CHAPTER VI

herheadwithasmileofdismay.Avoicefromwithinshouted,“No.TheS.G.S.—topfloor.” Katharinemountedpastinnumerableglassdoors,withinitialsonthem,andbecamesteadilymoreandmoredoubtfulofthewisdomofherventure.Atthetopshepausedforamomenttobreatheandcollectherself.Sheheardthetypewriterandformalprofessionalvoicesinside,notbelonging,shethought,toanyoneshehadeverspokento.Shetouchedthebell,andthedoorwasopenedalmostimmediatelybyMaryherself.HerfacehadtochangeitsexpressionentirelywhenshesawKatharine. “You!”sheexclaimed.“Wethoughtyouweretheprinter.”Stillholdingthedooropen,shecalledback,“No,Mr.Clacton,it’snotPenningtons.Ishouldringthemupagain—doublethreedoubleeight,Central.Well,thisisasurprise.Comein,”sheadded.“You’rejustintimefortea.” ThelightofreliefshoneinMary’seyes.Theboredomoftheafternoonwasdissipatedatonce,andshewasgladthatKatharinehadfoundtheminamomentarypressofactivity,owingtothefailureoftheprintertosendbackcertainproofs. TheunshadedelectriclightshininguponthetablecoveredwithpapersdazedKatharineforamoment.Aftertheconfusionofhertwilightwalk,andherrandomthoughts,lifeinthissmallroomappearedextremelyconcentratedandbright.Sheturnedinstinctivelytolookoutofthewindow,whichwasuncurtained,butMaryimmediatelyrecalledher. “Itwasverycleverofyoutofindyourway,”shesaid,andKatharinewondered,asshestoodthere,feeling,forthemoment,entirelydetachedandunabsorbed,whyshehadcome.Shelooked,indeed,toMary’seyesstrangelyoutofplaceintheoffice.Herfigureinthelongcloak,whichtookdeepfolds,andherface,whichwascomposedintoamaskofsensitiveapprehension,disturbedMaryforamomentwithasenseofthepresenceofsomeonewhowasofanotherworld,and,therefore,subversiveofherworld.ShebecameimmediatelyanxiousthatKatharineshouldbeimpressedbytheimportanceofherworld,andhopedthatneitherMrs.SealnorMr.Clactonwouldappearuntiltheimpressionofimportancehadbeenreceived.Butinthisshewasdisappointed.Mrs.Sealburstintotheroomholdingakettleinherhand,whichshesetuponthestove,andthen,withinefficienthaste,shesetlighttothegas,whichflaredup,exploded,andwentout. “Alwaystheway,alwaystheway,”shemuttered.“KitMarkhamistheonlypersonwhoknowshowtodealwiththething.” Maryhadtogotoherhelp,andtogethertheyspreadthetable,andapologizedforthedisparitybetweenthecupsandtheplainnessofthefood. “IfwehadknownMissHilberywascoming,weshouldhaveboughtacake,”saidMary,uponwhichMrs.SeallookedatKatharineforthefirsttime,suspiciously,becauseshewasapersonwhoneededcake. HereMr.Clactonopenedthedoor,andcamein,holdingatypewrittenletterinhishand,whichhewasreadingaloud. “Salford’saffiliated,”hesaid. “Welldone,Salford!”Mrs.Sealexclaimedenthusiastically,thumpingtheteapotwhichshehelduponthetable,intokenofapplause. “Yes,theseprovincialcentersseemtobecomingintolineatlast,”saidMr.Clacton,andthenMaryintroducedhimtoMissHilbery,andheaskedher,inaveryformalmanner,ifshewereinterested“inourwork.” “Andtheproofsstillnotcome?”saidMrs.Seal,puttingbothherelbowsonthetable,andproppingherchinonherhands,asMarybegantopourouttea.“It’stoobad—toobad.Atthisrateweshallmissthecountrypost.Whichremindsme,Mr.Clacton,don’tyouthinkweshouldcircularizetheprovinceswithPartridge’slastspeech?What?You’venotreadit?Oh,it’sthebestthingthey’vehadintheHousethisSession.EventhePrimeMinister—” ButMarycuthershort. “Wedon’tallowshopattea,Sally,”shesaidfirmly.