I
thought that the management of the estate would keep me occupied. But
I have no taste for business--none at all. And I found that by leaving
my father's investments precisely as they came to me my affairs could
be simplified. But one must do something. So I engaged Mr. Tidman.
What if I am nearly thirty? Is that any reason why I should give up
being tutored? There is so much to learn! And to-day's period is
especially interesting. We were just about getting to Thorwald the
Bitter."
"Did you say Biter or Batter?" says I.
"I said Thorwald the Bitter," repeats Pettigrew. "One of the old Norse
Vikings, you know."
"Go on, shoot it," says I. "What's the joke?"
"But there's no joke about it," he insists. "Surely you have heard of
the Norse Vikings?"
"Not yet," says I. "I got my ear stretched, though."
"Fancy!" remarks T. Waldo, turnin' to Tidman.
Tidman stares at me disgusted, then hunches his shoulders and grunts,
"Oh, well!"
"And now," says Pettigrew, "it's nearly time for Epictetus."
Sounded something like lunch to me, but I wasn't takin' any hints. I'd
discovered several things that Waldo didn't care for, money being among
'em, and now I was tryin' to get a line on what he did like. So I was
all for stickin' around.
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