CHAPTER XXXVIII
關燈
小
中
大
tellyou?”
“Ineverevenaskedherwhoseducedher,”saidMargaret,dwellingonthehatefulwordthoughtfully.
“Thatissingular.”Thenhechangedhismind.“Naturalperhaps,deargirl,thatyoushouldn’task.Butuntilhisnameisknown,nothingcanbedone.Sitdown.Howterribleitistoseeyousoupset!Iknewyouweren’tfitforit.IwishIhadn’ttakenyou.”
Margaretanswered,“Iliketostand,ifyoudon’tmind,foritgivesmeapleasantviewoftheSixHills.”
“Asyoulike.”
“Haveyouanythingelsetoaskme,Henry?”
“Nextyoumusttellmewhetheryouhavegatheredanything.Ihaveoftennoticedyourinsight,dear.Ionlywishmyownwasasgood.Youmayhaveguessedsomething,eventhoughyoursistersaidnothing.Theslightesthintwouldhelpus.”
“Whois‘we’?”
“IthoughtitbesttoringupCharles.”
“Thatwasunnecessary,”saidMargaret,growingwarmer.“ThisnewswillgiveCharlesdisproportionatepain.”
“Hehasatoncegonetocallonyourbrother.”
“Thattoowasunnecessary.”
“Letmeexplain,dear,howthematterstands.Youdon’tthinkthatIandmysonareotherthangentlemen?ItisinHelen’sintereststhatweareacting.Itisstillnottoolatetosavehername.”
ThenMargarethitoutforthefirsttime.“Arewetomakeherseducermarryher?”sheasked.
“Ifpossible,yes.”
“But,Henry,supposeheturnedouttobemarriedalready?Onehasheardofsuchcases.”
“Inthatcasehemustpayheavilyforhismisconduct,andbethrashedwithinaninchofhislife.”
Soherfirstblowmissed.Shewasthankfulofit.Whathadtemptedhertoimperilbothoftheirlives.Henry’sobtusenesshadsavedheraswellashimself.Exhaustedwithanger,shesatdownagain,blinkingathimashetoldherasmuchashethoughtfit.Atlastshesaid:“MayIaskyoumyquestionnow?”
“Certainly,mydear.”
“To-morrowHelengoestoMunich—”
“Well,possiblysheisright.”
“Henry,letaladyfinish.To-morrowshegoesto-night,withyourpermission,shewouldliketosleepatHowardsEnd.”
Itwasthecrisisofhislife.Againshewouldhaverecalledtheword
