'
'Exactly so. It will almost break the good old soul's heart for
Griff to leave her; but she expects to have him in hand as if he was
in the nursery. She is ever so much worse than she was with me, and
he is really good-nature itself to laugh off her nagging as he does-
-about what he chooses to put on, or eating, or smoking, or leaving
his room untidy, as well as other things.'
'And those other things? Do you suspect more than you told papa?'
'It amounts to no more. Griff likes amusement, and everybody likes
him--that's all. Yes, I know my father read law ten hours a day,
but his whole nature and circumstances were different. I don't
believe Griff could go on in that way.'
'Not with such a hope before him? You would, Clarence.'
His face and not his tongue answered me, but he added, 'Griff is
sure of THAT without so much labour and trouble.'
'And do you see so little of him?'
'I can't help it. I can't keep his hours and do my work. Yes, I
know we are drifting apart; I wish I could help it, but being
coupled up together makes it rather worse than better. It
aggravates him, and he will really get on better without Gooch to
worry him, and thrust my droning old ways down his throat,--as if
Prince Hal could bear to be twitted with "that sober boy, Lord John
of Lancaster." Not,' he added, catching himself up, 'that I meant
to compare him to the madcap Prince.
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