CHAPTER VIII

Shetookherlettersuptoherroomwithher,havingpersuadedhermothertogotobeddirectlyMr.Hilberyleftthem,forsolongasshesatinthesameroomashermother,Mrs.Hilberymight,atanymoment,askforasightofthepost.AveryhastyglancethroughmanysheetshadshownKatharinethat,bysomecoincidence,herattentionhadtobedirectedtomanydifferentanxietiessimultaneously.Inthefirstplace,Rodneyhadwrittenaveryfullaccountofhisstateofmind,whichwasillustratedbyasonnet,andhedemandedareconsiderationoftheirposition,whichagitatedKatharinemorethansheliked.Thenthereweretwoletterswhichhadtobelaidsidebysideandcomparedbeforeshecouldmakeoutthetruthoftheirstory,andevenwhensheknewthefactsshecouldnotdecidewhattomakeofthemandfinallyshehadtoreflectuponagreatmanypagesfromacousinwhofoundhimselfinfinancialdifficulties,whichforcedhimtotheuncongenialoccupationofteachingtheyoungladiesofBungaytoplayupontheviolin. Butthetwoletterswhicheachtoldthesamestorydifferentlywerethechiefsourceofherperplexity.Shewasreallyrathershockedtofinditdefinitelyestablishedthatherownsecondcousin,CyrilAlardyce,hadlivedforthelastfouryearswithawomanwhowasnothiswife,whohadbornehimtwochildren,andwasnowabouttobearhimanother.ThisstateofthingshadbeendiscoveredbyMrs.Milvain,herauntCelia,azealousinquirerintosuchmatters,whoseletterwasalsounderconsideration.Cyril,shesaid,mustbemadetomarrythewomanatonceandCyril,rightlyorwrongly,wasindignantwithsuchinterferencewithhisaffairs,andwouldnotownthathehadanycausetobeashamedofhimself.Hadheanycausetobeashamedofhimself,Katharinewonderedandsheturnedtoherauntagain. “Remember,”shewrote,inherprofuse,emphaticstatement,“thathebearsyourgrandfather’sname,andsowillthechildthatistobeborn.Thepoorboyisnotsomuchtoblameasthewomanwhodeludedhim,thinkinghimagentleman,whichheIS,andhavingmoney,whichhehasnot.” “WhatwouldRalphDenhamsaytothis?”thoughtKatharine,beginningtopaceupanddownherbedroom.Shetwitchedasidethecurtains,sothat,onturning,shewasfacedbydarkness,andlookingout,couldjustdistinguishthebranchesofaplane-treeandtheyellowlightsofsomeoneelse’swindows. “WhatwouldMaryDatchetandRalphDenhamsay?”shereflected,pausingbythewindow,which,asthenightwaswarm,sheraised,inordertofeeltheairuponherface,andtoloseherselfinthenothingnessofnight.Butwiththeairthed