CHAPTER IV

HelenandherauntreturnedtoWickhamPlaceinastateofcollapse,andforalittletimeMargarethadthreeinvalidsonherhands.Mrs.Muntsoonrecovered.Shepossessedtoaremarkabledegreethepowerofdistortingthepast,andbeforemanydayswereovershehadforgottenthepartplayedbyherownimprudenceinthecatastrophe.Evenatthecrisisshehadcried,“Thankgoodness,poorMargaretissavedthis!”whichduringthejourneytoLondonevolvedinto,“Ithadtobegonethroughbysomeone,”whichinitsturnripenedintothepermanentformof“TheonetimeIreallydidhelpEmily’sgirlswasovertheWilcoxbusiness.”ButHelenwasamoreseriouspatient.Newideashadburstuponherlikeathunderclap,andbythemandbytheirreverberationsshehadbeenstunned. Thetruthwasthatshehadfalleninlove,notwithanindividual,butwithafamily. BeforePaularrivedshehad,asitwere,beentunedupintohiskey.TheenergyoftheWilcoxeshadfascinatedher,hadcreatednewimagesofbeautyinherresponsivemind.Tobealldaywiththemintheopenair,tosleepatnightundertheirroof,hadseemedthesupremejoyoflife,andhadledtothatabandonmentofpersonalitythatisapossiblepreludetolove.ShehadlikedgivingintoMr.Wilcox,orEvie,orCharlesshehadlikedbeingtoldthathernotionsoflifewereshelteredoracademicthatEqualitywasnonsense,VotesforWomennonsense,Socialismnonsense,ArtandLiterature,exceptwhenconducivetostrengtheningthecharacter,nonsense.OnebyonetheSchlegelfeticheshadbeenoverthrown,and,thoughprofessingtodefendthem,shehadrejoiced.WhenMr.Wilcoxsaidthatonesoundmanofbusinessdidmoregoodtotheworldthanadozenofyoursocialreformers,shehadswallowedthecuriousassertionwithoutagasp,andhadleantbackluxuriouslyamongthecushionsofhismotorcar.WhenCharlessaid,“Whybesopolitetoservants?theydon’tunderstandit,”shehadnotgiventheSchlegelretortof,“Iftheydon’tunderstandit,Ido.”Noshehadvowedtobelesspolitetoservantsinthefuture.“Iamswathedincant,”shethought,“anditisgoodformetobestrippedofit.”AndallthatshethoughtordidorbreathedwasaquietpreparationforPaul.Paulwasinevitable.Charleswastakenupwithanothergirl,Mr.Wilcoxwassoold,Eviesoyoung,Mrs.Wilcoxsodifferent.RoundtheabsentbrothershebegantothrowthehaloofRomance,toirradiatehimwithallthesplendourofthosehappydays,tofeelthatinhimsheshoulddrawnearesttotherobustideal.Heandshewereaboutthesameage,Eviesaid.MostpeoplethoughtPaulhandsomerthanhisbrother.Hewascertainlyabettershot,thoughnotsogoodatgolf.AndwhenPaulappeared,flushedwiththetriumphofgettingthroughanexamination,andreadytoflirtwithanyprettygirl,Helenmethimhalfway,ormorethanhalfway,andturnedtowardshimontheSundayevening. HehadbeentalkingofhisapproachingexileinNigeria,andheshouldhavecontinuedtotalkofit,andallowedtheirguesttorecover.Buttheheaveofherbosomflatteredhim.Passionwaspossible,