CHAPTER XXX
關燈
小
中
大
mayjustaswellbesold.Whatdoesonewantwithdustyeconomicbooks,whichhavemadetheworldnobetter,orwithmother’shideouschiffoniers?Ihavealsoanothercommissionforyou.Iwantyoutodeliveraletter.”Shegotup.“Ihaven’twrittenityet.Whyshouldn’tIpostit,though?”Shesatdownagain.“Myheadisratherwretched.Ihopethatnoneofyourfriendsarelikelytocomein.”
Tibbylockedthedoor.Hisfriendsoftenfounditinthiscondition.ThenheaskedwhetheranythinghadgonewrongatEvie’swedding.
“Notthere,”saidHelen,andburstintotears.
Hehadknownherhysterical—itwasoneofheraspectswithwhichhehadnoconcern—andyetthesetearstouchedhimassomethingunusual.Theywerenearerthethingsthatdidconcernhim,suchasmusic.Helaiddownhisknifeandlookedathercuriously.Then,asshecontinuedtosob,hewentonwithhislunch.
Thetimecameforthesecondcourse,andshewasstillcrying.AppleCharlottewastofollow,whichspoilsbywaiting.“DoyoumindMrs.Martlettcomingin?”heasked,“orshallItakeitfromheratthedoor?”
“CouldIbathemyeyes,Tibby?”
Hetookhertohisbedroom,andintroducedthepuddinginherabsence.Havinghelpedhimself,heputitdowntowarminthehearth.HishandstretchedtowardstheGrammar,andsoonhewasturningoverthepages,raisinghiseyebrowsscornfully,perhapsathumannature,perhapsatChinese.TohimthusemployedHelenreturned.Shehadpulledherselftogether,butthegraveappealhadnotvanishedfromhereyes.
“Nowfortheexplanation,”shesaid.“Whydidn’tIbeginwithit?IhavefoundoutsomethingaboutMr.Wilcox.Hehasbehavedverywronglyindeed,andruinedtwopeople’slives.ItallcameonmeverysuddenlylastnightIamverymuchupset,andIdonotknowwhattodo.Mrs.Bast—”
“Oh,thosepeople!”
Helenseemedsilenced.
“ShallIlockthedooragain?”
“Nothanks,Tibbikins.You’rebeingverygoodtome.IwanttotellyouthestorybeforeIgoabroad,youmustdoexactlywhatyoulike—treatitaspartofthefurniture.Megcannothaveheardityet,Ithink.ButIcannotfaceherandtellherthatthemansheisgoingtomarryhasmisconductedhimself.Idon’tevenknowwhethersheoughttobetold.KnowingasshedoesthatIdislikehim,shewillsuspectme,andthinkthatIwanttoruinhermatch.Isimplydon’tknowwhattomakeofsuchath
