CHAPTER VII
關燈
小
中
大
toafirmwhiteball.FromthesurroundingwallstheheadsofthreefamousVictorianwriterssurveyedthisentertainment,andslipsofpaperpastedbeneaththemtestifiedinthegreatman’sownhandwritingthathewasyourssincerelyoraffectionatelyorforever.Thefatheranddaughterwouldhavebeenquitecontent,apparently,toeattheirdinnerinsilence,orwithafewcrypticremarksexpressedinashorthandwhichcouldnotbeunderstoodbytheservants.ButsilencedepressedMrs.Hilbery,andfarfrommindingthepresenceofmaids,shewouldoftenaddressherselftothem,andwasneveraltogetherunconsciousoftheirapprovalordisapprovalofherremarks.Inthefirstplaceshecalledthemtowitnessthattheroomwasdarkerthanusual,andhadallthelightsturnedon.
“That’smorecheerful,”sheexclaimed.“D’youknow,Katharine,thatridiculousgoosecametoteawithme?Oh,howIwantedyou!Hetriedtomakeepigramsallthetime,andIgotsonervous,expectingthem,youknow,thatIspiltthetea—andhemadeanepigramaboutthat!”
“Whichridiculousgoose?”Katharineaskedherfather.
“Onlyoneofmygeese,happily,makesepigrams—AugustusPelham,ofcourse,”saidMrs.Hilbery.
“I’mnotsorrythatIwasout,”saidKatharine.
“PoorAugustus!”Mrs.Hilberyexclaimed.“Butwe’realltoohardonhim.Rememberhowdevotedheistohistiresomeoldmother.”
“That’sonlybecausesheishismother.Anyoneconnectedwithhimself—”
“No,no,Katharine—that’stoobad.That’s—what’sthewordImean,Trevor,somethinglongandLatin—thesortofwordyouandKatharineknow—”
Mr.Hilberysuggested“cynical.”
“Well,that’lldo.Idon’tbelieveinsendinggirlstocollege,butIshouldteachthemthatsortofthing.Itmakesonefeelsodignified,bringingouttheselittleallusions,andpassingongracefullytothenexttopic.ButIdon’tknowwhat’scomeoverme—IactuallyhadtoaskAugustusthenameoftheladyHamletwasinlovewith,asyouwereout,Katharine,andHeavenknowswhathemayn’tputdownaboutmeinhisdiary.”
“Iwish,”Katharinestarted,withgreatimpetuosity,andcheckedherself.Hermotheralwaysstirredhertofeelandthinkquickly,andthensherememberedthatherfatherwasthere,listeningwithattention.
“Whatisityouwish?”heasked,asshepaused.
Heoftensurprisedher,thus,intotellinghimwhatshehadnotmeanttotellhimandthentheyargued,whileMrs.Hilberywentonwithherownthoughts.
“Iwishmotherwasn’tfamous.Iwasoutattea,andtheywouldtalktomeaboutpoetry.”
“Thinkingyoumustbepoetical,Isee—andaren’tyou?”
“Who’sbeentalkingtoyouaboutpoetry,Katharine?”Mrs.Hilberydemanded,andKatharinewascommittedtogivingherparentsanaccountofhervisittotheSuffrageoffice.
“TheyhaveanofficeatthetopofoneoftheoldhousesinRussellSquare.Ineversawsuchqueer-lookingpeople.AndthemandiscoveredIwasrelatedtothepoet,andtalkedtomeaboutpoetry.EvenMaryDatc
