“Upon having educated me?” Mrs. Burton asked.
“Upon the rare wisdom with which he selected a wife, or, the special favor he found at the court where matches are made,” Tom explained.
“Harry didn’t select me at all,” said Mrs. Burton. “Budge did it for him, so of course the match was decreed in heaven. But may I know of what my sudden acquisition of knowledge consists? If there’s anything in my experience with the boys that I am not to feel humiliated about, I should be extremely glad to know of it. I went into the valley of humiliation within an hour of their arrival, and since then I’ve scarcely been out of it.”
“If it weren’t for being suspected of throwing moral deductions at people,” Tom replied, “I would say that that same valley of humiliation is very prolific of discoveries. But, preaching aside, no one can manage children without first loving them. Even a heart full of love has to make room for a lot of sorrow over blunders and failures.”
“I’ve learned that affection is absolutely necessary,” said Mrs. Burton, “but I confess that I don’t see clearly that love requires that one should be trampled upon, wheedled, made of no account and without authority in one’s own house, submit to anything, in fact——”
“Now you’ve done it again,” whispered Mr. Burton to his wife, as Helen Lawrence’ cheek began to flush, and that maternal divinity replied:
“Does the parent of all of us resign his authority when he humors us in our childish ways because we can’t comprehend any greater ones? Every concession is followed by growth on the part of his children, if they are honest; when they are not, it seems to me that the concessions aren’t made. But my children are honest.”
Mrs. Burton’s lips were parting, seeing which her husband whispered,
“Don’t!”
There was a moment or two of silence; then Mrs. Burton asked: