CHAPTER VII

“AndlittleAugustusPelhamsaidtome,‘It’stheyoungergenerationknockingatthedoor,’andIsaidtohim,‘Oh,buttheyoungergenerationcomesinwithoutknocking,Mr.Pelham.’Suchafeeblelittlejoke,wasn’tit,butdownitwentintohisnotebookallthesame.” “Letuscongratulateourselvesthatweshallbeinthegravebeforethatworkispublished,”saidMr.Hilbery. Theelderlycouplewerewaitingforthedinner-belltoringandfortheirdaughtertocomeintotheroom.Theirarm-chairsweredrawnuponeithersideofthefire,andeachsatinthesameslightlycrouchedposition,lookingintothecoals,withtheexpressionsofpeoplewhohavehadtheirshareofexperiencesandwait,ratherpassively,forsomethingtohappen.Mr.Hilberynowgaveallhisattentiontoapieceofcoalwhichhadfallenoutofthegrate,andtoselectingafavorablepositionforitamongthelumpsthatwereburningalready.Mrs.Hilberywatchedhiminsilence,andthesmilechangedonherlipsasifhermindstillplayedwiththeeventsoftheafternoon. WhenMr.Hilberyhadaccomplishedhistask,heresumedhiscrouchingpositionagain,andbegantotoywiththelittlegreenstoneattachedtohiswatch-chain.Hisdeep,oval-shapedeyeswerefixedupontheflames,butbehindthesuperficialglazeseemedtobroodanobservantandwhimsicalspirit,whichkeptthebrownoftheeyestillunusuallyvivid.Butalookofindolence,theresultofskepticismorofatastetoofastidioustobesatisfiedbytheprizesandconclusionssoeasilywithinhisgrasp,lenthimanexpressionalmostofmelancholy.Aftersittingthusforatime,heseemedtoreachsomepointinhisthinkingwhichdemonstrateditsfutility,uponwhichhesighedandstretchedhishandforabooklyingonthetablebyhisside. Directlythedooropenedheclosedthebook,andtheeyesoffatherandmotherbothrestedonKatharineasshecametowardsthem.Thesightseemedatoncetogivethemamotivewhichtheyhadnothadbefore.Tothemsheappeared,asshewalkedtowardstheminherlighteveningdress,extremelyyoung,andthesightofherrefreshedthem,wereitonlybecauseheryouthandignorancemadetheirknowledgeoftheworldofsomevalue. “Theonlyexcuseforyou,Katharine,isthatdinnerisstilllaterthanyouare,”saidMr.Hilbery,puttingdownhisspectacles. “Idon’tmindherbeinglatewhentheresultissocharming,”saidMrs.Hilbery,lookingwithprideatherdaughter.“Still,Idon’tknowthatIlikeyourbeingoutsolate,Katharine,”shecontinued.“Youtookacab,Ihope?” Heredinnerwasannounced,andMr.Hilberyformallyledhiswifedownstairsonhisarm.Theywerealldressedfordinner,and,indeed,theprettinessofthedinner-tablemeritedthatcompliment.Therewasnoclothuponthetable,andthechinamaderegularcirclesofdeepblueupontheshiningbrownwood.Inthemiddletherewasabowloftawnyredandyellowchrysanthemums,andoneofpurewhite,sofreshthatthenarrowpetalswerecurvedbackwardsin