CHAPTER V.

sperfecthappiness.Wewon’tquarrel.IknowyouwouldneverharmanyoneIlove,wouldyou?” “Notaslongasyoulovehim,Isuppose,”wasthesullenanswer. “Ishalllovehimforever!”shecried. “Andhe?” “Forever,too!” “Hehadbetter.” Sheshrankfromhim.Thenshelaughedandputherhandonhisarm.Hewasmerelyaboy. AttheMarbleArchtheyhailedanomnibus,whichleftthemclosetotheirshabbyhomeintheEustonRoad.Itwasafterfiveo’clock,andSibylhadtoliedownforacoupleofhoursbeforeacting.Jiminsistedthatsheshoulddoso.Hesaidthathewouldsoonerpartwithherwhentheirmotherwasnotpresent.Shewouldbesuretomakeascene,andhedetestedscenesofeverykind. InSybil’sownroomtheyparted.Therewasjealousyinthelad’sheart,andafiercemurderoushatredofthestrangerwho,asitseemedtohim,hadcomebetweenthem.Yet,whenherarmswereflungroundhisneck,andherfingersstrayedthroughhishair,hesoftenedandkissedherwithrealaffection.Thereweretearsinhiseyesashewentdownstairs. Hismotherwaswaitingforhimbelow.Shegrumbledathisunpunctuality,asheentered.Hemadenoanswer,butsatdowntohismeagremeal.Thefliesbuzzedroundthetableandcrawledoverthestainedcloth.Throughtherumbleofomnibuses,andtheclatterofstreet-cabs,hecouldhearthedroningvoicedevouringeachminutethatwaslefttohim. Aftersometime,hethrustawayhisplateandputhisheadinhishands.Hefeltthathehadarighttoknow.Itshouldhavebeentoldtohimbefore,ifitwasashesuspected.Leadenwithfear,hismotherwatchedhim.Wordsdroppedmechanicallyfromherlips.Atatteredlacehandkerchieftwitchedinherfingers.Whentheclockstrucksix,hegotupandwenttothedoor.Thenheturnedbackandlookedather.Theireyesmet.Inhershesawawildappealformercy.Itenragedhim. “Mother,Ihavesomethingtoaskyou,”hesaid.Hereyeswanderedvaguelyabouttheroom.Shemadenoanswer.“Tellmethetruth.Ihavearighttoknow.Wereyoumarriedtomyfather?” Sheheavedadeepsigh.Itwasasighofrelief.Theterriblemoment,themomentthatnightandday,forweeksandmonths,shehaddreaded,hadcomeatlast,andyetshefeltnoterror.Indeed,insomemeasureitwasadisappointmenttoher.Thevulgardirectnessofthequestioncalledforadirectanswer.Thesituationhadnotbeengraduallyledupto.Itwascrude.Itremindedherofabadrehearsal. “No,”sheanswered,wonderingattheharshsimplicityoflife. “Myfatherwasascoundrelthen!”criedthelad,clenchinghisfists. Sheshookherhead.“Iknewhewasnotfree.Welovedeachotherverymuch.Ifhehadlived,hewouldhavemadeprovisionforus.Don’tspeakagainsthim,myson.Hewasyourfather,andagentleman.Indeed,hewashighlyconnected.” Anoathbrokefromhislips.“Idon’tcareformyself,”heexclaimed,“butdon’tletSibyl....Itisagentleman,isn’tit,whoisinlovewithher,orsaysheis?Highlyconnected,too,Isuppose.” Foramomentahideoussenseofhumiliationcameoverthewoman.Herheaddrooped.Shewipedhereyeswithshakinghands.“Sibylhasamother,”shemurmured“Ihadnone.” Theladwastouched.Hewenttowardsher,andstoopingdown,hekissedher.“IamsorryifIhavepainedyoubyaskingaboutmyfather,”hesaid,“butIcouldnothelpit.Imustgonow.Good-bye.Don’tforgetthatyouwillhaveonlyonechildnowtolookafter,andbelievemethatifthismanwrongsmysister,Iwillfindoutwhoheis,trackhimdown,andkillhimlikeadog.Iswearit.” Theexaggeratedfollyofthethreat,thepassionategesturethataccompaniedit,themadmelodramaticwords,madelifeseemmorevividtoher.Shewasfamiliarwiththeatmosphere.Shebreathedmorefreely,andforthefirsttimeformanymonthsshereallyadmiredherson.Shewouldhavelikedtohavecontinuedthesceneonthesameemotionalscale,buthecuthershort.Trunkshadtobecarrieddownandmufflerslookedfor.Thelodging-housedrudgebustledinandout.Therewasthebargainingwiththecabman.Themomentwaslostinvulgardetails.Itwaswitharenewedfeelingofdisappointmentthatshewavedthetatteredlacehandkerchieffromthewindow,ashersondroveaway.Shewasconsciousthatagreatopportunityhadbeenwasted.SheconsoledherselfbytellingSibylhowdesolateshefeltherlifewouldbe,nowthatshehadonlyonechildtolookafter.Sherememberedthephrase.Ithadpleasedher.Ofthethreatshesaidnothing.Itwasvividlyanddramaticallyexpressed.Shefeltthattheywouldalllaughatitsomeday.