteous with the humiliation of it.
“Nathaniel!” The father’s voice was ominous. “As soon as Miss Gardner’s gone, come to the kitchen. I’ve pressing business to discuss with you!”
The Gardner girl departed in high pique. The boy’s face wore an unhealthy look as he came into the kitchen. Edith was already sobbing on her mother’s sharp shoulder. Johnathan closed the door and spoke first.