CHAPTER VIII
關燈
小
中
大
inganything.Shewasreading“IsabellaandthePotofBasil,”andhermindwasfulloftheItalianhillsandthebluedaylight,andthehedgessetwithlittlerosettesofredandwhiteroses.Feelingthatherfatherwaitedforher,shesighedandsaid,shuttingherbook:
“I’vehadaletterfromAuntCeliaaboutCyril,father....Itseemstobetrue—abouthismarriage.Whatarewetodo?”
“Cyrilseemstohavebeenbehavinginaveryfoolishmanner,”saidMr.Hilbery,inhispleasantanddeliberatetones.
Katharinefoundsomedifficultyincarryingontheconversation,whileherfatherbalancedhisfinger-tipssojudiciously,andseemedtoreservesomanyofhisthoughtsforhimself.
“He’saboutdoneforhimself,Ishouldsay,”hecontinued.Withoutsayinganything,hetookKatharine’slettersoutofherhand,adjustedhiseyeglasses,andreadthemthrough.
Atlengthhesaid“Humph!”andgavethelettersbacktoher.
“Motherknowsnothingaboutit,”Katharineremarked.“Willyoutellher?”
“Ishalltellyourmother.ButIshalltellherthatthereisnothingwhateverforustodo.”
“Butthemarriage?”Katharineasked,withsomediffidence.
Mr.Hilberysaidnothing,andstaredintothefire.
“Whatinthenameofconsciencedidhedoitfor?”hespeculatedatlast,rathertohimselfthantoher.
Katharinehadbeguntoreadheraunt’sletteroveragain,andshenowquotedasentence.“IbsenandButler....Hehassentmealetterfullofquotations—nonsense,thoughclevernonsense.”
“Well,iftheyoungergenerationwanttocarryonitslifeonthoselines,it’snoneofouraffair,”heremarked.
“Butisn’titouraffair,perhaps,tomakethemgetmarried?”Katharineaskedratherwearily.
“Whythedickensshouldtheyapplytome?”herfatherdemandedwithsuddenirritation.
“Onlyastheheadofthefamily—”
“ButI’mnottheheadofthefamily.Alfred’stheheadofthefamily.LetthemapplytoAlfred,”saidMr.Hilbery,relapsingagainintohisarm-chair.Katharinewasawarethatshehadtouchedasensitivespot,however,inmentioningthefamily.
“Ithink,perhaps,thebestthingwouldbeformetogoandseethem,”sheobserved.
“Iwon’thaveyougoinganywherenearthem,”Mr.Hilberyrepliedwithunwonteddecisionandauthority.“Indeed,Idon’tunderstandwhythey’vedraggedyouintothebusinessatall—Idon’tseethatit’sgotanythingtodowithyou.”
“I’vealwaysbeenfriendswithCyril,”Katharineobserved.
“Butdidheevertellyouanythingaboutthis?”Mr.Hilberyaskedrathersharply.
Katharineshookherhead.Shewas,indee
