He would have loved to make a clean breast of things to his sister and the others. He would have liked to confess to them — he longed to confess to them — that he felt no grief. He wanted to tell the truth. He wanted them to know what a sham, what a sham he was, or at least show them that they were making him into a sham. But if he told them the truth they would think him a monster, and he would rather know he was a sham than be thought a monster. He was a man who could feel no grief, an empty man. Even so, he would have liked to be let do as he liked, but he hesitated to hurt their feelings. There were plenty of sharp remarks that came into his head, but he did not want to say them unless he was really pushed to the wall. He knew the women meant well. He could tell them to go, of course. They would protest, but they would go, and then he would be alone and then he could be quiet. If he ordered them out, and they saw he meant business, they would have to go. But he could not do that, when they meant so well, and then it was something to keep in mind, that he could be rid of them in a minute, any minute. It was something to look forward to, the minute when he would order them out once and for all, and he did look forward to it. Once he made up his mind, they would go, and no ifs or buts. Once his mind was made up he would take no nonsense from them, but for the time being he let them have their way in the house and he did what they told him to do and he would go on doing as he was told for as long as it suited him and not one minute longer. But it was good to look forward to the moment when he would turn them out. He would let them have their way, he would let them have their head, they would imagine themselves entrenched, and suddenly, all of a sudden, he would turn on them and show them who was master. The moment would come. He was sure of that. They would drive him too far. He was sure of that. He would turn when they least expected it, and he would blast them. He would send them packing. He had to smile, thinking of the surprise on their faces, and his sister caught him smiling, and he caught her catching him, with that sympathetic expression on her that meant she imagined he was thinking kind sweet gentle happy thoughts about his dearest departed, and he was so annoyed he could have hit her, and he turned down the corners of his mouth and began to look gloomy again.