CHAPTER XIX

ponit.” “Yes,thatisso,”concededFriedaandanotherinternationalincidentwasclosed. “‘Bournemouthis,’”resumedtheirhostess,quotingalocalrhymetowhichshewasmuchattached—“‘Bournemouthis,Poolewas,andSwanageistobethemostimportanttownofallandbiggestofthethree.’Now,FrauLiesecke,IhaveshownyouBournemouth,andIhaveshownyouPoole,soletuswalkbackwardalittle,andlookdownagainatSwanage.” “AuntJuley,wouldn’tthatbeMeg’strain?” Atinypuffofsmokehadbeencirclingtheharbour,andnowwasbearingsouthwardstowardsthemovertheblackandthegold. “Oh,dearestMargaret,Idohopeshewon’tbeovertired.” “Oh,Idowonder—Idowonderwhethershe’stakenthehouse.” “Ihopeshehasn’tbeenhasty.” “SodoI—oh,SOdoI.” “WillitbeasbeautifulasWickhamPlace?”Friedaasked. “Ishouldthinkitwould.TrustMr.Wilcoxfordoinghimselfproud.AllthoseDucieStreethousesarebeautifulintheirmodernway,andIcan’tthinkwhyhedoesn’tkeeponwithit.Butit’sreallyforEviethathewentthere,andnowthatEvie’sgoingtobemarried—” “Ah!” “You’veneverseenMissWilcox,Frieda.Howabsurdlymatrimonialyouare!” “ButsistertothatPaul?” “Yes.” “AndtothatCharles,”saidMrs.Muntwithfeeling.“Oh,Helen,Helen,whatatimethatwas!” Helenlaughed.“MegandIhaven’tgotsuchtenderhearts.Ifthere’sachanceofacheaphouse,wegoforit.” “Nowlook,FrauLiesecke,atmyniece’strain.Yousee,itiscomingtowardsus—coming,comingand,whenitgetstoCorfe,itwillactuallygoTHROUGHthedowns,onwhichwearestanding,sothat,ifwewalkover,asIsuggested,andlookdownonSwanage,weshallseeitcomingontheotherside.Shallwe?” Friedaassented,andinafewminutestheyhadcrossedtheridgeandexchangedthegreaterviewforthelesser.Ratheradullvalleylaybelow,backedbytheslopeofthecoastwarddowns.TheywerelookingacrosstheIsleofPurbeckandontoSwanage,soontobethemostimportanttownofall,andugliestofthethree.Margaret’strainreappearedaspromised,andwasgreetedwithapprovalbyheraunt.Itcametoastandstillinthemiddledistance,andthereithadbeenplannedthatTibbyshouldmeether,anddriveher,andatea-basket,uptojointhem. “Yousee,”continuedHelentohercousin,“theWilcoxescollecthousesasyourVictorcollectstadpoles.Theyhave,one,DucieStreettwo,HowardsEnd,wheremygreatrumpuswasthree,acountryseatinShropshirefour,CharleshasahouseinHiltonandfive,anothernearEpsomandsix,Eviewillhaveahousewhenshemarries,andprobablyapied-a-terreinthecountry—whichmakesseven.Ohyes,andPaulahutinAfricamakeseight.IwishwecouldgetHowardsEnd.Thatwassomethinglikeadearlittlehouse!Didn’tyouthinkso,AuntJuley?” “Ihadtoomuchtodo,dear,tolookatit,”saidMrs.Munt,withagraciousdignity.“Ihadeverythingtosettleandexplain,andCharlesWilcoxtokeepinhisplacebesides.Itisn’tlikelyIshouldremembermuch.Ijustrememberhavinglunchinyourbedroom.” “Yes,sodoI.But,ohdear,dear,howdreadfulitallseems!Andintheautumntherebeganthatanti-Paulinemovement—you,andFrieda,andMeg,andMrs.Wilcox,allobsessedwiththeideathatImightyetmarryPau