CHAPTER XV

aymoneyisthewarpoftheworld?” “Yes.” “Thenwhat’sthewoof?” “Verymuchwhatonechooses,”saidMargaret.“It’ssomethingthatisn’tmoney—onecan’tsaymore.” “Walkingatnight?” “Probably.” “ForTibby,Oxford?” “Itseemsso.” “Foryou?” “NowthatwehavetoleaveWickhamPlace,Ibegintothinkit’sthat.ForMrs.WilcoxitwascertainlyHowardsEnd.” One’sownnamewillcarryimmensedistances.Mr.Wilcox,whowassittingwithfriendsmanyseatsaway,heardthis,rosetohisfeet,andstrolledalongtowardsthespeakers. “Itissadtosupposethatplacesmayeverbemoreimportantthanpeople,”continuedMargaret. “Why,Meg?They’resomuchnicergenerally.I’dratherthinkofthatforester’shouseinPomeraniathanofthefatHerrForstmeisterwholivedinit.” “Ibelieveweshallcometocareaboutpeoplelessandless,Helen.Themorepeopleoneknowstheeasieritbecomestoreplacethem.It’soneofthecursesofLondon.Iquiteexpecttoendmylifecaringmostforaplace.” HereMr.Wilcoxreachedthem.Itwasseveralweekssincetheyhadmet. “Howdoyoudo?”hecried.“IthoughtIrecognisedyourvoices.Whateverareyoubothdoingdownhere?” Histoneswereprotective.HeimpliedthatoneoughtnottositoutonChelseaEmbankmentwithoutamaleescort.Helenresentedthis,butMargaretaccepteditaspartofthegoodman’sequipment. “WhatanageitissinceI’veseenyou,Mr.Wilcox.ImetEvieintheTube,though,lately.Ihopeyouhavegoodnewsofyourson.” “Paul?”saidMr.Wilcox,extinguishinghiscigarette,andsittingdownbetweenthem.“Oh,Paul’sallright.WehadalinefromMadeira.He’llbeatworkagainbynow.” “Ugh—”saidHelen,shudderingfromcomplexcauses. “Ibegyourpardon?” “Isn’ttheclimateofNigeriatoohorrible?” “Someone’sgottogo,”hesaidsimply.“Englandwillneverkeephertradeoverseasunlesssheispreparedtomakesacrifices.UnlesswegetfirminWestAfrica,Ger—untoldcomplicationsmayfollow.Nowtellmeallyournews.” “Oh,we’vehadasplendidevening,”criedHelen,whoalwayswokeupattheadventofavisitor.“Webelongtoakindofclubthatreadspapers,MargaretandI—allwomen,butthereisadiscussionafter.Thiseveningitwasonhowoneoughttoleaveone’smoney—whethertoone’sfamily,ortothepoor,andifsohow—oh,mostinteresting.” Themanofbusinesssmiled.Sincehiswife’sdeathhehadalmostdoubledhisincome.Hewasanimportantfigureatlast,areassuringnameoncompanyprospectuses,andlifehadtreatedhimverywell.TheworldseemedinhisgraspashelistenedtotheRiverThames,whichstillflowedinlandfromthesea.Sowonderfultothegirls,itheldnomysteriesforhim.HehadhelpedtoshortenitslongtidaltroughbytakingsharesinthelockatTeddington,andifheandothercapitaliststhoughtgood,somedayitcouldbeshortenedagain.Withagooddinnerinsidehimandanamiablebutacademicwomanoneitherflank,hefeltthathishandswereonalltheropesoflife,andthatwhathedidnotknowcouldnotbeworthknowing. “Soundsamostoriginalentertainment!”heexclaimed,andlaughedinhispleasantway.“IwishEviewouldgotothatsortofthing.Butshehasn’tthetime.She’stakentobreedingAberdeenterriers—jollylittledogs.” “Iexpectwe’dbetterbedoingthesame,really.” “Wepretendwe’reimprovingourselves,yousee,”saidHelenalittlesharply,fortheWilcoxglamourisnotofthekindthatreturns,andshehadbittermemoriesofthedayswhenaspeechsuchashehadjustmadewouldhaveimpressedherfavourably.“Wesupposeitagoodthingtowasteaneveningonceafortnightoveradebate,but,asmysistersays,itmaybebettertobreeddogs.” “Notatall.Idon’tagreewithyoursister.There’snothinglikeadebatetoteachonequickness.IoftenwishIhadgoneinforthemwhenIwasayoungster.Itwouldhavehelpedmenoend.” “Quickness—?” “Yes.Quicknessinargument.TimeaftertimeI’vemissedscoringapointbecausetheothermanhashadthegiftofthegabandIhaven’t.Oh,Ibelieveinthesediscussions.” Thepatronisingtone,thoughtMargaret,camewellenoughfromamanwhowasoldenoughtobetheirfather.ShehadalwaysmaintainedthatMr.Wilcoxhadacharm.Intimesofsorroworemotionhisinadequacyhadp