When his father had rid himself of the dust from his journey, Guy introduced him proudly to his own room.
"Well, this is certainly quite a pleasant place," Mr. Hazlewood admitted. "If not too draughty with those two windows."
"You must scratch a motto on the pane with the diamond-pencil," Guy suggested.
"My motto is hard work."
"Well, write that. Or at any rate put your initials and the date."
His father took up the pencil with that expression of superiority which Guy most hated, and scratched his name rather awkwardly on the glass.
"I hope people won't suppose that is my ordinary hand," he said, grimly regarding the John Hazlewood of his inscription. During tea Guy wondered when he ought introduce the subject of Pauline. Beyond Godbold's unfortunate allusion on the drive, nothing had been said by either of them; and Plashers Mead had not as yet effected that enchantment of his father's senses which would seem to proclaim the moment as propitious. How remote they were from one another, sitting here at tea! Really his father had not accorded him any salutation more cordial than the coldly absent-minded 'good dog' he had just given to Bob. Yet there must be points of contact in their characters. There must be in himself something of his father. He could not so ridiculously resemble him and yet have absolutely nothing mentally in common. Perhaps his father did himself an injustice by his manner, for after all he had presented him with that £150. If he could only probe by some remark a generous impulse, Guy felt that in himself the affection of wonted intercourse over many years would respond immediately with a warmth of love. His father had cared greatly for his mother; and could not the love they had both known supply them with the point of sympathetic contact that would enable them to understand the ulterior intention of their two diverging lives?
"It was awfully good of you, Father, to come down and stay here," said Guy. "I've really been looking forward to showing you the house. I think, perhaps, you understand now how much I've wanted to be here?"
Guy waited anxiously.
"I've never thought you haven't wanted to be here," his father replied. "But between what we want and what we owe there is a wide gap."