Perhaps this, he had told himself, could be changed; certainly he was
solely to blame if he had stood aside from their education.
He would see more of them--four days a week were now plenty for the
conducting of his successful enterprises in the city--and give them
what benefits his affection and experience held. In this he mustn't
contradict the influence of their mother; that, so late, would only be
followed by chaos; he'd merely be more with them. Helena was old enough
for a small tractable horse and Gregory must have a pony. All four,
Fanny and he and the children, would jog out in the spring together.
From that mental picture he got a measure of reassurance; a condition
resembling peace of mind again returned. As much as possible, against
the elements of danger, was in his favor. He might have had a wife who,
on the prevalent tide of gin and orange juice, of inordinate
luxuriousness, degraded him with small betrayals. Or he might have been
any one of a hundred unfortunate things. He took life too seriously,
that was evident; a larger degree of mental irresponsibility would be
followed by a more responsible accomplishment of the realities which
bore no more heavily on him than on other men; and in this the
cocktails had their office.
* * * * *
Lee agreed readily, therefore, when, on Friday afternoon, Fanny asked
him to bring Helena and Gregory from dancing-school.
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