He turned to Julian. "It's the catalogue of foreign roses, from
Rotterdam--the firm that Munson orders from. He wants to send in orders
for fall delivery--right away. I looked it over and made out a list....
I showed Miss Canfield. She understands----"
He closed his eyes. "I think I'll rest a few minutes," he said. "She'll
show the list to you and tell you what I said, and you can give it to
Munson to-night. Don't forget it."
He waved them away and lay with closed eyes.... Presently he opened his
eyes and smiled a little.... Through the open door he could see two
heads bending over the catalogue. The murmur of voices came to him
soothingly.
He drew a sigh.... It was almost as if the boy were stupid! A girl like
that--one in a thousand--right before him, every day for over a week
now!... He lay listening to the voices--there were long silences, it
seemed to him, and pauses.... The heads had moved a little. He could not
see them and the gaps of silence irritated him.... His thoughts ran back
to his own youth. _He_ had not been backward! He held it with a flitting
smile. In less than two weeks from the day he met her, she had promised
to marry him.... Young people nowadays had no spirit--no fire! He fumed
a little. It would probably take Julian six months to discover that the
girl was even pretty!... He could not lie in bed six months, waiting for
his son to get his eyes open!
He rang the bell impatiently and Miss Canfield came to the door.
She glanced at the glass on the stand beside him. "You have not taken
your medicine!"