FEJEVARY: No; he had the vision of the future; he was robust with feeling for others. (_gently_) But Holden feels your father is the--dwarfed pioneer child. The way he concentrates on corn--excludes all else--as if unable to free himself from their old battle with the earth.
MADELINE: (_almost crying_) I think it's pretty terrible to--wish all that on poor father.
FEJEVARY: Well, my dear child, it's life has 'wished it on him'. It's just one other way of paying the price for his country. We needn't get it for nothing. I feel that all our chivalry should go to your father in his--heritage of loneliness.
MADELINE: Father couldn't always have been--dwarfed. Mother wouldn't have cared for him if he had always been--like that.
FEJEVARY: No, if he could have had love to live in. But no endurance for losing it. Too much had been endured just before life got to him.
MADELINE: Do you know, Uncle Felix--I'm afraid that's true? (_he nods_) Sometimes when I'm with father I feel those things near--the--the too much--the too hard,--feel them as you'd feel the cold. And now that it's different--easier--he can't come into the world that's been earned. Oh, I wish I could help him!
(_As they sit there together, now for the first time really together, there is a shrill shout of derision from outside_.)
MADELINE: What's that? (_a whistled call_) Horace! That's Horace's call. That's for his gang. Are they going to start something now that will get Atma in jail?
FEJEVARY: More likely he's trying to start something. (_they are both listening intently_) I don't think our boys will stand much more.
(_A scoffing whoop_. MADELINE _springs to the window; he reaches it ahead and holds it_.)
(_She starts to go away, he takes hold of her_.)
MADELINE: You think you can keep me in here?
FEJEVARY: Listen, Madeline--plain, straight truth. If you go out there and get in trouble a second time, I can't make it right for you.
FEJEVARY: You don't know what it means. These things are not child's play--not today. You could get twenty years in prison for things you'll say if you rush out there now. (_she laughs_) You laugh because you're ignorant. Do you know that in America today there are women in our prisons for saying no more than you've said here to me!