Just at first he did not realize that though Mrs. Clarke genuinely loved her son she was not too scrupulous to press his unconscious services in aid of her hypocrisy.
The holiday tutor whom she ought to have got out from England to improve the shining hour on Jimmy’s behalf was replaced by Dion in the eyes of Mrs. Clarke’s world.
One day she said to Dion:
“Will you do me a good turn?”
“Yes, if I can.”
“It may bore you.”
“What is it?”
“Read a little bit with Jimmy sometimes, will you? He’s abominably ignorant, and will never be a scholar, but I should like him just to keep up his end at school.”
“But I haven’t got any school-books.”
“I have. He’s specially behindhand with his Greek. His report tells me that. If you’ll do a little Greek grammar and construing with him in the mornings now and them, I shall be tremendously grateful. You see, owing to my miserable domestic circumstances, Jimmy is practically fatherless.”