"Jack Williamson - Star Bright" - читать интересную книгу автора (Williamson Jack)

was to come. There would be tearful appeals to his love and his pride and his duty. There would
be an agony of emotion, maintained until he surrendered.
And he couldn't surrender: that was the trouble. In twenty-two years, his affection had never
swerved seriously from his wife and his children. He would have given her the money, gladly
but the bills had to be paid tomorrow.
He sighed with momentary relief when an unfamiliar motor horn honked outside the drive
William Peabody slouched, in ungraceful indolence, through the side door.
William was a lank, pimpled sallow-faced youth, with unkempt yellow hair and prominen
buck teeth. Remarkably, in spite of the fact that he was continually demanding money for
clothing, he always wore the same dingy leather jacket and the same baggy pants.
Efforts to send him to the university, to a television school, and to a barber college, had al
collapsed for want of William's cooperation.
"Hi, Gov." He was filling a black college-man pipe. "Hi, Mom. Dinner up?"
"Don't call me Gov," requested Mr. Peabody, mildly. "William!" He had risen and walked to
the window, and his voice was sharper. "Whose red roadster is that in the drive?"
William dropped himself into the easy chair which Mr. Peabody had just vacated.
"Oh, the car?" He exhaled blue smoke. "Why, didn't Mom tell you, Gov? I just picked it up."
Mr. Peabody's slight body stiffened.
"So you bought a car? Who's going to pay for it?"
William waved the pipe, carelessly.
"
Only twenty a month," he drawled. "And it's a real buy, Gov. Only eighty thousand miles, and
it's got a radio. Mom said you could manage it. It will be for my birthday, Gov."
"Your birthday is six months off."
Silver, soothing, Mrs. Peabody's voice floated from the kitchen:
"But you'll still be paying for it when his birthday comes, Jason. So I told Bill it would be al
right. A boy is so left out these days, if he hasn't a car. Now, if you will just give me the sui
moneyтАФ"
Mr. Peabody began a sputtering reply. He stopped suddenly, when his daughter Beth came in
the front door. Beth was the bright spot in his life. She was a tall slim girl, with soft sympathetic
brown eyes. Her honey-colored hair was freshly set in exquisite waves.
Perhaps it was natural for father to favor daughter. But Mr. Peabody couldn't help contrasting
her cheerful industry to William's idleness. She was taking a business course, so that she would
be able to keep books for Dr. Rex Brant, after they were married.
"Hello, Dad." She came to him and put her smooth arms around him and gave him an
affectionate little squeeze. "How do you like my new permanent? I got it because I have a date
with Rex tonight. I didn't have enough money, so I said I would leave the other three dollars a
Mrs. Larkin's before seven. Have you got three dollars, Dad?"
"Your hair looks pretty, dear."
Mr. Peabody patted his daughter's shoulder, and dug cheerfully into his pocket. He never
minded giving money to BethтАФwhen he had it. Often he regretted that he had not been able to
do more for her.
"Thanks, Dad." Kissing his temple, she whispered, "You dear!"
Tapping out his black pipe, William looked at his mother. "It just goes to show," he drawled
"If it was Sis that wanted a carтАФ"
"I told you, son," Mr. Peabody declared positively, "I'm not going to pay for that automobile
We simply haven't the money."
William got languidly to his feet.
"I say, Gov. You wouldn't want to lose your fishing tackle."
Mr. Peabody's face stiffened with anxiety.