“Wefineherapennyeachtimesheforgets,andthefinesgotobuyingaplumcake,”sheexplained,seekingtodrawKatharineintothecommunity.Shehadgivenupallhopeofimpressingher. “I’msorry,I’msorry,”Mrs.Sealapologized.“It’smymisfortunetobeanenthusiast,”shesaid,turningtoKatharine.“Myfather’sdaughtercouldhardlybeanythingelse.IthinkI’vebeenonasmanycommitteesasmostpeople.WaifsandStrays,RescueWork,ChurchWork,C.O.S.—localbranch—besidestheusualcivicdutieswhichfalltooneasahouseholder.ButI’vegiventhemallupforourworkhere,andIdon’tregretitforasecond,”sheadded.“Thisistherootquestion,Ifeeluntilwomenhavevotes—” “It’llbesixpence,atleast,Sally,”saidMary,bringingherfistdownonthetable.“Andwe’reallsicktodeathofwomenandtheirvotes.” Mrs.Seallookedforamomentasthoughshecouldhardlybelieveherears,andmadeadeprecating“tut-tut-tut”inherthroat,lookingalternatelyatKatharineandMary,andshakingherheadasshedidso.Thensheremarked,ratherconfidentiallytoKatharine,withalittlenodinMary’sdirection: “She’sdoingmoreforthecausethananyofus.She’sgivingheryouth—for,alas!whenIwasyoungthereweredomesticcircumstances—”shesighed,andstoppedshort. Mr.Clactonhastilyrevertedtothejokeaboutluncheon,andexplainedhowMrs.Sealfedonabagofbiscuitsunderthetrees,whatevertheweathermightbe,rather,Katharinethought,asthoughMrs.Sealwereapetdogwhohadconvenienttricks. “Yes,Itookmylittlebagintothesquare,”saidMrs.Seal,withtheself-consciousguiltofachildowningsomefaulttoitselders.“Itwasreallyverysustaining,andthebareboughsagainsttheskydoonesomuchgood.ButIshallhavetogiveupgoingintothesquare,”sheproceeded,wrinklingherforehead.“Theinjusticeofit!WhyshouldIhaveabeautifulsquarealltomyself,whenpoorwomenwhoneedresthavenowhereatalltosit?”ShelookedfiercelyatKatharine,givinghershortlocksalittleshake.“It’sdreadfulwhatatyrantonestillis,inspiteofallone’sefforts.Onetriestoleadadecentlife,butonecan’t.Ofcourse,directlyonethinksofit,oneseesthatallsquaresshouldbeopentoeveryone.Isthereanysocietywiththatobject,Mr.Clacton?Ifnot,thereshouldbe,surely.” “Amostexcellentobject,”saidMr.Clactoninhisprofessionalmanner.“Atthesametime,onemustdeploretheramificationoforganizations,Mrs.Seal.Somuchexcellenteffortthrownaway,nottospeakofpounds,shillings,andpence.NowhowmanyorganizationsofaphilanthropicnaturedoyousupposethereareintheCityofLondonitself,MissHilbery?”headded,screwinghismouthintoaqueerlittlesmile,asiftoshowthatthequestionhaditsfrivolousside. Katharinesmiled,too.Herunlikenesstotherestofthemhad,bythistime,penetratedtoMr.Clacton,whowasnotnaturallyobservant,andhewaswonderingwhoshewasthissameunlikenesshadsubtlystimulatedMrs.Sealtotryandmakeaconvertofher.Mary,too,lookedatheralmostasifshebeggedhertomakethingseasy.ForKatharinehadshownnodispositiontomakethingseasy.Shehadscarcelyspoken,andhersilence,thoughgraveandeventhoughtful,seemedtoMarythesilenceofonewhocriticizes. “Well,therearemoreinthishousethanI’danynotionof,”shesaid.“Onthegroundflooryouprotectnatives,onthenextyouemigratewomenandtellpeopletoeatnuts—” “Whydoyousaythat‘we’dothesethings?”Maryinterposed,rathersharply.“We’renotresponsibleforallthecrankswhochoosetolodgeinthesamehousewithus.” Mr.Clactonclearedhisthroatandlookedateachoftheyoungladiesintur