CHAPTER VII

hetseemsdifferentinthatatmosphere.” “Yes,theofficeatmosphereisverybadforthesoul,”saidMr.Hilbery. “Idon’trememberanyofficesinRussellSquareintheolddays,whenMammalivedthere,”Mrs.Hilberymused,“andIcan’tfancyturningoneofthosenoblegreatroomsintoastuffylittleSuffrageoffice.Still,iftheclerksreadpoetrytheremustbesomethingniceaboutthem.” “No,becausetheydon’treaditaswereadit,”Katharineinsisted. “Butit’snicetothinkofthemreadingyourgrandfather,andnotfillingupthosedreadfullittleformsalldaylong,”Mrs.Hilberypersisted,hernotionofofficelifebeingderivedfromsomechanceviewofascenebehindthecounteratherbank,assheslippedthesovereignsintoherpurse. “Atanyrate,theyhaven’tmadeaconvertofKatharine,whichwaswhatIwasafraidof,”Mr.Hilberyremarked. “Ohno,”saidKatharineverydecidedly,“Iwouldn’tworkwiththemforanything.” “It’scurious,”Mr.Hilberycontinued,agreeingwithhisdaughter,“howthesightofone’sfellow-enthusiastsalwayschokesoneoff.Theyshowupthefaultsofone’scausesomuchmoreplainlythanone’santagonists.Onecanbeenthusiasticinone’sstudy,butdirectlyonecomesintotouchwiththepeoplewhoagreewithone,alltheglamorgoes.SoI’vealwaysfound,”andheproceededtotellthem,ashepeeledhisapple,howhecommittedhimselfonce,inhisyouthfuldays,tomakeaspeechatapoliticalmeeting,andwentthereablazewithenthusiasmfortheidealsofhisownsidebutwhilehisleadersspoke,hebecamegraduallyconvertedtotheotherwayofthinking,ifthinkingitcouldbecalled,andhadtofeignillnessinordertoavoidmakingafoolofhimself—anexperiencewhichhadsickenedhimofpublicmeetings. Katharinelistenedandfeltasshegenerallydidwhenherfather,andtosomeextenthermother,describedtheirfeelings,thatshequiteunderstoodandagreedwiththem,but,atthesametime,sawsomethingwhichtheydidnotsee,andalwaysfeltsomedisappointmentwhentheyfellshortofhervision,astheyalwaysdid.Theplatessucceededeachotherswiftlyandnoiselesslyinfrontofher,andthetablewasdeckedfordessert,andasthetalkmurmuredoninfamiliargrooves,shesatthere,ratherlikeajudge,listeningtoherparents,whodid,indeed,feelitverypleasantwhentheymadeherlaugh. Dailylifeinahousewherethereareyoungandoldisfullofcuriouslittleceremoniesandpieties,whicharedischargedquitepunctually,thoughthemeaningofthemisobscure,andamysteryhascometobroodoverthemwhichlendsevenasuperstitiouscharmtotheirperformance.Suchwasthenightlyceremonyofthecigarandtheglassofport,whichwereplacedontherighthandandonthelefthandofMr.Hilbery,andsimultaneouslyMrs.HilberyandKatharinelefttheroom.AlltheyearstheyhadlivedtogethertheyhadneverseenMr.Hilberysmokehiscigarordrinkhisport,andtheywouldhavefeltitunseemlyif,bychance,theyhadsur