CHAPTER IX
關燈
小
中
大
rlips.Yetsheanddailylifewereoutoffocusoneortheothermustshowblurred.Andatlunchsheseemedmoreoutoffocusthanusual,andnearerthelinethatdividesdailylifefromalifethatmaybeofgreaterimportance.
“Youwilladmit,though,thattheContinent—itseemssillytospeakof‘theContinent,’butreallyitisallmorelikeitselfthananypartofitislikeEngland.Englandisunique.Dohaveanotherjellyfirst.IwasgoingtosaythattheContinent,forgoodorforevil,isinterestedinideas.ItsLiteratureandArthavewhatonemightcallthekinkoftheunseenaboutthem,andthispersistseventhroughdecadenceandaffectation.ThereismorelibertyofactioninEngland,butforlibertyofthoughtgotobureaucraticPrussia.Peoplewilltherediscusswithhumilityvitalquestionsthatweherethinkourselvestoogoodtotouchwithtongs.”
“IdonotwanttogotoPrussia,”saidMrs.Wilcox“noteventoseethatinterestingviewthatyouweredescribing.AndfordiscussingwithhumilityIamtooold.WeneverdiscussanythingatHowardsEnd.”
“Thenyououghtto!”saidMargaret.“Discussionkeepsahousealive.Itcannotstandbybricksandmortaralone.”
“Itcannotstandwithoutthem,”saidMrs.Wilcox,unexpectedlycatchingontothethought,androusing,forthefirstandlasttime,afainthopeinthebreastsofthedelightfulpeople.“Itcannotstandwithoutthem,andIsometimesthink—ButIcannotexpectyourgenerationtoagree,forevenmydaughterdisagreeswithmehere.”
“Nevermindusorher.Dosay!”
“Isometimesthinkthatitiswisertoleaveactionanddiscussiontomen.”
Therewasalittlesilence.
“OneadmitsthattheargumentsagainstthesuffrageAREextraordinarilystrong,”saidagirlopposite,leaningforwardandcrumblingherbread.
“Arethey?Ineverfollowanyarguments.Iamonlytoothankfulnottohaveavotemyself.”
“Wedidn’tmeanthevote,though,didwe?”sup
