CHAPTER V

ftheyfooledhimhewouldsay,‘It’sbettertobefooledthantobesuspicious’—thattheconfidencetrickistheworkofman,butthewant-of-confidencetrickistheworkofthedevil.” “Iremembersomethingofthesortnow,”saidMrs.Munt,rathertartly,forshelongedtoadd,“Itwasluckythatyourfathermarriedawifewithmoney.”Butthiswasunkind,andshecontentedherselfwith,“Why,hemighthavestolenthelittleRickettspictureaswell.” “Betterthathehad,”saidHelenstoutly. “No,IagreewithAuntJuley,”saidMargaret.“I’drathermistrustpeoplethanlosemylittleRicketts.Therearelimits.” Theirbrother,findingtheincidentcommonplace,hadstolenupstairstoseewhetherthereweresconesfortea.Hewarmedtheteapot—almosttoodeftly—rejectedtheorangepekoethattheparlour-maidhadprovided,pouredinfivespoonfulsofasuperiorblend,filledupwithreallyboilingwater,andnowcalledtotheladiestobequickortheywouldlosethearoma. “Allright,AuntieTibby,”calledHelen,whileMargaret,thoughtfulagain,said:“Inaway,Iwishwehadarealboyinthehouse—thekindofboywhocaresformen.Itwouldmakeentertainingsomucheasier.” “SodoI,”saidhersister.“TibbyonlycaresforculturedfemalessingingBrahms.”Andwhentheyjoinedhimshesaidrathersharply:“Whydidn’tyoumakethatyoungmanwelcome,Tibby?Youmustdothehostalittle,youknow.Yououghttohavetakenhishatandcoaxedhimintostopping,insteadoflettinghimbeswampedbyscreamingwomen.” Tibbysighed,anddrewalongstrandofhairoverhisforehead. “Oh,it’snogoodlookingsuperior.ImeanwhatIsay.” “LeaveTibbyalone!”saidMargaret,whocouldnotbearherbrothertobescolded. “Here’sthehousearegularhen-coop!”grumbledHelen. “Oh,mydear!”protestedMrs.Munt.“Howcanyousaysuchdreadfulthings!Thenumberofmenyougetherehasalwaysastonishedme.Ifthereisanydangerit’stheotherwayround.” “Yes,butit’sthewrongsortofmen,Helenmeans.” “No,Idon’t,”correctedHelen.“Wegettherightsortofman,butthewrongsideofhim,andIsaythat’sTibby’sfault.Thereoughttobeasomethingaboutthehouse—an—Idon’tknowwhat.” “AtouchoftheW’s,perhaps?” Helenputouthertongue. “WhoaretheW’s?”askedTibby. “TheW’sarethingsIandMegandAuntJuleyknowaboutandyoudon’t,sothere!” “Isupposethatoursisafemalehouse,”saidMargaret,“andonemustjustacceptit.No,AuntJuley,Idon’tmeanthatthishouseisfullofwomen.Iamtryingtosaysomethingmuchmoreclever.Imeanthatitwasirrevocablyfeminine,eveninfather’stime.NowI’msureyouunderstand!Well,I’llgiveyouanotherexample.It’llshockyou,butIdon’tcare.SupposeQueenVictoriagaveadinner-party,andthattheguestshadbeenLeighton,Millais,Swinburne,Rossetti,Meredith,Fitzgerald,etc.Doyousupposethattheatmosphereofthatdinnerwouldhavebeenartistic?Heavens,no!Theverychairsonwhichtheysatwouldhaveseentothat.Sowithourhouse—itmustbefeminine,andallwecandoistoseethatitisn’teffeminate.JustasanotherhousethatIcanmention,butwon’t,soundedirrevocablymasculine,andallitsinmatescandoistoseethatitisn’tbrutal.” “ThathousebeingtheW’shouse,Ipresume,”saidTibby. “You’renotgoingtobetoldabouttheW’s,mychild,”Helencried,“sodon’tyouthinkit.Andontheotherhand,Idon’ttheleastmindifyoufindout,sodon’tyouthinkyou’vedoneanythingclever,ineithercase.Givemeacigarette.” “Youdowhatyoucanforthehouse,”saidMargaret.“Thedrawing-roomreeksofsmoke.” “Ifyousmokedtoo,thehousemightsuddenlyturnmasculine.Atmosphereisprobablyaquestionoftouchandgo.EvenatQueenVictoria’sdinner-party—ifsomethinghadbeenjustalittleDifferent—perhapsifshe’dwornaclingingLibertytea-gowninsteadofamagentasatin.” “WithanIndiashawloverhershoulders—” “FastenedatthebosomwithaCairngorm-pin.” Burstsofdisloyallaughter—youmustrememberthattheyarehalfGerman—greetedthesesuggestions,andMargaretsaidpensively,“HowinconceivableitwouldbeiftheRoyalFamilycaredaboutArt.”Andtheconversationdriftedawayandaway,andHelen’scigaretteturnedtoaspotinthedarkness,andthegreatflatsoppositeweresownwithlightedwindowswhichvanishedandwererelitagain,andvanishedincessantly.Beyondthemthethoroughfareroaredgently—atidethatcouldneverbequiet,whileintheeast,invisiblebehindthesmokesofWapping,themoonwasrising. “Thatremindsme,Margaret.Wemighthavetakenthatyoungmanintothedining-room,atallevents.Onlythemajolicaplate—andthatissofirmlysetinthewall.Iamreallydistressedthathehadnotea.” Forthatlittleincidenthadimpressedthethreewomenmorethanmightbesupposed.Itremainedasagoblinfootfall,asahintthatallisnotforthebestinthebestofallpossibleworlds,andthatbeneaththesesuperstructuresofwealthandarttherewandersanill-fedboy,whohasrecoveredhisumbrellaindeed,butwhohasleftnoaddressbehindhim,andnoname.