CHAPTER X
關燈
小
中
大
ldoforbrickandmortar,butnotfortheHolyofHoliesintowhichHowardsEndhadbeentransfigured.Herowncuriositywasslight.Shehadheardmorethanenoughaboutitinthesummer.Theninewindows,thevine,andthewych-elmhadnopleasantconnectionsforher,andshewouldhavepreferredtospendtheafternoonataconcert.Butimaginationtriumphed.Whileherbrotherheldforthshedeterminedtogo,atwhatevercost,andtocompelMrs.Wilcoxtogo,too.Whenlunchwasovershesteppedovertotheflats.
Mrs.Wilcoxhadjustgoneawayforthenight.
Margaretsaidthatitwasofnoconsequence,hurrieddownstairs,andtookahansomtoKing’sCross.Shewasconvincedthattheescapadewasimportant,thoughitwouldhavepuzzledhertosaywhy.Therewasquestionofimprisonmentandescape,andthoughshedidnotknowthetimeofthetrain,shestrainedhereyesforSt.Pancras’sclock.
ThentheclockofKing’sCrossswungintosight,asecondmooninthatinfernalsky,andhercabdrewupatthestation.TherewasatrainforHiltoninfiveminutes.Shetookaticket,askinginheragitationforasingle.Asshedidso,agraveandhappyvoicesalutedherandthankedher.
“IwillcomeifIstillmay,”saidMargaret,laughingnervously.
“Youarecomingtosleep,dear,too.Itisinthemorningthatmyhouseismostbeautiful.Youarecomingtostop.Icannotshowyoumymeadowproperlyexceptatsunrise.Thesefogs”—shepointedatthestationroof—“neverspreadfar.IdaresaytheyaresittinginthesuninHertfordshire,andyouwillneverrepentjoiningthem.”
“Ishallneverrepentjoiningyou.”
“Itisthesame.”
Theybeganthewalkupthelongplatform.Faratitsendstoodthetrain,breastingthedarknesswithout.Theyneverreachedit.Beforeimaginationcouldtriumph,therewerecriesof“Mother!mother!”andaheavy-browedgirldartedoutofthecloak-roomandseizedMrs.Wilcoxbythearm.
“Evie!”shegasped—“Evie,mypet—”
Thegirlcalled,“Father!Isay!lookwho’shere.”
“Evie,dearestgirl,whyaren’tyouinYorkshire?”
“No—motorsmash—changedplans—father’scoming.”
“Why,Ruth!”criedMr.Wilcox,joiningthem,“whatinthenameofallthat’swonderfulareyoudoinghere,Ruth?”
Mrs.Wilcoxhadrecoveredherself.
“Oh,Henrydear!—here’salovelysurprise—butletmeintroduce—butIthinkyouknowMissSchlegel.”
“Ohyes,”hereplied,notgreatlyinterested.“Buthow’syourself,Ruth?”
“Fitasafiddle,”sheansweredgaily.
“Soarewe,andsowasourcar,whichranA1asfarasRipon,butthereawretchedhorseandcartwhichafoolofadriver—”
“MissSchlegel,ourlittleoutingmustbeforanotherday.”
“Iwassayingthatthisfoolofadriver,asthepolicemanhimselfadmits.”
“Anotherday,Mrs.Wilcox.Ofcourse.”
“—Butaswe’veinsuredagainstthirdpartyrisks,itwon’tsomuchmatter—”
“—Cartandcarbeingpracticallyatrightangles—”
Thevoicesofthehappyfamilyrosehigh.Margaretwasleftalone.Noonewantedher.Mrs.WilcoxwalkedoutofKing’sCrossbetweenherhusbandandherdaughter,listeningtobothofthem.
