Chapter 18

           AngelClarerisesoutofthepastnotaltogetherasadistinctfigure,butasanappreciativevoice,alongregardoffixed,abstractedeyes,andamobilityofmouthsomewhattoosmallanddelicatelylinedforaman’s,thoughwithanunexpectedlyfirmcloseofthelowerlipnowandthen;enoughtodoawaywithanyinferenceofindecision.Nevertheless,somethingnebulous,preoccupied,vague,inhisbearingandregard,markedhimasonewhoprobablyhadnoverydefiniteaimorconcernabouthismaterialfuture.Yetasaladpeoplehadsaidofhimthathewasonewhomightdoanythingifhetried.

           Hewastheyoungestsonofhisfather,apoorparsonattheotherendofthecounty,andhadarrivedatTalbothaysDairyasasixmonths’pupil,aftergoingtheroundofsomeotherfarms,hisobjectbeingtoacquireapracticalskillinthevariousprocessesoffarming,withavieweithertotheColonies,orthetenureofahome-farm,ascircumstancesmightdecide.

           Hisentryintotheranksoftheagriculturistsandbreederswasastepintheyoungman’scareerwhichhadbeenanticipatedneitherbyhimselfnorbyothers.

           MrClaretheelder,whosefirstwifehaddiedandlefthimadaughter,marriedasecondlateinlife.Thisladyhadsomewhatunexpectedlybroughthimthreesons,sothatbetweenAngel,theyoungest,andhisfathertheVicarthereseemedtobealmostamissinggeneration.