CHAPTER XXVII

otticelli,’ifhe’sPierpontMorgan.Neverthe‘I’andifyoucouldpiercethroughthesuperman,you’dfindpanicandemptinessinthemiddle.” Leonardwassilentforamoment.Thenhesaid:“MayItakeit,MissSchlegel,thatyouandIareboththesortthatsay‘I’?” “Ofcourse.” “Andyoursister,too?” “Ofcourse,”repeatedHelen,alittlesharply.ShewasannoyedwithMargaret,butdidnotwantherdiscussed.“Allpresentablepeoplesay‘I.’” “ButMr.Wilcox—heisnotperhaps—” “Idon’tknowthatit’sanygooddiscussingMr.Wilcoxeither.” “Quiteso,quiteso,”heagreed.Helenaskedherselfwhyshehadsnubbedhim.Onceortwiceduringthedayshehadencouragedhimtocriticise,andthenhadpulledhimupshort.Wassheafraidofhimpresuming?Ifso,itwasdisgustingofher. Buthewasthinkingthesnubquitenatural.Everythingshedidwasnatural,andincapableofcausingoffence.WhiletheMissSchlegelsweretogetherhehadfeltthemscarcelyhuman—asortofadmonitorywhirligig.ButaMissSchlegelalonewasdifferent.ShewasinHelen’scaseunmarried,inMargaret’sabouttobemarried,inneithercaseanechoofhersister.Alighthadfallenatlastintothisrichupperworld,andhesawthatitwasfullofmenandwomen,someofwhomweremorefriendlytohimthanothers.Helenhadbecome“his”MissSchlegel,whoscoldedhimandcorrespondedwithhim,andhadsweptdownyesterdaywithgratefulvehemence.Margaret,thoughnotunkind,wassevereandremote.Hewouldnotpresumetohelpher,forinstance.Hehadneverlikedher,andbegantothinkthathisoriginalimpressionwastrue,andthathersisterdidnotlikehereither.Helenwascertainlylonely.She,whogaveawaysomuch,wasreceivingtoolittle.LeonardwaspleasedtothinkthathecouldsparehervexationbyholdinghistongueandconcealingwhatheknewaboutMr.Wilcox.Jackyhadannouncedherdiscoverywhenhefetchedherfromthelawn.Afterthefirstshock,hedidnotmindforhimself.Bynowhehadnoillusionsabouthiswife,andthiswasonlyonenewstainonthefaceofalovethathadneverbeenpure.Tokeepperfectionperfect,thatshouldbehisideal,ifthefuturegavehimtimetohaveideals.Helen,andMargare