CHAPTER XXVI

iditall,”criedHelen. “Icanonlyadviseyoutogoatonce.Mysisterhasputyouinafalseposition,anditiskindesttotellyouso.It’stoolatetogettotown,butyou’llfindacomfortablehotelinOniton,whereMrs.Bastcanrest,andIhopeyou’llbemygueststhere.” “Thatisn’twhatIwant,MissSchlegel,”saidLeonard.“You’reverykind,andnodoubtit’safalseposition,butyoumakememiserable.Iseemnogoodatall.” “It’sworkhewants,”interpretedHelen.“Can’tyousee?” Thenhesaid:“Jacky,let’sgo.We’remorebotherthanwe’reworth.We’recostingtheseladiespoundsandpoundsalreadytogetworkforus,andtheyneverwill.There’snothingwe’regoodenoughtodo.” “Wewouldliketofindyouwork,”saidMargaretratherconventionally.“Wewantto—I,likemysister.You’reonlydowninyourluck.Gotothehotel,haveagoodnight’srest,andsomedayyoushallpaymebackthebill,ifyoupreferit.” ButLeonardwasneartheabyss,andatsuchmomentsmenseeclearly.“Youdon’tknowwhatyou’retalkingabout,”hesaid.“Ishallnevergetworknow.Ifrichpeoplefailatoneprofession,theycantryanother.NotI.Ihadmygroove,andI’vegotoutofit.Icoulddooneparticularbranchofinsuranceinoneparticularofficewellenoughtocommandasalary,butthat’sall.Poetry’snothing,MissSchlegel.One’sthoughtsaboutthisandthatarenothing.Yourmoney,too,isnothing,ifyou’llunderstandme.Imeanifamanovertwentyonceloseshisownparticularjob,it’salloverwithhim.Ihaveseenithappentoothers.Theirfriendsgavethemmoneyforalittle,butintheendtheyfallovertheedge.It’snogood.It’sthewholeworldpulling.Therealwayswillberichandpoor.” Heceased.“Won’tyouhavesomethingtoeat?”saidMargaret.“Idon’tknowwhattodo.Itisn’tmyhouse,andthoughMr.Wilcoxwouldhavebeengladtoseeyouatanyothertime—asIsay,Idon’tknowwhattodo,butIundertaketodowhatIcanforyou.Helen,offerthemsomething.Dotryasandwich,Mrs.Bast.” Theymovedtoalongtablebehindwhichaservantwasstillstanding.Icedcakes,sandwichesinnumerable,coffee,claret-cup,champagne,remainedalmostintacttheiroverfedguestscoulddonomore.Leonardrefused.Jackythoughtshecouldmanagealittle.Margaretleftthemwhisperingtogether,andhadafewmorewordswithHelen. Shesaid:“Helen,IlikeMr.Bast.Iagreethathe’sworthhelping.Iagreethatwearedirectlyresponsible.” “No,indirectly.ViaMr.Wilcox.” “Letmetellyouonceforallthatifyoutakeupthatattitude,I’lldonothing.Nodoubtyou’rerightlogically,andareentitledtosayagreatmanyscathingthingsaboutHenry.Only,Iwon’thaveit.Sochoose.” Helenlookedatthesunset. “IfyoupromisetotakethemquietlytotheGeorgeIwillspeaktoHenryaboutthem—inmyownway,mindthereistobenoneofthisabsurdscreamingaboutjustice.Ihavenouseforjustice.Ifitwasonlyaquestionofmoney,wecoulddoitourselves.Buthewantswork,andthatwecan’tgivehim,butpossiblyHenrycan.” “It’shisdutyto,”grumbledHelen. “NoramIconcernedwithduty.I’mconcernedwiththecharactersofvariouspeoplewhomweknow,andhow,thingsbeingastheyare,thingsmaybemadealittlebetter.Mr.Wilcoxhatesbeingaskedfavoursallbusinessmendo.ButIamgoingtoaskhim,attheriskofarebuff,becauseIwanttomakethingsalittlebetter.” “Verywell.Ipromise.Youtakeitverycalmly.” “TakethemofftotheGeorge,then,andI’lltry.Poorcreatures!buttheylooktired.”Astheyparted,sheadded:“Ihaven’tnearlydonewithyou,though,Helen.Youhavebeenmostself-indulgent.Ican’tgetoverit.Youhavelessrestraintratherthanmoreasyougrowolder.Thinkitoverandalteryourself,orweshan’thavehappylives.” SherejoinedHenry.Fortunatelyhehadbeensittingdown:thesephysicalmatterswereimportant.“Wasittownees?”heasked,greetingherwithapleasantsmile. “You’llneverbelieveme,”saidMargaret,sittingdownbesidehim.“It’sallrightnow,butitwasmysister.” “Helenhere?”hecried,preparingtorise.“Butsherefusedtheinvitation.Ithoughthatedweddings.” “Don’tgetup.Shehasnotcometothewedding.I’vebundledherofftotheGeorge.” Inherentlyhospitable,heprotested. “Noshehastwoofherprotegeswithherandmustkeepwiththem.” “Let’emallcome.” “MydearHenry,didyouseethem?” “Ididcatchsightofabrownbunchofawoman,certainly.” “ThebrownbunchwasHelen,butdidyoucatchsightofasea-greenandsalmonbunch?” “What!aretheyoutbean-feasting?” “Nobusiness.Theywantedtoseeme,andlateronIwanttotalktoyouaboutthem.” Shewasashamedofherowndiplomacy.IndealingwithaWilcox,howtemptingitwastolapsefromcomradeship,andtogivehimthekindofwomanthathedesired!Henrytookthehintatonce,andsaid:“Whylateron?Tellmenow.Notimelikethepresent.” “ShallI?” “Ifitisn’talongstory.” “Oh,notfiveminutesbutthere’sastingattheendofit,forIwantyoutofindthemansomeworkinyouroffice.” “Whatarehisqualifications?” “Idon’tknow.He’saclerk.” “Howold?” “Twenty-five,perhaps.” “What’shisname?” “Bast,”saidMargaret,andwasabouttoremindhimthattheyhadmetatWickhamPlace,butstoppedherself.Ithadnotbeenasuccessfulmeeting. “Wherewashebefore?” “Dempster’sBank.” “Whydidheleave?”heasked,stillrememberingnothing. “Theyreducedtheirstaff.” “AllrightI’llseehim.” Itwastherewardofhertactanddevotionthroughtheday.Nowsheunderstoodwhysomewomenpreferinfluencetorights.Mrs.Plynlimmon,whencondemningsuffragettes,hadsaid:“Thewomanwhocan’tinfluenceherhusbandtovotethewaysh