90
CHRISTINA STEAD
Theodore had studied medicine, qualified, become a sailor, sailed
III
the merchant marine for three years, skipped ship on the New
York docks. He had nothing but the address of an aunt he had
never seen, Aunt Mollie Anderson. Mrs. Anderson said now, looking
angrily at Gilbert:
"You would believe any story. You work in Wall Street. Where
did it get you? You should get a degree."
Gilbert chuckled: "They don't give you degrees in Wall Street."
Theo had found a job as a laborer and lodged with them for
three years paying rent; a quiet steady man who read books and
went to bed at ten.
"And then he got married suddenly to an
Italienische,
without
telling me and without inviting me," said Mrs. Anderson.
They had a few words about Theodore, Mrs. Anderson getting
sourer and sourer.
Gilbert said: "Well, I want to see old Theodore. I like him. He's
sedate but he's honest."
"Honest! What do you know? Your tongue wags but you
say
nothing. It's George who's coming."
"How do you know?"
"He appeared."
"When?"
"Mm-mm! Such good manners!"
"When, Mamma?"
"He paid me a visit about a week ago. I don't know. He had to
hurry away - he had business."
Gilbert went to do the shopping. When he returned, he talked
about the family. He also wanted to see his cousin George. George
and Theodore were 1:he sons of a dead brother of Mrs. Anderson,
a man full of promise, a man of genius, she said, who died early
in life. He was too modest, said Mrs. Anderson.
It
was only after
his death that they found in his desk his gold medals for law and
philosophy. He was not one to boast. Mrs. Anderson's family was
medal-bespangled.
"Mother always calls him Emil, the Genius, the Soul of Honor,"
said Gilbert to his wife, at table.
"They talk most who know least," said Mrs. Anderson.
Gilbert continued: "And then we have Heinrich the Angel,
