IN THE RAIN 141 



is glancing at headlines, it is just as well to let 

 him glance. I gave him fifteen minutes. Then 

 I reopened the matter. 



&quot;Jonathan, I said walk.&quot; 



&quot;What s that?&quot; His tone was vague. It 

 was what I call his newspaper tone. It sug 

 gests extreme remoteness, but tolerance, even 

 benevolence, if he is let alone. He drifted 

 slowly over to the window and made a pre 

 tense of looking out, but his eyes were still 

 running down the columns. &quot;My dear,&quot; he 

 remarked, still in the same tone, &quot;had you 

 noticed that it is beginning to rain?&quot; 



&quot;I noticed that yesterday afternoon, about 

 three o clock,&quot; I said. 



&quot;Oh, all right. I thought perhaps you 

 had n t.&quot; 



&quot;Well? &quot;I waited. 



&quot;Well &quot; he hung fire while he finished 

 the tail of the editorial. Then he threw down 

 the paper. &quot;Don t you think it s rather poor 

 weather for walking?&quot; 



This was what I had been waiting for, and 

 I responded glibly, &quot;Some one has said there 

 is no such thing as bad weather, there are only 

 good clothes.&quot; 



