CHAPTER XLIII

efatherleaveitatthat.LetSqualorbeturnedintoTragedy,whoseeyesarethestars,andwhosehandsholdthesunsetandthedawn. Andeventheinfluxofofficials,eventhereturnofthedoctor,vulgarandacute,couldnotshakeherbeliefintheeternityofbeauty.Scienceexplainedpeople,butcouldnotunderstandthem.Afterlongcenturiesamongthebonesandmusclesitmightbeadvancingtoknowledgeofthenerves,butthiswouldnevergiveunderstanding.OnecouldopenthehearttoMr.Mansbridgeandhissortwithoutdiscoveringitssecretstothem,fortheywantedeverythingdowninblackandwhite,andblackandwhitewasexactlywhattheywereleftwith. TheyquestionedhercloselyaboutCharles.Sheneversuspectedwhy.Deathhadcome,andthedoctoragreedthatitwasduetoheartdisease.Theyaskedtoseeherfather’ssword.SheexplainedthatCharles’sangerwasnatural,butmistaken.MiserablequestionsaboutLeonardfollowed,allofwhichsheansweredunfalteringly.ThenbacktoCharlesagain.“NodoubtMr.Wilcoxmayhaveinduceddeath,”shesaid“butifitwasn’tonethingitwouldhavebeenanotherasyouknow.”AtlasttheythankedherandtooktheswordandthebodydowntoHilton.Shebegantopickupthebooksfromthefloor. Helenhadgonetothefarm.Itwasthebestplaceforher,sinceshehadtowaitfortheinquest.Though,asifthingswerenothardenough,MadgeandherhusbandhadraisedtroubletheydidnotseewhytheyshouldreceivetheoffscouringsofHowardsEnd.And,ofcourse,theywereright.Thewholeworldwasgoingtoberight,andamplyavengeanybravetalkagainsttheconventions.“Nothingmatters,”theSchlegelshadsaidinthepast,“exceptone’sself-respectandthatofone’sfriends.”Whenthetimecame,otherthingsmatteredterribly.However,Madgehadyielded,andHelenwasassuredofpeaceforonedayandnight,andto-morrowshewouldreturntoGermany. Asforherself,shedeterminedtogoto