The Reverberator by Henry James

comfortably enough. Of course it would be criminal in you not to satisfy yourself on that point. My income is derived from three sources. First, some property left me by my dear mother. Second, a legacy from my poor brother, who had inherited a small fortune from an old relation of ours who took a great fancy to him (he went to America to see her), and which he divided among the four of us in the will he made at the time of the war.”
    “The war—what war?” asked Mr. Dosson.
    “Why the Franco-German—”
    “Oh,
that
old war!” And Mr. Dosson almost laughed. “Well?” he softly continued.
    “Then my father is so good as to make me a little allowance; and some day I shall have more—from him.”
    Mr. Dosson was silent a moment; then he observed, “Why, you seem to have fixed it so you live mostly on other folks.”
    “I shall never attempt to live on you, sir!” This was spoken with some vivacity by our young man; he felt the next moment that he had said something that might provoke a retort. But his companion only rejoined, mildly, impersonally:
    “Well, I guess there won’t be any trouble about that. And what does my daughter say?”
    “I haven’t spoken to her yet.”
    “Haven’t spoken to her?”
    “I thought it more orthodox to break ground with you first.”
    “Well, when I was after Mrs. Dosson I guess I spoke to her quick enough,” Francie’s father said, humorously. There was an element of reproach in this and Gaston Probert was mystified, for the inquiry about his means a moment before had been in the nature of a challenge. “How will you feel if she won’t have you, after you have exposed yourself this way to me?” the old gentleman went on.
    “Well, I have a sort of confidence. It may be vain, but God grant not! I think she likes me personally, but what I am afraid of is that she may consider that she knows too little about me. She has never seen my people—she doesn’t know what may be before her.”
    “Do you mean your family—the folks at home?” saidMr. Dosson. “Don’t you believe that. Delia has moused around—
she
has found out. Delia’s thorough!”
    “Well, we are very simple, kindly, respectable people, as you will see in a day or two for yourself. My father and sisters will do themselves the honour to wait upon you,” the young man declared, with a temerity the sense of which made his voice tremble.
    “We shall be very happy to see them, sir,” Mr. Dosson returned, cheerfully. “Well now, let’s see,” he added, musing sociably. “Don’t you expect to embrace any regular occupation?”
    Probert looked at him, smiling. “Have
you
anything of that sort, sir?”
    “Well, you have me there!” Mr. Dosson admitted, with a comprehensive sigh. “It doesn’t seem as if I required anything, I’m looked after so well. The fact is the girls support me.”
    “I shall not expect Miss Francie to support me,” said Gaston Probert.
    “You’re prepared to enable her to live in the style to which she’s accustomed?” And Mr. Dosson turned a speculative eye upon him.
    “Well, I don’t think she will miss anything, That is, if she does she will find other things instead.”
    “I presume she’ll miss Delia, and even me, a little.”
    “Oh, it’s easy to prevent that,” said Gaston Probert.
    “Well, of course we shall be on hand. Continue to reside in Paris?” Mr. Dosson went on.
    “I will live anywhere in the world she likes. Of course my people are here—that’s a great tie. I am not without hope that it may—with time—become a reason for your daughter.”
    “Oh, any reason’ll do where Paris is concerned. Take some lunch?” Mr. Dosson added, looking at his watch.
    They rose to their feet, but before they had gone many steps (the meals of this amiable family were now served in an adjoining room), the young man stopped his companion. “I can’t tell you how kind I think it—the way you treat me, and how I am touched by your confidence. You take me