“You are cold, Peter. Do get warm, while I see about supper,” said Aunt Gertrude hastily.
“But I am anxious to see what it is that interests you all so much,” said Mr. Lambert, walking over to the window. Paul, with a rather defiant expression, stepped aside to allow his uncle a full view of the picture.
“You have been painting? My dear boy, you must know that I cannot allow you to indulge in such frivolous pastimes on this day of the week,” said Mr. Lambert calmly. “Gertrude, I am surprised that you allowed this infringement of our rules.” Poor Aunt Gertrude blushed red under this reproof, and stammered like a school-girl.
“But, Peter, I didn’t know—you never said—”
Mr. Lambert checked her with a slight gesture; then adjusting his glasses, leant forward to inspect the painting, while Paul, with his hand on his hip, looked dreamily out of the window. Granny, who was rather deaf, had been very little disturbed, and went on brazenly with her knitting. Elise had hastened out to the kitchen to help her mother; but Jane, intensely interested in the proceedings, stood her ground, looking keenly from Paul’s face to her father’s.
“You have been painting your aunt, I see,” remarked Mr. Lambert, presently. “It seems to me that an occupation more suitable to the Sabbath could have been found.” He looked at the picture closely. Ignorant as he was of anything concerning the fine arts, he felt that the painting was far from being merely a school-boyish production; and, in fact, the very skill it revealed increased his determination to put an end to his nephew’s efforts once and for all. He did not overlook the fact that in lieu of proper materials Paul had made a surprisingly successful use of a piece of raw wood, and a few mediocre oil paints—a rather bad sign, in Mr. Lambert’s opinion, showing as it did, a dangerous tendency to surmount difficulties. Moreover, it seemed to him that the whole thing showed a stubborn, deliberate disobedience to his orders. He was very angry, too angry to act with tact and good judgment.
Straightening up, with a flush showing on his cheekbones, he said abruptly,
“I thought I had expressed myself clearly to you before; but evidently I did not make myself understood. I cannot and I will not have you wasting your time on this tom-foolery. While you are in my house, you must obey my orders implicitly, do you understand?”
“You only told me not to—”
“Don’t argue with me, sir! I will not tolerate your disrespect! Let it be enough for you that I forbid—I forbid your idling over this useless and childish nonsense.”