"It is a pretty serious business to make such a change at your time of life.I take it for granted you will think it all over very carefully before you commit yourself."He said this with an almost indifferent air, which rather chilled his listener's enthusiasm.
"Oh, yes,", Theron made answer; "I shall do nothing rash.
But I have a good many plans for the future."Father Forbes did not ask what these were, and a brief further period of silence fell upon the table.
"I hope everything went off smoothly at the picnic,"Theron ventured, at last."I have not seen any of you since then."The priest shook his head and sighed."No," he said.
"It is a bad business.I have had a great deal of unhappiness out of it this past fortnight.That young man who was rude to you--of course it was mere drunken, irresponsible nonsense on his part--has got himself into a serious scrape, I'm afraid.It is being kept quite within the family, and we hope to manage so that it will remain there, but it has terribly upset his father and his sister.But that, after all, is not so hard to bear as the other affliction that has come upon the Maddens.
You remember Michael, the other brother? He seems to have taken cold that evening, or perhaps over-exerted himself.
He has been seized with quick consumption.He will hardly last till snow flies.""Oh, I am GRIEVED to hear that!" Theron spoke with tremulous earnestness.It seemed to him as if Michael were in some way related to him.
"It is very hard upon them all," the priest went on.
"Michael is as sweet and holy a character as it is possible for any one to think of.He is the apple of his father's eye.
They were inseparable, those two.Do you know the father, Mr.Madden?"Theron shook his head."I think I have seen him," he said.
"A small man, with gray whiskers."