"I don't remember his ever appearing as Macbeth," said Maud, in her placid way. "But he was very good in character-parts, very good indeed."
Everyone immediately saw Joseph as the First Gravedigger, and even Paula's lips quivered. Maud, quite unconscious of the impression she was making, began to recall the various minor roles in which Joseph had appeared to advantage, and threw out a vague promise of looking out a book of press-cuttings, which she had put away somewhere.
"That'll be another book to be filched from her, and disposed of," remarked Stephen in Mathilda's ear, rather too audibly.
She started, for she had not heard him come into the room. He was standing just behind her, with his hands in his pockets, and his pipe between his teeth. He looked sardonically pleased; life had quickened in his eyes; and there was a suspicion of a smile playing about his mouth. Knowing him, Mathilda guessed that he had been enjoying a quarrel, probably with his uncle. "You're a fool," she said abruptly.
He looked down at her, eyebrows a trifle raised.
"Why?"
"You've been quarrelling with your uncle."
"Oh, that! I usually do."
"You're almost certainly his heir."
"So I understand."