The Virgin and Child with St Anne

Listlessly her husband replied, "I'll make it up to him next year. I promise.We'll have money—or maybe, the year after that." "Luke's just not a farmer, Owen," she continued firmly. "He never will be, nomatter how hard you try to make him one." She shook her head slowly. "He's gottoo much of his father in him." For the first time all evening Owen Lars looked thoughtful as well as concernedas he gazed down the passage Luke had taken. "That's what I'm afraid of," hewhispered. Luke had gone topside. He stood on the sand watching the double sunset asfirst one and then the other of Tatooine's twin suns sank slowly behind the distantrange of dunes. In the fading light the sands turned gold, russet, and flaming red-orange before advancing night put the bright colors to sleep for another day. Soon,for the first time, those sands would blossom with food plants. This formerwasteland would see and eruption of green. The thought ought to have sent a thrill of anticipation through Luke. He shouldhave been as flushed with excitement as his uncle was whenever he described thecoming harvest. Instead, Luke felt nothing but a vast indifferent emptiness. Noteven the prospect of having a lot of money for the first time in his life excited him.What was there to do with money in Anchorhead—anywhere on Tatooine, for thatmatter? Part of him, an increasingly large part, was growing more and more restless atremaining unfulfilled. This was not an uncommon feeling in youths his age, but forreasons Luke did not understand it was much stronger in him than in any of hisfriends.