CHAPTER XIII
關燈
小
中
大
blethanmybeauty,andnever,neverhasMr.Lanolinerestedhiseyesonmine.’”
“Ihopeyouwerepleased,”saidTibby.
“Ofcourse,”Helensqueaked.“Aperfectlydelightfulexperience.Oh,Mrs.Lanoline’sadear—sheaskedforahusbandasifhewereanumbrella.ShemislaidhimSaturdayafternoon—andforalongtimesufferednoinconvenience.Butallnight,andallthismorningherapprehensionsgrew.Breakfastdidn’tseemthesame—no,nomoredidlunch,andsoshestrolledupto2WickhamPlaceasbeingthemostlikelyplaceforthemissingarticle.”
“Buthowonearth—”
“Don’tbeginhowonearthing.‘IknowwhatIknow,’shekeptrepeating,notuncivilly,butwithextremegloom.InvainIaskedherwhatshedidknow.Someknewwhatothersknew,andothersdidn’t,andthenothersagainhadbetterbecareful.Ohdear,shewasincompetent!Shehadafacelikeasilkworm,andthedining-roomreeksoforris-root.Wechattedpleasantlyalittleabouthusbands,andIwonderedwhereherswastoo,andadvisedhertogotothepolice.Shethankedme.WeagreedthatMr.Lanoline’sanotty,nottyman,andhasn’tnobusinesstogoonthelardy-da.ButIthinkshesuspectedmeuptothelast.BagsIwritingtoAuntJuleyaboutthis.Now,Meg,remember—bagsI.”
“Bagitbyallmeans,”murmuredMargaret,puttingdownherwork.“I’mnotsurethatthisissofunny,Helen.Itmeanssomehorriblevolcanosmokingsomewhere,doesn’tit?”
“Idon’tthinkso—shedoesn’treallymind.Theadmirablecreatureisn’tcapableoftragedy.”
“Herhusbandmaybe,though,”saidMargaret,movingtothewindow.
“Ohno,notlikely.NoonecapableoftragedycouldhavemarriedMrs.Lanoline.”
“Wasshepretty?”
“Herfiguremayhavebeengoodonce.”
Theflats,theironlyoutlook,hunglikeanornatecurtainbetweenMargaretandthewelterofLondon.Herthoughtsturnedsadlytohouse-hunting.WickhamPlacehadbeensosafe.Shefeared,fantastically,thatherownlittleflockmightbemovingintoturmoilandsqualor,intonearercontactwithsuchepisodesasthese.
“TibbyandIhaveagainbeenwonderingwherewe’lllivenextSeptember,”shesaidatlast.
“Tibbyhadbetterfirstwonderwhathe’lldo,”retortedHelenandthattopicwasresumed,butwithacrimony.Thenteacame,andafterteaHelenwentonpreparingherspeech,andMargaretpreparedone,too,fortheyweregoingouttoadiscussionsocietyonthemorrow.Butherthoughtswerepoisoned.Mrs.Lanolinehadrisenoutoftheabyss,likeafaintsmell,agoblinfootball,tellingofalifewhereloveandhatredhadbothdecayed.
