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Forster, E. M. (Edward Morgan), 1879-1970

"Where Angels Fear to Tread"

If you condemn him for
that, you'll condemn the whole lot."
"I condemn the whole lot."
"And the French as well?"
"And the French as well."
"Things aren't so jolly easy," said Philip, more to
himself than to her.
But for Harriet things were easy, though not jolly, and
she turned upon her brother yet again. "What about the
baby, pray? You've said a lot of smart things and whittled
away morality and religion and I don't know what; but what
about the baby? You think me a fool, but I've been noticing
you all today, and you haven't mentioned the baby once. You
haven't thought about it, even. You don't care. Philip! I
shall not speak to you. You are intolerable."
She kept her promise, and never opened her lips all the
rest of the way. But her eyes glowed with anger and
resolution. For she was a straight, brave woman, as well as
a peevish one.
Philip acknowledged her reproof to be true. He did not
care about the baby one straw. Nevertheless, he meant to do
his duty, and he was fairly confident of success. If Gino
would have sold his wife for a thousand lire, for how much
less would he not sell his child? It was just a commercial
transaction. Why should it interfere with other things?
His eyes were fixed on the towers again, just as they had
been fixed when he drove with Miss Abbott. But this time
his thoughts were pleasanter, for he had no such grave
business on his mind. It was in the spirit of the
cultivated tourist that he approached his destination.


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