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Amory, Son of Beatrice
"Tellmeaboutyou,Amory.Didyouhavetwohorribleyears?"
Amoryconsideredlying,andthendecidedagainstit.
"No,Beatrice.Ienjoyedthem.Iadaptedmyselftothebourgeoisie.Ibecameconventional."Hesurprisedhimselfbysayingthat,andhepicturedhowFroggywouldhavegaped.
"Beatrice,"hesaidsuddenly,"Iwanttogoawaytoschool.EverybodyinMinneapolisisgoingtogoawaytoschool."
Beatriceshowedsomealarm.
"Butyou’reonlyfifteen."
"Yes,buteverybodygoesawaytoschoolatfifteen,andIwantto,Beatrice."
OnBeatrice’ssuggestionthesubjectwasdroppedfortherestofthewalk,butaweeklatershedelightedhimbysaying:
"Amory,Ihavedecidedtoletyouhaveyourway.Ifyoustillwantto,youcangotoschool."
"Yes?"
"ToSt.Regis’sinConnecticut."
Amoryfeltaquickexcitement.
"It’sbeingarranged,"continuedBeatrice."It’sbetterthatyoushouldgoaway.I’dhavepreferredyoutohavegonetoEton,andthentoChristChurch,Oxford,butitseemsimpracticablenow—andforthepresentwe’lllettheuniversityquestiontakecareofitself."
"Whatareyougoingtodo,Beatrice?"
"Heavenknows.Itseemsmyfatetofretawaymyyearsinthiscountry.