MS-WU-MSS008-3-50-2

[3817] set on hearing him say he was pleased. [3818] But I regretted my phrase, it
could only add to his confusion. [3819] But perhaps this family chat has lasted
long enough. [3820] He left the shelter and when I judged he was at a safe
distance I left it too, painfully. [3821] He had gone about twenty paces.
[3822] Leaning nonchalantly against a tree-trunk, my good leg boldly folded
across the other, I tried to look light-hearted. [3823] I hailed him. [3824] He turned.

[3825] I wave^d my hand. [3826] He stared at me an instant, then turned away and went
on. [3827] I shouted his name. [3828] He turned again. [3829] A lamp! I cried. [3830] A good lamp!
[3831] He did not understand. [3832] How could he have understood, at twenty paces, he
who could not understand at one. [3833] He came back towards me. [3834] I waved him
away, crying, Go on! [3835] Go on! [3836] He stopped and stared at me, his head on
one side like a parrot, utterly bewildered apparently.

[3837] Foolishly I made
to stoop, to pick up a stone or a piece of wood or a clod, anything in
the way of a projectile, and nearly fell. [3838] I reached up above my head,
broke off a live bough and hurled it violently in his direction. [3839] He spun
round and took to his heels. [3840] Really there were times I could not
understand my son.

[3841] He must have known he was out of range, even of a
good stone, and yet he took to his heels. [3842] Perhaps he was afraid I would
run after him. [3843] And indeed, I think there is something terrifying about
the way I run, with my head flung back, my teeth clenched, my elbows bent
to the full and my knees nearly hitting me in the face. [3844] And I have often
caught faster runners than myself thanks to this way of running.

[3845] They
stop and wait for me, rather than prolong such a horrible outburst
at their heels. [3846] As for the lamp, we did not need a lamp. [3847] Later, when the
bicycle had taken its place in my son's life, in the round of his duties
and his innocent games, then a lamp would be indispensable, to light his
way in the night. [3848] And no doubt it was in anticipation of those happy
days that I had thought of the lamp and cried out to my son to buy a good