Winn laughed again. “Life — ” he said, “yes — well — how do I know how much longer I shall have to bother about life?”
There was a silence. Sir Peter’s gnarled old hands met above his blackthorn stick and trembled.
Winn wished he hadn’t spoken. He did not know how to tell his father not to mind. He hadn’t really thought his father would mind.
However, there they sat, minding it.
Then Sir Peter said, “I don’t believe in consumption, I never have, and I never shall; besides Taylor says Davos is a very good place for it, and you’re an early case, and it’s all damned nonsense, and you’ve got to buck up and think no more about it. What I want to hear is that you’re back in your Regiment again. I dare say there’ll be trouble later on, and then where’ll you be if you’re an invalid — have you ever thought of that?”
“Yes — that’d be something to live for,” Winn said gravely; “trouble.”
“You shouldn’t be so confoundedly particular,” said his father. “Now look at me — if we did have trouble where’d I be? Nowhere at all — old! Just gout and newspapers and sons getting up ideas about their lungs, but when do I complain?
“If you want another £50 any time — I don’t say that I can’t give it to you — though the whole thing’s damned unremunerative! There’s the trap. Well — good-by.”
Winn stood quite still for a moment looking at his father. It might have been thought by an observer that his eyes, which were remarkably bright, were offensively critical, but Sir Peter, though he wished the last moment to end, knew that his son was not being critical.
Then Winn said, “Well — good-by, Father. I’m sure I’m much obliged to you.” And his father said, “Damn everything!” just after the door was shut.