CHAPTER XVII

TheAgeofPropertyholdsbittermomentsevenforaproprietor.Whenamoveisimminent,furniturebecomesridiculous,andMargaretnowlayawakeatnightswonderingwhere,whereonearththeyandalltheirbelongingswouldbedepositedinSeptembernext.Chairs,tables,pictures,books,thathadrumbleddowntothemthroughthegenerations,mustrumbleforwardagainlikeaslideofrubbishtowhichshelongedtogivethefinalpush,andsendtopplingintothesea.Buttherewerealltheirfather’sbooks—theyneverreadthem,buttheyweretheirfather’s,andmustbekept.Therewasthemarble-toppedchiffonier—theirmotherhadsetstorebyit,theycouldnotrememberwhy.Roundeveryknobandcushioninthehousegatheredasentimentthatwasattimespersonal,butmoreoftenafaintpietytothedead,aprolongationofritesthatmighthaveendedatthegrave. Itwasabsurd,ifyoucametothinkofitHelenandTibbycametothinkofitMargaretwastoobusywiththehouse-agents.Thefeudalownershipoflanddidbringdignity,whereasthemodernownershipofmovablesisreducingusagaintoanomadichorde.Wearerevertingtothecivilisationofluggage,andhistoriansofthefuturewillnotehowthemiddleclassesaccretedpossessionswithouttakingrootintheearth,andmayfindinthisthesecretoftheirimaginativepoverty.TheSchlegelswerecertainlythepoorerforthelossofWickhamPlace.Ithadhelpedtobalancetheirlives,andalmosttocounselthem.Noristheirground-landlordspirituallythericher.Hehasbuiltflatsonitssite,hismotor-carsgrowswifter,hisexposuresofSocialismmoretrenchant.Buthehasspiltthepreciousdistillationoftheyears,andnochemistryofhiscangiveitbacktosocietyagain. MargaretgrewdepressedshewasanxioustosettleonahousebeforetheylefttowntopaytheirannualvisittoMrs.Munt.Sheenjoyedthisvisit,andwantedtohavehermindateaseforit.Swanage,thoughdull,wasstable,andthisyearshelongedmorethanusualforitsfreshairandforthemagnificentdownsthatguarditonthenorth.ButLondonthwartedherinitsatmosphereshecouldnotconcentrate.Londononlystimulates,itcannotsustainandMargaret,hurryingoveritssurfaceforahousewithoutknowingwhatsortofahouseshewanted,waspayingformanyathrillingsensationinthepast.Shecouldnotevenbreakloosefromculture,andhertimewaswastedbyconcertswhichitwouldbeasintomiss,andinvitationswhichitwouldneverdotorefuse.Atlastshegrewdesperatesheresolvedthatshewouldgonowhereandbeathometonooneuntilshefoundahouse,andbroketheresolutioninhalfanhour. Onceshehadhumorouslylamentedthatshe