CHAPTER X

ughtnottobemissed.Buthowdifficultithadbeen.Judithhadnotseemedtowanttoshowhimthepear-tree,andhewouldnotgoandlookatitunlessshewent,too.Judithhadgoneatlast,butwithanexpressiononherfaceasthoughshethoughtshewasgoingtohavetobearthings,andnogirlshouldshowathoughtlikethatbeforemarriage.Andthentherehadbeenanimmensenumberofsmallmatterstoseetobecauseoftheparty,mattersIngeborghadalwaysseentobutcouldn'tnowbecauseshewasindisgrace,andhowdifficultallthatwas.Still,Mrs.Bullivantfeltdeeplyifvaguelythatnobodytemporarilyevilshouldbeallowedtoministertoanybodypermanentlygood.Suchpersons,shefelt,shouldbeputasideintoaplacemaderoomyforrepentancebytheclearingoutofallclaims.Duringthewholeoftheweeksinceherdaughter'sreturnshehadnotletherevenpourouttea,eitherwhentherivenfamilywasbyitselforwhencongratulatorycallerscame."PoorIngeborgisn'tverywell,"shehadmurmured,quenchingtheinquisitivenessnaturaltocallers.Shehadmadeuphermindthatfirstevening,whenthefullhorrorofwhatherdaughterhaddonebecamecleartoher,thatshewouldasknothingofher,noteventea. Butitdidmakedifficulties.Shefeltentirelylow,quitedampwiththeexertionofmeetingthem,whenshecreptintopositiononthesofaataquartertofourandwaitedwithclosedeyesforthenextwaveoflifethatwouldwashoverher.Anditallhappenedasshehadfeared—shewasperpetuallyhavingtoexplainIngeborg.GuestafterguestcameupwiththeexpressionsofrejoicingpropertoguestsinvitedtorejoiceoverJudith,andthesmilinglaudationsofwhatwasindeedavisionofbeautyeachendedwithaquestionaboutIngeborg.Whathadshebeendoing?—(theawfulinnocenceofthequestion)—howperfectlymiserablyseedyshelookedpoorlittleIngeborgwasitreallyjustthattiresometooth? Mrs.Bullivant,asshemurmuredwhatshecouldinreplytothisceaselessflowofsympathyfromtheretiredofficersandtheirwivesanddaughters,andthecathedraldignitariesandtheirwivesanddaughters,andthewivesanddaughtersofthecountywhocamewithouttheirmenbecausetheirmenwouldn'tcome,feltvaguelybutdeeplythatitwassomehowwrongthatIngeborgshouldbothsinandbesympathisedwith.Shehadnoright,herinjuredmotherfelt,tolooksosmallandstricken.Herfamilyhadquiteproperlyremovedheroutsidethepaleoftheiraffectiontillsheshouldannounceherbroken-offengagementtothatdreadfulGermanandasktobeforgivenforeverhavingbeenengagedatall,butsheoughtnottolooklikesomebodywhoisoutsideapale.Sheseemedpositivelytobeadvertisingthepale.Itwasbadtaste.Itwasreallytheworstoftastewhenyouwerethesinnertolooklikethesinnedagainsttolookill-usedtodroopopenly.Yetnevercouldagirlwhohaddonesuchhorrible,suchdetestablydeceitfulandvulgarthings,havebeentreatedsogentlybyherfamily.Ithadbeen,Mrs.Bullivantfelt,theonlygoodthinginawretchedaffair,theperfectbreedingwithwhichtheBullivantshadmetthesituation.Notoneofthemhadevenremotelyalludedtothesceneshehadmadethefirstafternoon.Noonehadquestionedher,noonehadtroubledherinanyway.Shehadbeenleftquitefree,andnoonehadexactedthesmallestsacrificeofhertimetoanyoftheirneeds.Herfatherhadgivenheracompleteholiday,notallowingheratallinhisstudy,andwhenevershehadattemptedtodoanythingforhermotherorinthehouseRichardshadbeenrungfor.Judith,dearchild,seemedinstinctivelytodotherightthing,andwithoutawordfromhermotheravoidedIngeborgshewassodelicateaboutit,sofineinherfeelingthatherewassomethingnotquitenice,thatsheturnedredeachtimeIngeborgduringthefirstdayortwotriedtotalktoher,andquietlywentintoanotherroom.AllthelastpartoftheweekIngeborghadspentinthegarden,quitefree,quiteundisturbed,notaclaimonher.Andyethereshewas,standingaboutatthepartyorsittingaloneinfoolishcorners,thin,andpale,andunsmiling,likeareproach. ThroughagapinthecrowdMrs.Bullivantpresentlysawherbeingtalkedtobyonewhohadoncebeenageneralbutnowinretirementwreakedhisdisciplinesonbees.Shejusthadtimetonoticehowherdaughterstartedandflushedwhenthismansuddenlyaddressedher—suchbadmannerstostartandflush—beforethecrowdclosedagain.Sheshuthereyesforamomentandfeltveryhelpless.WhoknewtowhatlengthsIngeborg'sbadmannersmightnotgo,andwhatshemightnotbesayingtotheman? Whatthegeneralwastellingher,withtheheartykindlinessfathersofotherdaughtersusetodaughtersofotherfathers—willuse,indeed,commentedtheBishopobservingtheincidentfromafarandallowinghimselfthesolaceofaninstant'sbitterness,toanycreatedfemalethingifonlyshewillobligethembynotbeingtheirown—wasthathecouldn'thaveherlookinglikethis. "Oh,likewhat?"askedIngeborgquickly,startingandflushingforherweekasanoutcasthadloweredhervitalitytosuchanextentthatshewasmorbidlyafraidherfacemightsomehowhavebecomeasortofawfulcrystalinwhicheverybodywouldbeabletoseetheRigi,andherselfbeingproposedtoonitstop. "Shockingwhiteaboutthegills,"saidtheheartymanstandingoverher,cupinhandandsee-sawingonhistoesandheelsbecausehisbootscreakedanditgavehima