CHAPTER IV

powerofdrawingnearandreceding,whichsentalternateemotionsthroughherfarmorequicklythanwasusual,andkeptherinaconditionofcuriousalertness.Desiringtoclassifyher,Marybethoughtheroftheconvenientterm“egoist.” “She’sanegoist,”shesaidtoherself,andstoredthatworduptogivetoRalphonedaywhen,asitwouldcertainlyfallout,theywerediscussingMissHilbery. “Heavens,whatamessthere’llbeto-morrowmorning!”Katharineexclaimed.“Ihopeyoudon’tsleepinthisroom,MissDatchet?” Marylaughed. “Whatareyoulaughingat?”Katharinedemanded. “Iwon’ttellyou.” “Letmeguess.YouwerelaughingbecauseyouthoughtI’dchangedtheconversation?” “No.” “Becauseyouthink—”Shepaused. “Ifyouwanttoknow,IwaslaughingatthewayyousaidMissDatchet.” “Mary,then.Mary,Mary,Mary.” Sosaying,Katharinedrewbackthecurtaininorder,perhaps,toconcealthemomentaryflushofpleasurewhichiscausedbycomingperceptiblynearertoanotherperson. “MaryDatchet,”saidMary.“It’snotsuchanimposingnameasKatharineHilbery,I’mafraid.” Theybothlookedoutofthewindow,firstupatthehardsilvermoon,stationaryamongahurryoflittlegrey-blueclouds,andthendownupontheroofsofLondon,withalltheiruprightchimneys,andthenbelowthemattheemptymoonlitpavementofthestreet,uponwhichthejointofeachpaving-stonewasclearlymarkedout.MarythensawKatharineraisehereyesagaintothemoon,withacontemplativelookinthem,asthoughsheweresettingthatmoonagainstthemoonofothernights,heldinmemory.Someoneintheroombehindthemmadeajokeaboutstar-gazing,whichdestroyedtheirpleasureinit,andtheylookedbackintotheroomagain. Ralphhadbeenwatchingforthismoment,andheinstantlyproducedhissentence. “Iwonder,MissHilbery,whetheryourememberedtogetthatpictureglazed?”Hisvoiceshowedthatthequestionwasonethathadbeenprepared. “Oh,youidiot!”Maryexclaimed,verynearlyaloud,withasensethatRalphhadsaidsomethingverystupid.So,afterthreelessonsinLatingrammar,onemightcorrectafellowstudent,whoseknowledgedidnotembracetheablativeof“mensa.” “Picture—whatpicture?”Katharineasked.“Oh,athome,youmean—thatSundayafternoon.WasitthedayMr.Fortescuecame?Yes,IthinkIrememberedit.” Thethreeofthemstoodforamomentawkwardlysilent,andthenMarylefttheminordertoseethatthegreatpitcherofcoffeewasproperlyhandled,forbeneathallhereducationshepreservedtheanxietiesofonewhoownschina. Ralphcouldthinkofnothingfurthertosaybutcouldonehavestrippedoffhismaskofflesh,onewouldhaveseenthathiswill-powerwasrigidlysetuponasingleobject—thatMissHilberyshouldobeyhim.Hewishedhertostaythereuntil,bysomemeasuresnotyetapparenttohim,hehadconqueredherinterest.Thesestatesofmindtransmitthemselvesveryoftenwithouttheuseoflanguage,anditwasevidenttoKatharinethatthisyoungmanhadfixedhisminduponher.Sheinstantlyrecalledherfirstimpressionsofhim,andsawherselfagainprofferingfamilyrelics.SherevertedtothestateofmindinwhichhehadleftherthatSundayafternoon.Shesupposedthathejudgedherveryseverely.Shearguednaturallythat,ifthiswerethecase,theburdenoftheconversationshouldrestwithhim.Butshesubmittedsofarastostandperfectlystill,hereyesupontheoppositewall,andherlipsverynearlyclosed,thoughthedesiretolaughstirredthemslightly. “Youknowthenamesofthestars,Isuppose?”Denhamremarked,andfromthetoneofhisvoiceonemighthavethoughtthathegrudgedKatharinetheknowledgeheattributedtoher. Shekepthervoicesteadywithsomedifficulty. “IknowhowtofindthePolestarifI’mlost.” “Idon’tsupposethatoftenhappenstoyou.” “No.Nothinginterestingeverhappenstome,”shesaid. “Ithinkyoumakeasystemofsayingdisagreeablethings,MissHilbery,”hebrokeout,againgoingfurtherthanhemeantto.“Isupposeit’soneofthecharacteristicsofyourclass.Theynevertalkseriouslytotheirinferiors.” Whetheritwasthattheyweremeetingonneutralgroundto-night,orwhetherthecarelessnessofanoldgreycoatthatDenhamworegaveaneasetohisbearingthathelackedinconventionaldress,Katharinecertainlyfeltnoimpulsetoconsiderhimoutsidetheparticularsetinwhichshelived. “Inwhatsenseareyoumyinferior?”sheasked,lookingathimgravely,asthoughhonestlysearchingforhismeaning.Thelookgavehimgreatpleasure.Forthefirsttimehefelthimselfonperfectlyequaltermswithawomanwhomhewishedtothinkwellofhim,althoughhecouldnothaveexplainedwhyheropinionofhimmatteredonewayoranother.Perhaps,afterall,heonlywantedtohavesomethingofhertotakehometothinkabout.Buthewasnotdestinedtoprofitbyhisadvantage. “Idon’tthinkIunderstandwhatyoumean,”Katharinerepeated,andthenshewasobligedtostopandanswersomeonewhowishedtoknowwhethershewouldbuyaticketforanoperafromthem,atareduction.Indeed,thetemperofthemeetingwasnowunfavorabletoseparateconversationithadbecomeratherdebauchedandhilarious,andpeoplewhoscarcelykneweachotherweremakinguseofChristiannameswithapparentcordiality,andhadreachedthatkindofgaytoleranceandgeneralfriendlinesswhichhumanbeingsinEnglandonlyattainaftersittingtogetherforthreehoursorso,andthefirstcoldblastintheairofthestreetfreezesthemintoisolationoncemore.Cloakswerebeingflungroundtheshoulders,hatsswiftlypinnedtotheheadandDenhamhadthemortificationofseeingKatharinehelpedtoprepareherselfbytheridiculousRodney.Itwasnottheconventionofthemeetingtosaygood-bye,ornecessarilyeventonodtothepersonwithwhomonewastalkingbut,nevertheless,DenhamwasdisappointedbythecompletenesswithwhichKatharinepartedfromhim,withoutanyattempttofinishhersentence.SheleftwithRodney.