Francis was inclined to approve, but Martha wept. Like so many mothers, she had no notion of her real relation with her children, and lived in a fantasy in which she was the perfect mother who adored and was adored by them. More than once to Mrs. Clibran-Bell she had said: "There is nothing that my children do that they do not tell me." And Mrs. Clibran-Bell, being of much the same type, believed her, and together they glowed with rapture over this miracle of domesticity. Leedham had very little imagination or capacity of invention, and, like his father, had rather a disconcerting way of accepting the facts of his existence for better, for worse. He knew that he was unhappy at home, felt that he was going to be a great deal more unhappy, and saw nothing but the necessity of getting away. "Darling Leedham," said his mother, "how can you think of entering upon vulgar commerce!" "What else am I to do?" "But think of your name! A Folyat in a bank!--a clerk! And with your Christian name too!" (The Earldom of Leedham was the title which Minna missed sharing when she jilted Willie Folyat.) "George Clibran-Bell is in a bank," said Leedham. "But, darling, how can you leave your mother? How can you think of it?" "People have to leave their mothers sooner or later." "But you love your mother?" "Of course," said Leedham sturdily, "but I want to go." "You cannot go without your father's consent." "No." "Very well, then." And that seemed to end the interview. Leedham saw his father first and came straight to the point. "I want to go to the Brazils." "I know. Your mother is very much upset by it." "That's not the point." Francis agreed. "The point is, what am I going to be if I stay?" "You might be a clergyman or--or----" "I don't want to be a clergyman." "A doctor, then?" "Can you afford it?" "No," said Francis, and the admission brought his opposition tumbling down. They discussed ways and means, and Francis delighted in his boy's practical good sense and independence, though he had a feeling of pity and shame that he had not come to know him better before. "Thank you, sir," said Leedham. "And please, will you ask mother not to cry over me?" "You can't expect her not to feel it." "No, I suppose not. But I want her to be glad too." "Well," said Francis, "I'm glad and I'm proud of you. I wish----" The thought of Frederic came to him and he said no more. Mrs. Folyat cried in public at every possible opportunity, and she came in for a great deal of sympathy. Frederic, who had always used Leedham as a butt, and thoroughly disliked the idea of losing him, did his best to make him feel a callous brute. But Leedham was excited and exalted at the prospect of adventure, though he had no one on his side but his father and the boy James, who gazed at him with large envious eyes and promoted him to heroic rank.