"You'll understand," he said." It is like this.I guess I feel like you do when a dog or a cat in big trouble just looks at you as if you were all they had, and they know if you don't stick by them they'll be killed, and it just drives them crazy.It's the way they look at you that you can't stand.I believe something would burst in that fellow's brain if I left him.When he found out I was going to do it he'd just let out some awful kind of a yell I'd remember till I died.I dried right up almost as soon as I spoke of him to Palford.He couldn't see anything but that he was crazy and ought to be put in an asylum.Well, he's not.There're times when he talks to me almost sensible; only he's always so awful low down in his mind you're afraid to let him go on.And he's a little bit better than he was.It seems queer to get to like a man that's sort of dotty, but I tell you, Ann, because you'll understand --I've got to sort of like him, and want to see if I can work it out for him somehow.England seems to sort of stick in his mind.If I can't spend my money in living the way I want to live,--buying jewelry and clothes for the girl I'd like to see dressed like a queen--I'm going to do this just to please myself.I'm going to take him to England and keep him quiet and see what'll happen.Those big doctors ought to know about all there is to know, and I can pay them any old thing they want.By jings! isn't it the limit--to sit here and say that and know it's true!"Beyond the explaining of necessary detail to him and piloting him to England, Mr.Palford did not hold himself many degrees responsible.
His theory of correct conduct assumed no form of altruism.He had formulated it even before he reached middle age.One of his fixed rules was to avoid the error of allowing sympathy or sentiment to hamper him with any unnecessary burden.Natural tendency of temperament had placed no obstacles in the way of his keeping this rule.To burden himself with the instruction or modification of this unfortunately hopeless young New Yorker would be unnecessary.
Palford's summing up of him was that he was of a type with which nothing palliative could be done.There he was.As unavoidable circumstances forced one to take him,--commonness, slanginess, appalling ignorance, and all,--one could not leave him.Fortunately, no respectable legal firm need hold itself sponsor for a "next of kin"provided by fate and the wilds of America.
The Temple Barholm estate had never, in Mr.Palford's generation, been specially agreeable to deal with.The late Mr.Temple Temple Barholm had been a client of eccentric and abominable temper.Interviews with him had been avoided as much as possible.His domineering insolence of bearing had at times been on the verge of precipitating unheard-of actions, because it was almost more than gentlemanly legal flesh and blood could bear.And now appeared this young man.