"Yes, I feel sure you would like
Eric. Every one takes to him at once. You know, he always reminds me of
that famous picture of the youthful David--I forget who it's by, but it's
very well known."
"That would be sufficient to set me against him, if I saw much of him,"
said Clovis. "Just imagine at auction bridge, for instance, when one was
trying to concentrate one's mind on what one's partner's original
declaration had been, and to remember what suits one's opponents had
originally discarded, what it would be like to have some one persistently
reminding one of a picture of the youthful David. It would be simply
maddening. If Eric did that I should detest him."
"Eric doesn't play bridge," said Mrs. Eggelby with dignity.
"Doesn't he?" asked Clovis; "why not?"
"None of my children have been brought up to play card games," said Mrs.
Eggelby; "draughts and halma and those sorts of games I encourage. Eric
is considered quite a wonderful draughts-player."
"You are strewing dreadful risks in the path of your family," said
Clovis; "a friend of mine who is a prison chaplain told me that among the
worst criminal cases that have come under his notice, men condemned to
death or to long periods of penal servitude, there was not a single
bridge-player. On the other hand, he knew at least two expert draughts-
players among them."
"I really don't see what my boys have got to do with the criminal
classes," said Mrs. Eggelby resentfully. "They have been most carefully
brought up, I can assure you that.
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