'Father, that flag on our house insults the Islands. It can be seen even from Aphros!'
'My dear boy, better that it should be seen from Aphros than that we should offend Herakleion.'
'What will the islanders think?'
'They are accustomed to seeing it there every year.'
'If I had been at home....'
'When this house is yours, Julian, you will no doubt do as you please; so long as it is mine, I beg you not to interfere.'
Mr Davenant had spoken in his curtest tones. He had added,—
'I shall go to the cathedral this afternoon.'
The service in the cathedral annually celebrated the independence of Herakleion. Julian slipped out of the house, meaning to mix with the ill-regulated crowd that began to collect on the platia to watch for the arrival of the notables, but outside the door of the club he was discovered by Alexander Christopoulos who obliged him to follow him upstairs to the Christopoulos drawing-room.
'My father is really too gloomy for me to confront alone,' Alexander said, taking Julian's arm and urging him along; 'also I have spent the morning in the club, which exasperates him. He likes me to sit at home while he stands looking at me and mournfully shaking his head.'