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Having finished some errands downtown, the next afternoon, George Amberson Minafer was walking up National Avenue on his homeward way when he saw in the distance, coming toward him, upon the same side of the street, the figure of a young lady a figure just under the middle height, comely indeed, and to be mistaken for none other in the world even at two hundred yards.
At the next corner Neptune's Fountain remained, and one could still determine with accuracy what its designer's intentions had been. It stood in sore need of just one last kindness; and if the thing had possessed any friends they would have done that doleful shovelling after dark. George did not let his eyes linger upon the relic; nor did he look steadfastly at the Amberson Mansion.
More than once, to his credit, he satirically recurs to the spectacle of those young Indianians who come back from their travels with a secret condescension, as did George Amberson Minafer: "His politeness was of a kind which democratic people found hard to bear.
Amberson only nodded his head, and did not otherwise change his attitude. Isabel lived through the night. At eleven O'clock Fanny came timidly to George in his room. "Eugene is here," she whispered. "He's downstairs. He wants " She gulped. "He wants to know if he can't see her. I didn't know what to say. I said I'd see. I didn't know the doctor said "
This was the last "walk home" he was ever to take by the route he was now following: up National Avenue to Amberson Addition and the two big old houses at the foot of Amberson Boulevard; for tonight would be the last night that he and Fanny were to spend in the house which the Major had forgotten to deed to Isabel.
Amberson emitted a laugh of disgust. "It's wonderful what tommy-rot a woman in a state of spite can think of! I suppose you don't doubt that Amelia Amberson created this specimen of tommy-rot herself?" "I know she did." "Then what's the matter?" "She said " George faltered again. "She said she implied people were were talking about it." "Of all the damn nonsense!" his uncle exclaimed.
And ten minutes later, George Amberson, somewhat in the semblance of an angry person plunging out of the Mansion, found a pale nephew waiting to accost him. "I haven't time to talk, Georgie." "Yes, you have. You'd better!" "What's the matter, then?" His namesake drew him away from the vicinity of the house. "I want to tell you something I just heard Aunt Amelia say, in there."
At this, George Amberson Minafer, conceiving that he had little to anticipate from either, turned a proud back upon the room and affected to converse with his friend, Mr. Charlie Johnson. The next moment a quick little figure intervened between the two. It was Lucy, gaily offering a silver sleighbell decked with white ribbon. "I almost couldn't find you!" she cried.
But when Isabel came East for George's commencement, in June, she brought Lucy with her and things began to seem different, especially when George Amberson arrived with Lucy's father on Class Day. Eugene had been in New York, on business; Amberson easily persuaded him to this outing; and they made a cheerful party of it, with the new graduate of course the hero and center of it all.
"You say that my going over there has made matters worse," George went on. "How about it if such a such an unspeakable marriage did take place? Do you think that would make people believe they'd been wrong in saying you know what they say." "No," said Amberson deliberately; "I don't believe it would. There'd be more badness in the bad mouths and more silliness in the silly mouths, I dare say.
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