CHAPTER II

eofhisdoor.Thisdone,hesharpenedapencil,litareading-lampandopenedhisbook.Butstillhehesitatedtotakehisseat.Hescratchedtherook,hewalkedtothewindowhepartedthecurtains,andlookeddownuponthecitywhichlay,hazilyluminous,beneathhim.HelookedacrossthevaporsinthedirectionofChelsealookedfixedlyforamoment,andthenreturnedtohischair.Butthewholethicknessofsomelearnedcounsel’streatiseuponTortsdidnotscreenhimsatisfactorily.Throughthepageshesawadrawing-room,veryemptyandspaciousheheardlowvoices,hesawwomen’sfigures,hecouldevensmellthescentofthecedarlogwhichflamedinthegrate.Hismindrelaxeditstension,andseemedtobegivingoutnowwhatithadtakeninunconsciouslyatthetime.HecouldrememberMr.Fortescue’sexactwords,andtherollingemphasiswithwhichhedeliveredthem,andhebegantorepeatwhatMr.Fortescuehadsaid,inMr.Fortescue’sownmanner,aboutManchester.Hismindthenbegantowanderaboutthehouse,andhewonderedwhethertherewereotherroomslikethedrawing-room,andhethought,inconsequently,howbeautifulthebathroommustbe,andhowleisurelyitwas—thelifeofthesewell-keptpeople,whowere,nodoubt,stillsittinginthesameroom,onlytheyhadchangedtheirclothes,andlittleMr.Anningwasthere,andtheauntwhowouldmindiftheglassofherfather’spicturewasbroken.MissHilberyhadchangedherdress(“althoughshe’swearingsuchaprettyone,”heheardhermothersay),andshewastalkingtoMr.Anning,whowaswelloverforty,andbaldintothebargain,aboutbooks.Howpeacefulandspaciousitwasandthepeacepossessedhimsocompletelythathismusclesslackened,hisbookdroopedfromhishand,andheforgotthatthehourofworkwaswastingminutebyminute. Hewasrousedbyacreakuponthestair.Withaguiltystarthecomposedhimself,frownedandlookedintentlyatthefifty-sixthpageofhisvolume.Asteppausedoutsidehisdoor,andheknewthattheperson,whoeveritmightbe,wasconsideringtheplacard,anddebatingwhethertohonoritsdecreeornot.Certainly,policyadvisedhimtositstillinautocraticsilence,fornocustomcantakerootinafamilyunlesseverybreachofitispunishedseverelyforthefirstsixmonthsorso.ButRalphwasconsciousofadistinctwishtobeinterrupted,andhisdisappointmentwasperceptiblewhenheheardthecreakingsoundratherfartherdownthestairs,asifhisvisitorhaddecidedtowithdraw.Herose,openedthedoorwithunnecessaryabruptness,andwaitedonthelanding.Thepersonstoppedsimultaneouslyhalfaflightdownstairs. “Ralph?”saidavoice,inquiringly. “Joan?” “Iwascomingup,butIsawyournotice.” “Well,comealongin,then.”Heconcealedhisdesirebeneathatoneasgrudgingashecouldmakeit. Joancamein,butshewascarefultoshow,bystandinguprightwithonehanduponthemantelpiece,thatshewasonlythereforadefinitepurpose,whichdischarged,shewouldgo. ShewasolderthanRalphbysomethreeorfouryears.Herfacewasroundbutworn,andexpressedthattolerantbutanxiousgoodhumorwhichisthespecialattributeofeldersistersinlargefamilies.HerpleasantbrowneyesresembledRalph’s,saveinexpression,forwhereasheseemedtolookstraightlyandkeenlyatoneobject,sheappearedtobeinthehabitofconsideringeverythingfrommanydifferentpointsofview.Thismadeherappearhiselderbymoreyearsthanexistedinfactbetweenthem.Hergazerestedforamomentortwoupontherook.Shethensaid,withoutanypreface: “It’saboutCharlesandUncleJohn’soffer....Mother’sbeentalkingtome.Shesaysshecan’taffordtopayforhimafterthisterm.Shesaysshe’llhavetoaskforanoverdraftasitis.” “That’ssimplynottrue,”saidRalph. “No.Ithoughtnot.Butshewon’tbelievemewhenIsayit.” Ralph,asifhecouldforeseethelengthofthisfamiliarargument,drewupachairforhissisterandsatdownhimself. “I’mnotinterrupting?”sheinquired. Ralphshookhishead,andforatimetheysatsilent.Thelinescurvedthemselvesinsemicirclesabovetheireyes. “Shedoesn’tunderstandthatone’sgottotakerisks,”heobserved,finally. “IbelievemotherwouldtakerisksifsheknewthatCharleswasthesortofboytoprofitbyit.” “He’sgotbrains,hasn’the?”saidRalph.Histonehadtakenonthatshadeofpugnacitywhichsuggestedtohissisterthatsomepersonalgrievancedrovehimtotakethelinehedid.Shewonderedwhatitmightbe,butatoncerecalledhermind,andassented. “Insomewayshe’sfearfullybackward,though,comparedwithwhatyouwereathisage.Andhe’sdifficultathome,too.HemakesMollyslaveforhim.” Ralphmadeasoundwhichbel