Teresa  began  to  feel  that  he  might  ultimately  be
presentable.  He  was  a  strong  child  with  a
determined  will  to  live.  Major  Ransome  pro-
nounced him  a  beauty,  and  in  his  grandfatherly
delight  called  on  the  baby  three  of  four  times
a  week.  Grandparents,  however,  were  pecu-
liarly obnoxious  to  Basil's  theory;  the  poor
Major  was  not  allowed  to  hold  Ronald  Grange,
or  to  prod  any  portion  of  his  anatomy  with  a
doting  finger,  or  to  chirrup  to  him.  Basil  con-
sidered that  even  looking  at  the  baby  as  he  lay
in  his  crib  was  self-indulgence  on  the  part  of

158


THE     BOND  159

the  elders  which  might  involve  some  nervous
strain  for  Ronald  Grange.  Basil  was  about  the
house  pretty  constantly  for  some  time  after  the
baby's  birth,  imforming  Teresa  that  he  couldn't
yet  settle  down  to  work.  He  kept  a  sharp  eye
on  the  nurse,  and  if  Teresa  fed  the  baby  too
early  or  too  late  he  knew  it.  He  kept  many
visitors  away  from  Eonald  Grange,  and  Teresa's
Aunt  Sophy  went  away  in  a  passion  because,
after  three  visits,  she  had  not  yet  succeeded  in
seeing  the  baby.  Teresa,  however,  took  ad-
vantage of  Basil's  occasional  absences.  She  her-
self was  not  allowed  to  hold  the  baby  any  longer
than  was  strictly  necessary.  But  several  times
when  Basil  was  well  away  she  actually  played
with  Ronald  Grange,  tickled  the  soles  of  his
feet,  kissed  the  back  of  his  neck,  and  once,  the
Major  arriving  in  the  midst  of  such  an  orgy,  she
took  pity  on  the  poor  old  man  and  let  him  have
his  share.  That  day  Ronald  Grange  was  trotted
on  the  Major's  knee,  chucked  under  the  chin,
poked  in  the  ribs,  and  whistled  to.  Teresa  felt
guilty,  and  watched  Ronald  for  some  days  for
signs  of  nervous  prostration.  But  there  was
now  a  bond  of  crime  between  her  and  the  Major,
and  they  continued  at  intervals  to  furnish  the
baby  with  contraband  amusement.
