CHAPTER XX

.Yousee,hehasanincreasingfamilyandincreasingexpenses,andtheI.andW.A.isnothingparticularjustnow,thoughcapableofdevelopment.” “Poorfellow!”murmuredMargaret,lookingouttosea,andnotunderstanding. “Charlesbeingtheelderson,somedayCharleswillhaveHowardsEndbutIamanxious,inmyownhappiness,nottobeunjusttoothers.” “Ofcoursenot,”shebegan,andthengavealittlecry.“youmeanmoney.HowstupidIam!Ofcoursenot!” Oddlyenough,hewincedalittleattheword.“Yes,Money,sinceyouputitsofrankly.Iamdeterminedtobejusttoall—justtoyou,justtothem.Iamdeterminedthatmychildrenshallhaveme.” “Begeneroustothem,”shesaidsharply.“Botherjustice!” “Iamdetermined—andhavealreadywrittentoCharlestothateffect—” “Buthowmuchhaveyougot?” “What?” “Howmuchhaveyouayear?I’vesixhundred.” “Myincome?” “Yes.Wemustbeginwithhowmuchyouhave,beforewecansettlehowmuchyoucangiveCharles.Justice,andevengenerosity,dependonthat.” “Imustsayyou’readownrightyoungwoman,”heobserved,pattingherarmandlaughingalittle.“Whataquestiontospringonafellow!” “Don’tyouknowyourincome?Ordon’tyouwanttotellitme?” “I—” “That’sallright”—nowshepattedhim—“don’ttellme.Idon’twanttoknow.Icandothesumjustaswellbyproportion.Divideyourincomeintotenparts.HowmanypartswouldyougivetoEvie,howmanytoCharles,howmanytoPaul?” “Thefactis,mydear,Ihadn’tanyintentionofbotheringyouwithdetails.Ionlywantedtoletyouknowthat—well,thatsomethingmustbedonefortheothers,andyou’veunderstoodmeperfectly,solet’spassontothenextpoint.” “Yes,we’vesettledthat,”saidMargaret,undisturbedbyhisstrategicblunderings.“Goaheadgiveawayallyoucan,bearinginmindthatI’veaclearsixhundred.Whatamercyitistohaveallthismoneyaboutone.” “We’venonetoomuch,Iassureyouyou’remarryingapoorman.” “Helenwouldn’tagreewithmehere,”shecontinued.“Helendaren’tslangtherich,beingrichherself,butshewouldliketo.There’sanoddnotion,thatIhaven’tyetgotholdof,runningaboutatthebackofherbrain,thatpovertyissomehow‘real.’Shedislikesallorganisation,andprobablyconfuseswealthwiththetechniqueofwealth.Sovereignsinastockingwouldn’tbotherherchequesdo.Helenistoorelentless.Onecan’tdealinherhigh-handedmannerwiththeworld.” “There’sthisotherpoint,andthenImustgobacktomyhotelandwritesomeletters.What’stobedonenowaboutthehouseinDucieStreet?” “Keepiton—atleast,itdepends.Whendoyouwanttomarryme?” Sheraisedhervoice,astoooften,andsomeyouths,whowerealsotakingtheeveningair,overheardher.“Gettin