CHAPTER XLI

ntnothingtohim.Hecouldnotseethatthegirlwasdesperatelyrightingherself,andtryingtosavesomethingoutofthedisaster,ifitwasonlyfivethousandpounds.Buthehadtolivesomehow.Heturnedtohisfamily,anddegradedhimselftoaprofessionalbeggar.Therewasnothingelseforhimtodo. “AletterfromLeonard,”thoughtBlanche,hissister“andafterallthistime.”Shehidit,sothatherhusbandshouldnotsee,andwhenhehadgonetohisworkreaditwithsomeemotion,andsenttheprodigalalittlemoneyoutofherdressallowance. “AletterfromLeonard!”saidtheothersister,Laura,afewdayslater.Sheshowedittoherhusband.Hewroteacruel,insolentreply,butsentmoremoneythanBlanche,soLeonardsoonwrotetohimagain. Andduringthewinterthesystemwasdeveloped. Leonardrealisedthattheyneedneverstarve,becauseitwouldbetoopainfulforhisrelatives.Societyisbasedonthefamily,andthecleverwastrelcanexploitthisindefinitely.Withoutagenerousthoughtoneitherside,poundsandpoundspassed.ThedonorsdislikedLeonard,andhegrewtohatethemintensely.WhenLauracensuredhisimmoralmarriage,hethoughtbitterly,“Shemindsthat!Whatwouldshesayifsheknewthetruth?”WhenBlanche’shusbandofferedhimwork,hefoundsomepretextforavoidingit.HehadwantedworkkeenlyatOniton,buttoomuchanxietyhadshatteredhim,hewasjoiningtheunemployable.Whenhisbrother,thelay-reader,didnotreplytoaletter,hewroteagain,sayingthatheandJackywouldcomedowntohisvillageonfoot.Hedidnotintendthisasblackmail.Stillthebrothersentapostalorder,anditbecamepartofthesystem.Andsopassedhiswinterandhisspring. Inthehorrortherearetwobrightspots.Heneverconfusedthepast.Heremainedalive,andblessedarethosewholive,ifitisonlytoasenseofsinfulness.Theanodyneofmuddledom,bywhichmostmenblurandblendtheirmistakes,neverpassedLeonard’slips— “AndifIdrinkoblivionofaday, SoshortenIthestatureofmysoul.” Itisahardsaying,andahardmanwroteit,butitliesattherootofallcharacter. AndtheotherbrightspotwashistendernessforJacky.Hepitiedherwithnobilitynow—notthecontemptuouspityofamanwhostickstoawomanthroughthickandthin.Hetriedtobelessirritable.Hewonderedwhatherhungryeyesdesired—nothingthatshecouldexpress,orthatheoranymancouldgiveher.Wouldsheeverreceivethejusticethatismercy—thejusticeforby-productsthattheworldistoobusytobestow?Shewasfondofflowers,generouswithmoney,andnotrevengeful.Ifshehadbornehimachildhemighthavecaredforher.Unmarried,Leonardwouldneverhavebeggedhewouldhaveflickeredoutanddied.Butthewholeoflifeismixed.HehadtoprovideforJacky,andwentdowndirtypathsthatshemighthaveafewfeathersandthedishesoffoodthatsuitedher. OnedayhecaughtsightofMargaretandherbrother.HewasinSt.Paul’s.Hehadenteredthecathedralpartlytoavoidtherainandpartlytoseeapicturethathadeducatedhiminformeryears.Butthelightwasbad,thepictureillplaced,andTimeandjudgmentwereinsidehimnow.Deathalonestillcharmedhim,withherlapofpoppies,onwhichallmenshallsleep.Hetookoneglance,andturnedaimlesslyawaytowardsachair.ThendownthenavehesawMissSchlegelandherbrother.Theystoodinthefairwayofpassengers,andtheirfaceswereextremelygrave.Hewasperfectlycertainthattheywereintroubleabouttheirsister. Onceoutside—andhefledimmediatel