CHAPTER I
關燈
小
中
大
ItwasaSundayeveninginOctober,andincommonwithmanyotheryoungladiesofherclass,KatharineHilberywaspouringouttea.Perhapsafifthpartofhermindwasthusoccupied,andtheremainingpartsleaptoverthelittlebarrierofdaywhichinterposedbetweenMondaymorningandthisrathersubduedmoment,andplayedwiththethingsonedoesvoluntarilyandnormallyinthedaylight.Butalthoughshewassilent,shewasevidentlymistressofasituationwhichwasfamiliarenoughtoher,andinclinedtoletittakeitswayforthesixhundredthtime,perhaps,withoutbringingintoplayanyofherunoccupiedfaculties.AsingleglancewasenoughtoshowthatMrs.Hilberywassorichinthegiftswhichmaketea-partiesofelderlydistinguishedpeoplesuccessful,thatshescarcelyneededanyhelpfromherdaughter,providedthatthetiresomebusinessofteacupsandbreadandbutterwasdischargedforher.
Consideringthatthelittlepartyhadbeenseatedroundthetea-tableforlessthantwentyminutes,theanimationobservableontheirfaces,andtheamountofsoundtheywereproducingcollectively,wereverycreditabletothehostess.ItsuddenlycameintoKatharine’smindthatifsomeoneopenedthedooratthismomenthewouldthinkthattheywereenjoyingthemselveshewouldthink,“Whatanextremelynicehousetocomeinto!”andinstinctivelyshelaughed,andsaidsomethingtoincreasethenoise,forthecreditofthehousepresumably,sincesheherselfhadnotbeenfeelingexhilarated.Attheverysamemoment,rathertoheramusement,thedoorwasflungopen,andayoungmanenteredtheroom.Katharine,assheshookhandswithhim,askedhim,inherownmind,“Now,doyouthinkwe’reenjoyingourselvesenormously?”...“Mr.Denham,mother,”shesaidaloud,forshesawthathermotherhadforgottenhisname.
ThatfactwasperceptibletoMr.Denhamalso,andincreasedtheawkwardnesswhichinevitablyattendstheentranceofastrangerintoaroomfullofpeoplemuchattheirease,andalllauncheduponsentences.Atthesametime,itseemedtoMr.Denhamasifathousandsoftlypaddeddoorshadclosedbetweenhimandthestreetoutside.Afinemist,theetherealizedessenceofthefog,hungvisiblyinthewideandratheremptyspaceofthedrawing-room,allsilverwherethecandlesweregroupedonthetea-table,andruddyagaininthefirelight.Withtheomnibusesandcabsstillrunninginhishead,andhisbodystilltinglingwithhisquickwalkalongthestreetsandinandoutoftrafficandfoot-passengers,thisdrawing-roomseemedveryremoteandstillandthefacesoftheelderlypeopleweremellowed,atsomedistancefromeachother,andhadabloomonthemowingtothefactthattheairinthedrawing-roomwasthickenedbybluegrainsofmist.Mr.DenhamhadcomeinasMr.Fortescue,theeminentnovelist,reachedthemiddleofaverylongsentence.Hekeptthissuspendedwhilethenewcomersatdown,andMrs.Hilberydeftlyjoinedtheseveredpartsbyleaningtowardshimandremarking:
“Now,whatwouldyoudoifyouweremarriedtoanengineer,andhadtoliveinManchester,Mr.Denham?”
“SurelyshecouldlearnPersian,”brokeinathin,elderlygentleman.“IstherenoretiredschoolmasterormanoflettersinManchesterwithwhomshecouldreadPersian?”
“AcousinofourshasmarriedandgonetoliveinManchester,”Katharineexplained.Mr.Denhammutteredsomething,whichwasindeedallthatwasrequiredofhim,andthenovelistwentonwherehehadleftoff.Privately,Mr.Denhamcursedhimselfverysharplyforhavingexchangedthefreedomofthestreetforthissophisticateddrawing-room,where,amongotherdisagreeables,hecertainlywouldnotappearathisbest.Heglancedroundhim,andsawthat,saveforKatharine,theywerealloverforty,theonlyconsolationbeingthatMr.Fortescuewasaconsiderablecelebrity,sothatto-morrowonemightbegladtohavemethim.
“HaveyoueverbeentoManchester?”heaskedKatharine.
“Never,”shereplied.
“Whydoyouobjecttoit,then?”
Katharinestirredhertea,andseemedtospeculate,soDenhamthought,uponthedutyoffillingsomebodyelse’scup,butshewasreallywonderinghowshewasgoingtokeepthisstrangeyoungmaninharmonywiththerest.Sheobservedthathewascompressinghisteacup,sothattherewasdangerlestthethinchinamightcaveinwards.Shecouldseethathewasnervousonewouldexpectabonyyoungmanwithhisfaceslightlyreddenedbythewind,andhishairnotaltogethersmooth,tobenervousinsuchaparty.Further,heprobablydislikedthiskindofthing,andhadcomeoutofcuriosity,orbecauseherfatherhadinvitedhim—anyhow,hewouldnotbeeasilycombinedwiththerest.
“IshouldthinktherewouldbenoonetotalktoinManchester,”sherepliedatrandom.Mr.Fortescuehadbeenobservingherforamomentortwo,asnovelistsareinclinedtoobserve,andatthisremarkhesmiled,andmadeitthetextforalittlefurtherspeculation.
“Inspiteofaslighttendencytoexaggeration,Katharinedecidedlyhitsthemark,”hesaid,andlyingbackinhischair,withhisopaquecontemplativeeyesfixedontheceiling,andthetipsofhisfingerspressedtogether,hedepicted,firstthehorrorsofthestreetsofManchester,andthenthebare,immensemoor
