"He's decided to do it, then"? he said, and she nodded without looking at him. She did not want to see the pain in her son's eyes. He got up and stood beside her and put his arm round her shoulders.
"When"? he asked her softly, patiently.
"Right away".
"Did you ask him if he would let me go again instead"?
"I couldn't"! she said and pulled him to her. "I couldn't bear it again after what they did to you last time".
"Am I any the worse for it"? he smiled at her. "Besides, it was a long time ago and people have changed".
"You'd suffer and you'd be away for years", she said. "I couldn't go through that. Not again".
"Is he very sad about it"? he asked.
"You know how he is when he has to do a thing like that", she said. "He said you weren't to worry too much. I was to tell you he'd like to talk to you about it later. He might want you to go there for a short visit while it's on".
He went back to his whittling, but his mind was busy with other things and the tree would not take shape.