CHAPTER V

niuses,likeWagner,whostirupallthewellsofthoughtatonce.Foramomentit’ssplendid.Suchasplashasneverwas.Butafterwards—suchalotofmudandthewells—asitwere,theycommunicatewitheachothertooeasilynow,andnotoneofthemwillrunquiteclear.That’swhatWagner’sdone.” Herspeechesflutteredawayfromtheyoungmanlikebirds.Ifonlyhecouldtalklikethis,hewouldhavecaughttheworld.Oh,toacquireculture!Oh,topronounceforeignnamescorrectly!Oh,tobewellinformed,discoursingateaseoneverysubjectthataladystarted!Butitwouldtakeoneyears.Withanhouratlunchandafewshatteredhoursintheevening,howwasitpossibletocatchupwithleisuredwomen,whohadbeenreadingsteadilyfromchildhood?Hisbrainmightbefullofnames,hemighthaveevenheardofMonetandDebussythetroublewasthathecouldnotstringthemtogetherintoasentence,hecouldnotmakethem“tell,”hecouldnotquiteforgetabouthisstolenumbrella.Yes,theumbrellawastherealtrouble.BehindMonetandDebussytheumbrellapersisted,withthesteadybeatofadrum.“Isupposemyumbrellawillbeallright,”hewasthinking.“Idon’treallymindaboutit.Iwillthinkaboutmusicinstead.Isupposemyumbrellawillbeallright.”Earlierintheafternoonhehadworriedaboutseats.Oughthetohavepaidasmuchastwoshillings?Earlierstillhehadwondered,“ShallItrytodowithoutaprogramme?”Therehadalwaysbeensomethingtoworryhimeversincehecouldremember,alwayssomethingthatdistractedhiminthepursuitofbeauty.Forhedidpursuebeauty,and,therefore,Margaret’sspeechesdidflutterawayfromhimlikebirds. Margarettalkedahead,occasionallysaying,“Don’tyouthinkso?don’tyoufeelthesame?”Andonceshestopped,andsaid,“Oh,dointerruptme!”whichterrifiedhim.Shedidnotattracthim,thoughshefilledhimwithawe.Herfigurewasmeagre,herfaceseemedallteethandeyes,herreferencestohersisterandherbrotherwereuncharitable.Forallherclevernessandculture,shewasprobablyoneofthosesoulless,atheisticalwomenwhohavebeensoshownupbyMissCorelli.Itwassurprising(andalarming)thatsheshouldsuddenlysay,“Idohopethatyou’llcomeinandhavesometea.Weshouldbesoglad.Ihavedraggedyousofaroutofyourway.” TheyhadarrivedatWickhamPlace.Thesunhadset,andthebackwater,indeepshadow,wasfillingwithagentlehaze.Totherightthefantasticsky-lineoftheflatstoweredblackagainstthehuesofeveningtothelefttheolderhousesraisedasquare-cut,irregularparapetagainstthegrey.Margaretfumbledforherlatch-key.Ofcourseshehadforgottenit.So,graspingherumbrellabyitsferrule,sheleantovertheareaandtappedatthedining-roomwindow. “Helen!Letusin!” “Allright,”saidavoice. “You’vebeentakingthisgentleman’sumbrella.” “Takenawhat?”saidHelen,openingthedoor.“Oh,what’sthat?Docomein!Howdoyoudo?” “Helen,youmustnotbesoramshackly.Youtookthisgentleman’sumbrellaawayfromQueen’sHall,andhehashadthetroubleofcomingroundforit.” “Oh,Iamsosorry!”criedHelen,allherhairflying.Shehadpulledoffherhatassoonasshereturned,andhadflungherselfintothebigdining-roomchair.“Idonothingbutstealumbrellas.Iamsoverysorry!Docomeinandchooseone.Isyoursahookyoranobbly?Mine’sanobbly—atleast,ITHINKitis.” Thelightwasturnedon,andtheybegantosearchthehall,Helen,whohadabruptlypartedwiththeFifthSymphony,commentingwithshrilllittlecries. “Don’tyoutalk,Meg!Youstoleanoldgentleman’ssilktop-hat.Yes,shedid,AuntJuley.Itisapositivefact.Shethoughtitwasamuff.Oh,heavens!I’veknockedtheIn-and-Outcarddown.Where’sFrieda?Tibby,whydon’tyouever—No,Ican’trememberwhatIwasgoingtosay.Thatwasn’tit,butdotellthemaidstohurryteaup.Whataboutthisumbrella?”Sheopenedit.“No,it’sallgonealongtheseams.It’sanappallingumbrella.Itmustbemine.” Butitwasnot. Hetookitfromher,murmuredafewwordsofthanks,andthenfled,withtheliltingstepoftheclerk. “Butifyouwillstop—”criedMargaret.“Now,Helen,howstupidyou’vebeen!” “WhateverhaveIdone?” “Don’tyouseethatyou’vefrightenedhimaway?Imeanthimtostoptotea.Yououghtn’ttotalkaboutstealingorholesinanumbrella.Isawhisniceeyesgettingsomiserable.No,it’snotabitofgoodnow.”ForHelenhaddartedoutintothestreet,shouting,“Oh,dostop!” “Idaresayitisallforthebest,”opinedMrs.Munt.“Weknownothingabouttheyoungman,Margaret,andyourdrawing-roomisfullofverytemptinglittlethings.” ButHelencried:“AuntJuley,howcanyou!Youmakememoreandmoreashamed.I’dratherhehadbeenathiefandtakenalltheapostlespoonsthanthatI—Well,Imustshutthefront-door,Isuppose.OnemorefailureforHelen.” “Yes,Ithinktheapostlespoonscouldhavegoneasrent,”saidMargaret.Seeingthatherauntdidnotunderstand,sheadded:“Youremember‘rent’?Itwasoneoffather’swords—Renttotheideal,tohisownfaithinhumannature.Yourememberhowhewouldtruststrangers,andi