Theyhadthehabitofexchangingderisiveglanceswhichtoashymanmusthavebeenverytrying。Theythoughttheirunclenodoubtaboreandperhapsanass。
IwasnotsurprisedtohearthatverysoonAnthonyformedthehabitofcrossingthetwoneighbouringfieldstoseektheshadeofaclumpofelmsatagooddistancefromthecottage。Helayonthegrassandsmokedhispipeallthemorning。Mrs。Fynewonderedatherbrother’sindolenthabits。Hehadaskedforbooksitistruebuttherewerebutfewinthecottage。Hereadthemthroughinthreedaysandthencontinuedtoliecontentedlyonhisbackwithnoothercompanionbuthispipe。Amazingindolence！Thelive-longmorning，Mrs。Fyne，busywritingupstairsinthecottage，couldseehimoutofthewindow。Shehadaverylongsight，andtheseelmsweregroupedonariseoftheground。Hisindolencewasplainlyexposedtohercriticismonagentlegreenslope。Mrs。Fynewonderedatit；
shewasdisgustedtoo。Buthavingjustthen’commencedauthor，’asyouknow，shecouldnottearherselfawayfromthefascinatingnovelty。Shelethimwallowinhisvice。IimagineCaptainAnthonymusthavehadaratherpleasanttimeinaquietway。Itwas，I
remember，ahotdrysummer，favourabletocontemplativelifeoutofdoors。AndMrs。Fynewasscandalized。Womendon’tunderstandtheforceofacontemplativetemperament。Itsimplyshocksthem。Theyfeelinstinctivelythatitistheonewhichescapesbestthedominationoffeminineinfluences。Thedeargirlswereexchangingjeeringremarksabout”lazyuncleRoderick”openly，inherindulgenthearing。Anditwassostrange，shetoldme，becauseasaboyhewasanythingbutindolent。Onthecontrary。Alwaysactive。
Iremarkedthatamanofthirty-fivewasnolongeraboy。Itwasanobviousremarkbutshereceiveditwithoutfavour。Shetoldmepositivelythatthebest，thenicestmenremainedboysalltheirlives。Shewasdisappointednottobeabletodetectanythingboyishinherbrother。Very，verysorry。Shehadnotseenhimforfifteenyearsorthereabouts，exceptonthreeorfouroccasionsforafewhoursatatime。No。Notatraceoftheboy，heusedtobe，leftinhim。