“Ah, I don’t like people talking about consequences. That is the talk of cowards.”
His father laughed.
“Never mind me, Tom,” he said; “I don’t expect you to agree with me. I am a vicious coward, am I not?”
“What I mean is, that you can make the best or the worst of a bad job,” said Tom. “When people talk of consequences, they seem to mean the worst consequences. When a man has made a mistake, it is stupid of him to sit down and say, ‘Well, that is done; now for the consequences.’ There is almost always a choice of consequences.”
“Very often there are no consequences,” remarked his father. “I don’t think I ever did anything which had any consequences. But then, I never remember doing anything either, except making some money. When are you going to marry, Tom?” he asked suddenly.
Tom looked startled.
“When I fall in love, I suppose,” he said roundly.
“That’s a man’s answer. Well, my boy, I’m going to bed. You go to Cambridge to-morrow, don’t you? Are you going to do well in your Tripos?”
“I should think it’s very unlikely,” said Tom. “It seems that I’m a fool.”
“That’s no reason why you shouldn’t do well.”