try life, he left
the widow in possession of the house in the Canopic street, persuaded
his uncle to pay over his father's share in the business in hard cash
and then had quitted Alexandria to take entire charge of the family
estates in Cyrenaica. In the course of a few years he had become an
admirable farmer; the landowners throughout the province were glad to
take his advice or follow his example, and the accounts which he
now laid on the table by the side of Mary's couch--three goodly
rolls--proved by the irrefragable evidence of figures that he had
actually doubled their revenues from the estates of which he had been
the manager. He had earned his right to claim his independence, to
persist in his own determinations and to go his own way; he was animated
by the pride of an independent nature that recklessly breaks away from a
detested tie when it has means at command either to rest without anxiety
or to devote its energies to new enterprise.

When Demetrius had allowed his stepmother time enough for subjects in
which he took no interest, he laid his hand on the account-books and
abruptly observed that it was now time to talk seriously. He had already
explained to Marcus that he could no longer undertake to meet her
requirements; and as, with him, to decide was to act, he wished at once
to come to a decision as to whether he should continue to manage the
family estates in the way he thought proper, or should retire and
devote himself to the care of his own land. If Mary accepted the latter
alternative he would at once cancel their deed of agreement, but even
then he was very willing to stay on for a time in Cyrenaica, and put the
new steward, when she had appointed one, in the way of performing his
onerous duties. After that he would have nothing more to do with the
family estates. This was his last word; and whichever way she decided,
they might part without any final breach, which he was anxious to avoid
if only for the sake of Marcus.

Demetrius spoke gravely and calmly; still, the bitterness that filled
his soul imparted a flavor to his speech that did not escape the widow,
and she replied with some emphasis that she should be very sorry to
think that any motives personal to herself had led to his decision;
she owed much, very much, to his exertions and had great pleasure in
expressing her obligations. He was aware, of course, that the property
he had been managing had been purchased originally partly with her