CHAPTER VI
SISSIE
I
"Had any dinner?" Mr. Prohack asked his daughter.
"No."
"Aren't you hungry?"
"No, thanks."
Sissie seized the last remaining apple from the dessert-dish, and bitinto it with her beautiful and efficient teeth. She was slim, and rathertaller than necessary or than she desired to be. A pretty girl, dressedin a short-skirted, short-sleeved, dark blue, pink-heightened frock thatseemed to combine usefulness with a decent perverse frivolity, and tocarry forward the expression of her face. She had bright brown hair. Shewas perfectly mistress of the apple.
"Where's mother?"
"In bed with a headache."
"Didn't she have dinner with you?"
"She did not. And she doesn't want to be disturbed."
"Oh! I shan't disturb her, poor thing. I told her this afternoon shewould have one of her headaches."
"Well," said Mr. Prohack, "that's one of the most remarkable instancesof sound prophecy that I ever came across."
"Father, what's amusing you?"
"Nothing."
"Yes, something is. You've got your funny smile, and you were smilingall to yourself when I came in."
"I was thinking. My right to think is almost the only right I possessthat hasn't yet been challenged in this house."
"Where's Charles?"
"Gone to Glasgow."
"Gone to _Glasgow_?"
"Yes."
"What, just now?"
"Ten minutes ago."
"Whatever has he gone to _Glasgow_ for?"
"I don't know,--any more than I know why you went out before dinner andcame back after dinner."
"Would you like to know why I went out?" Sissie spoke with suddeningratiatingness.
"No, not at all. But I should like to know why you went out withouttelling anybody. When people are expected to dinner and fail to appearthey usually give notice of the failure."
"But, father, I told Machin."
"I said 'anybody.' Don't you know that the whole theory of the societywhich you adorn is based on the assumption that Machin is nobody?"
"I was called away in a frightful hurry, and you and mother weregossiping upstairs, and it's as much as one's life is worth to disturbyou two when you are together."
"Oh! That's news."
"Besides, I should have had to argue with mother, and you know what sheis."
"You flatter me. I don't even know what _you_ are, and you're elementarycompared to your mother."
"Anyhow, I'm glad mother's in bed with a headache. I came in heretrembling just now. Mother would have made such a tremendous fussalthough she's perfectly aware that it's not the slightest use making afuss.... Only makes me stupid and obstinate. Showers and showers ofquestions there'd have been, whereas you haven't asked a single one."
"Yes, you're rather upset by my lack of curiosity. But let me just pointout that it is not consistent with my paternal duty to sit here andlisten to you slanging your mother. As a daughter you have vastprivileges, but you mustn't presume on them. There are some things Icouldn't stand from any woman without protest."
"But you must admit that mother _is_ a bit awful when she breaks loose."
"No. I've never known your mother awful, or even a bit awful."
"You aren't being intellectually honest, dad."
"I am."
"Ah! Well, of course she only shows her best side to _you_."
"She has no other side. In that sense she is certainly one-sided. Here!Have another." Mr. Prohack took the apple from his pocket, and threw itacross the table to Sissie, who caught it.