"Go it, Marcia!" he said, indulgently.
Lady Coryston began to read.
Before she had come to the end of her first paragraph Coryston was pacing
the drawing-room, twisting his lips into all sorts of shapes, as was his
custom when the brain was active. And with the beginning of the second,
Arthur sprang to his feet.
"I say, mother!"
"Let me finish?" asked Lady Coryston with a hard patience.
She read to the end of the paper. And with the last words Arthur broke out:
"I won't have it, mother! It's not fair on Corry. It's beastly unfair!"
Lady Coryston made no reply. She sat quietly staring into Arthur's face,
her hands, on which the rings sparkled, lightly clasped over the paper
which lay upon her knee. James's expression was one of distress. Marcia sat
dumfoundered.
James approached his mother.
"I think, mother, you will hardly maintain these provisions."
She turned toward him.
"Yes, James, I shall maintain them."
Meanwhile Arthur, deeply flushed, stood running his hand through his fair
hair as though in bewilderment.
"I sha'n't take it, mother! I give you full warning. Whenever it comes to
me I shall hand it back to Corry."
"It won't come to you, except as a life interest.
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