CHAPTER XXII
關燈
小
中
大
er.No,no.Youcan’t.Therealwayshavebeenrichandpoor.I’mnofatalist.Heavenforbid!Butourcivilisationismouldedbygreatimpersonalforces”(hisvoicegrewcomplacentitalwaysdidwhenheeliminatedthepersonal),“andtherealwayswillberichandpoor.Youcan’tdenyit”(andnowitwasarespectfulvoice)—“andyoucan’tdenythat,inspiteofall,thetendencyofcivilisationhasonthewholebeenupward.”
“OwingtoGod,Isuppose,”flashedHelen.
Hestaredather.
“Yougrabthedollars.Goddoestherest.”
ItwasnogoodinstructingthegirlifshewasgoingtotalkaboutGodinthatneuroticmodernway.Fraternaltothelast,heleftherforthequietercompanyofMrs.Munt.Hethought,“SheratherremindsmeofDolly.”
Helenlookedoutatthesea.
“Don’teverdiscusspoliticaleconomywithHenry,”advisedhersister.“It’llonlyendinacry.”
“Buthemustbeoneofthosemenwhohavereconciledsciencewithreligion,”saidHelenslowly.“Idon’tlikethosemen.Theyarescientificthemselves,andtalkofthesurvivalofthefittest,andcutdownthesalariesoftheirclerks,andstunttheindependenceofallwhomaymenacetheircomfort,butyettheybelievethatsomehowgood—itisalwaysthatsloppy‘somehow’willbetheoutcome,andthatinsomemysticalwaytheMr.BastsofthefuturewillbenefitbecausetheMr.Britsoftodayareinpain.”
“Heissuchamanintheory.Butoh,Helen,intheory!”
“Butoh,Meg,whatatheory!”
“Whyshouldyouputthingssobitterly,dearie?”
“BecauseI’manoldmaid,”saidHelen,bitingherlip.“Ican’tthinkwhyIgoonlikethismyself.”Sheshookoffhersister’shandandwentintothehouse.Margaret,distressedattheday’sbeginning,followedtheBournemouthsteamerwithhereyes.ShesawthatHelen’snerveswereexasperatedbytheunluckyBastbusinessbeyondtheboundsofpoliteness.Theremightatanyminutebearealexplosion,whichevenHenrywouldnotice.Henrymustberemoved.
“Margaret!”herauntcalled.“Magsy!Itisn’ttrue,surely,whatMr.Wilcoxsays,thatyouwanttogoawayearlynextweek?”
“Not‘want,’”wasMargaret’spromptreply“butthereissomuchtobesettled,andIdowanttoseetheCharles’s.”
“ButgoingawaywithouttakingtheWeymouthtrip,oreventheLulworth?”saidMrs.Munt,comingnearer.“WithoutgoingoncemoreupNineBarrowsDown?”
“I’mafraidso.”
Mr.Wilcoxrejoinedherwith,“Good!Ididthebreakingoftheice.”
Awaveoftendernesscameoverher.Sheputahandoneithershoulder,andlookeddeeplyintotheblack,brighteyes.Whatwasbehindtheircompetentstare?Sheknew,butwasnotdisquieted.
