But in the morning he had forgotten all about it, and raised his shade,
to let in the light, without even glancing toward the ground. Not until
he had finished dressing did he look forth from his window, and then his
glance was casual. The next instant his attitude became electric, and he
gave utterance to a bellow of dismay. He ran from his room, plunged
down the stairs, out of the front door, and, upon a nearer view of the
destroyed lawn, began to release profanity upon the breezeless summer
air, which remained unaffected. Between his mother's house and his
grandfather's, excavations for the cellars of five new houses were in
process, each within a few feet of its neighbour. Foundations of brick
were being laid; everywhere were piles of brick and stacked lumber, and
sand heaps and mortar' beds.

It was Sunday, and so the workmen implicated in these defacings were
denied what unquestionably; they would have considered a treat; but
as the fanatic orator continued the monologue, a gentleman in
flannels emerged upward from one of the excavations, and regarded him
contemplatively.

"Obtaining any relief, nephew?" he inquired with some interest. "You
must have learned quite a number of those expressions in childhood--it's
so long since I'd heard them I fancied they were obsolete."

"Who wouldn't swear?" George demanded hotly. "In the name of God, what
does grandfather mean, doing such things?"

"My private opinion is," said Amberson gravely, "he desires to increase
his income by building these houses to rent."

"Well, in the name of God, can't he increase his income any other way
but this?"

"In the name of God, it would appear he couldn't."

"It's beastly! It's a damn degradation! It's a crime!"

"I don't know about its being a crime," said his uncle, stepping over
some planks to join him. "It might be a mistake, though. Your mother
said not to tell you until we got home, so as not to spoil commencement
for you. She rather feared you'd be upset."

"Upset! Oh, my Lord, I should think I would be upset! He's in his second
childhood. What did you let him do it for, in the name of--"

"Make it in the name of heaven this time, George; it's Sunday. Well, I
thought, myself, it was a mistake."

"I should say so!"

"Yes," said Amberson. "I wanted him to put up an apartment building
instead of these houses."

"An apartment building! Here?"

"Yes; that was my idea."

George struck his hands together despairingly