CHAPTER XXXV

Onespeaksofthemoodsofspring,butthedaysthatarehertruechildrenhaveonlyonemoodtheyareallfulloftherisinganddroppingofwinds,andthewhistlingofbirds.Newflowersmaycomeout,thegreenembroideryofthehedgesincrease,butthesameheavenbroodsoverhead,soft,thick,andblue,thesamefigures,seenandunseen,arewanderingbycoppiceandmeadow.ThemorningthatMargarethadspentwithMissAvery,andtheafternoonshesetouttoentrapHelen,werethescalesofasinglebalance.Timemightneverhavemoved,rainneverhavefallen,andmanalone,withhisschemesandailments,wastroublingNatureuntilhesawherthroughaveiloftears. Sheprotestednomore.WhetherHenrywasrightorwrong,hewasmostkind,andsheknewofnootherstandardbywhichtojudgehim.Shemusttrusthimabsolutely.Assoonashehadtakenupabusiness,hisobtusenessvanished.Heprofitedbytheslightestindications,andthecaptureofHelenpromisedtobestagedasdeftlyasthemarriageofEvie. Theywentdowninthemorningasarranged,andhediscoveredthattheirvictimwasactuallyinHilton.Onhisarrivalhecalledatallthelivery-stablesinthevillage,andhadafewminutes’seriousconversationwiththeproprietors.Whathesaid,Margaretdidnotknow—perhapsnotthetruthbutnewsarrivedafterlunchthataladyhadcomebytheLondontrain,andhadtakenaflytoHowardsEnd. “Shewasboundt