CHAPTER XXVII
關燈
小
中
大
tforHelen’ssake,mustnotknow.
Helendisconcertedhimbyturningtheconversationtohiswife.“Mrs.Bast—doessheeversay‘I’?”sheasked,halfmischievously,andthen,“Issheverytired?”
“It’sbettershestopsinherroom,”saidLeonard.
“ShallIsitupwithher?”
“No,thankyoushedoesnotneedcompany.”
“Mr.Bast,whatkindofwomanisyourwife?”
Leonardblusheduptohiseyes.
“Yououghttoknowmywaysbynow.Doesthatquestionoffendyou?”
“No,ohno,MissSchlegel,no.”
“BecauseIlovehonesty.Don’tpretendyourmarriagehasbeenahappyone.Youandshecanhavenothingincommon.”
Hedidnotdenyit,butsaidshyly:“Isupposethat’sprettyobviousbutJackynevermeanttodoanybodyanyharm.Whenthingswentwrong,orIheardthings,Iusedtothinkitwasherfault,but,lookingback,it’smoremine.Ineedn’thavemarriedher,butasIhaveImuststicktoherandkeepher.”
“Howlonghaveyoubeenmarried?”
“Nearlythreeyears.”
“Whatdidyourpeoplesay?”
“Theywillnothaveanythingtodowithus.TheyhadasortoffamilycouncilwhentheyheardIwasmarried,andcutusoffaltogether.”
Helenbegantopaceupanddowntheroom.“Mygoodboy,whatamess!”shesaidgently.“Whoareyourpeople?”
Hecouldanswerthis.Hisparents,whoweredead,hadbeenintradehissistershadmarriedcommercialtravellershisbrotherwasalay-reader.
“Andyourgrandparents?”
Leonardtoldherasecretthathehadheldshamefuluptonow.“Theywerejustnothingatall,”hesaid“agriculturallabourersandthatsort.”
“So!Fromwhichpart?”
“Lincolnshiremostly,butmymother’sfather—he,oddlyenough,camefromthesepartsroundhere.”
“FromthisveryShropshire.Yes,thatisodd.Mymother’speoplewereLancashire.ButwhydoyourbrotherandyoursistersobjecttoMrs.Bast?”
“Oh,Idon’tknow.”
“Excuseme,youdoknow.Iamnotababy.Icanbearanythingyoutellme,andthemoreyoutellthemoreIshallbeabletohelp.Havetheyheardanythingagainsther?”
Hewassilent.
“IthinkIhaveguessednow,”saidHelenverygravely.
“Idon’tthinkso,MissSchlegelIhopenot.”
“Wemustbehonest,evenovertheset
