“Yes, of you.... Tell me, my boy, if we did that ... if everything was changed ... wouldn’t you be unhappy?”
“If it was for the happiness of both of you, no. Then I should not be unhappy.”
“Yes, so you say. But you would have to be unhappy ... inside. If you still love us both. I thought it all out till I was dog-tired. For I never think as a rule. Thinking bores me. This time, I had to ... because Mamma had spoken as she did. Yes, you are bound to be unhappy ... if you still care ... for both of us.”
“I tell you again, Dad....”
“Yes, I know. But I, Addie, I should be unhappy ... afterwards, when it had once happened ... I should be unhappy ... because of you.”
“Because of me?”
“Because of you. You would no longer have a home.”
“I should have two homes.”
“No, no, you would have none. You would go wandering to and fro between your parents. True, you will soon be a man. You will soon be leaving your parents. But I do feel now that you would have no home and that you would have a father and a mother ... but no parents. Do you follow me? No parents. Even though they quarrel, you have parents now. Perhaps, in a few years, you won’t care about them ... and about their home. But just now, Addie, just for the present, you would be losing a great deal.... You see, old chap, your father has thought it all out ... and I frankly confess, it’s made me dog-tired. I’m resting now, while I tell it you like this, leaning up against you.”
“Yes, Dad.”