The whole atmosphere oppressed him so that he felt powerless; some hidden influence surrounded James, sucking from his blood, as it were, all manliness, dulling his brain. He became a mere puppet, acting in accordance to principles that were not his own, automatic, will-less. His father sat, as ever, in the dining-room by the fire, for only in the warmest weather could he do without artificial heat, and he read the paper, sometimes aloud, making little comments. His mother, at the table, on a stiff-backed chair, was knitting--everlastingly knitting. Outwardly there was in them a placid content, and a gentleness which made them seem pliant as wax; but really they were iron. James knew at last how pitiless was their love, how inhumanly cruel their intolerance; and of the two his father seemed more implacable, more horribly relentless. His mother's anger was bearable, but the Colonel's very weakness was a deadly weapon. His despair, his dumb sorrow, his entire dependence on the forbearance of others, were more tyrannical than the most despotic power. James was indeed a bird beating himself against the imprisoning cage; and its bars were loving-kindness and trust, tears, silent distress, bitter disillusion, and old age. "Where's Mary?" asked James. "She's in the garden, walking with Uncle William." "How well they get on together," said the Colonel, smiling. James looked at his father, and thought he had never seen him so old and feeble. His hands were almost transparent; his thin white hair, his bowed shoulders, gave an impression of utter weakness. "Are you very glad the wedding is so near, father?" asked James, placing his hand gently on the old man's shoulder. "I should think I was." "You want to get rid of me so badly?" "'A man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh.' We shall have to do without you." "I wonder whether you are fonder of Mary than of me?" The Colonel did not answer, but Mrs. Parsons laughed. "My impression is that your father has grown so devoted to Mary that he hardly thinks you worthy of her." "Really? And yet you want me to marry her, don't you, daddy?" "It's the wish of my heart." "Were you very wretched when our engagement was broken off?" "Don't talk of it! Now it's all settled, Jamie, I can tell you that I'd sooner see you dead at my feet than that you should break your word to Mary." James laughed. "And you, mother?" he asked, lightly. She did not answer, but looked at him earnestly. "What, you too? Would you rather see me dead than not married to Mary? What a bloodthirsty pair you are!" James, laughing, spoke so gaily, it never dawned on them that his words meant more than was obvious; and yet he felt that they, loving but implacable, had signed his death-warrant. With smiling faces they had thrown open the portals of that House, and he, smiling, was ready to enter. Mary at that moment came in, followed by Uncle William.