CHAPTER IX

eneairallroundher,andseemedfarofftohearthesolemnbeatingoftheseaupontheshore.Butsheknewthatshemustjointhepresentontothispast. Mrs.Hilberywasramblingon,fromstorytostory. “That’sJanieMannering,”shesaid,pointingtoasuperb,white-haireddame,whosesatinrobesseemedstrungwithpearls.“ImusthavetoldyouhowshefoundhercookdrunkunderthekitchentablewhentheEmpresswascomingtodinner,andtuckeduphervelvetsleeves(shealwaysdressedlikeanEmpressherself),cookedthewholemeal,andappearedinthedrawing-roomasifshe’dbeensleepingonabankofrosesallday.Shecoulddoanythingwithherhands—theyallcould—makeacottageorembroiderapetticoat. “Andthat’sQueenieColquhoun,”shewenton,turningthepages,“whotookhercoffinoutwithhertoJamaica,packedwithlovelyshawlsandbonnets,becauseyoucouldn’tgetcoffinsinJamaica,andshehadahorrorofdyingthere(asshedid),andbeingdevouredbythewhiteants.Andthere’sSabine,theloveliestofthemallah!itwaslikeastarrisingwhenshecameintotheroom.Andthat’sMiriam,inhercoachman’scloak,withallthelittlecapeson,andsheworegreattop-bootsunderneath.Youyoungpeoplemaysayyou’reunconventional,butyou’renothingcomparedwithher.” Turningthepage,shecameuponthepictureofaverymasculine,handsomelady,whoseheadthephotographerhadadornedwithanimperialcrown. “Ah,youwretch!”Mrs.Hilberyexclaimed,“whatawickedolddespotyouwere,inyourday!Howweallboweddownbeforeyou!‘Maggie,’sheusedtosay,‘ifithadn’tbeenforme,wherewouldyoubenow?’Anditwastrueshebroughtthemtogether,youknow.Shesaidtomyfather,‘Marryher,’andhedidandshesaidtopoorlittleClara,‘Falldownandworshiphim,’andshedidbutshegotupagain,ofcourse.Whatelsecouldoneexpect?Shewasamerechild—eighteen—andhalfdeadwithfright,too.Butthatoldtyrantneverrepented.Sheusedtosaythatshehadgiventhemthreeperfectmonths,andnoonehadarighttomoreandIsometimesthink,Katharine,that’strue,youknow.It’smorethanmostofushave,onlywehavetopretend,whichwasathingneitherofthemcouldeverdo.Ifancy,”Mrs.Hilberymused,“thattherewasakindofsincerityinthosedaysbetweenmenandwomenwhich,withallyouroutspokenness,youhaven’tgot.” Katharineagaintriedtointerrupt.ButMrs.Hilberyhadbeengatheringimpetusfromherrecollections,andwasnowinhighspirits. “Theymusthavebeengoodfriendsatheart,”sheresumed,“becausesheusedtosinghissongs.Ah,howdiditgo?”andMrs.Hilbery,whohadaverysweetvoice,trolledoutafamouslyricofherfather’swhichhadbeensettoanabsurdlyandcharminglysentimentalairbysomeearlyVictoriancomposer. “It’sthevitalityofthem!”sheconcluded,strikingherfistagainstthetable.“That’swhatwehaven’tgot!We’revirtuous,we’reearnest,wegotomeetings,wepaythepoortheirwages,butwedon’tliveastheylived.Asoftenasnot,myfatherwasn’tinbedthreenightsoutoftheseven,butalwaysfreshaspaintinthemorning.Ihearhimnow,comesingingupthestairstothenursery,andtossingtheloafforbreakfastonhissword-stick,andthenoffwewentforaday’spleasuring—Richmond,HamptonCourt,theSurreyHills.Whyshouldn’twego,Katharine?It’sgoingtobeafineday.” Atthismoment,justasMrs.Hilberywasexaminingtheweatherfromthewindow,therewasaknockatthedoor.Aslight,elderlyladycamein,andwassalutedbyKatharine,withveryevidentdismay,as“AuntCelia!”ShewasdismayedbecausesheguessedwhyAuntCeliahadcome.ItwascertainlyinordertodiscussthecaseofCyrilandthewomanwhowasnothiswife,andowingtoherprocrastinationMrs.Hilberywasquiteunprepared.Whocouldbemoreunprepared?Hereshewas,suggestingthatallthreeofthemshouldgoonajaunttoBlackfriarstoinspectthesiteofShakespeare’stheater,fortheweatherwashardlysettledenoughforthecountry. TothisproposalMrs.Milvainlistenedwithapatientsmile,whichindicatedthatformanyyearsshehadacceptedsucheccentricitiesinhersister-in-lawwithblandphilosophy.Katharinetookupherpositionatsomedistance,standingwithherfootonthefender,asthoughbysodoingshecouldgetabetterviewofthematter.But,inspiteofheraunt’spresence,howunrealthewholequestionofCyrilandhismoralityappeared!Thedifficulty,itnowseemed,wasnottobreakthenewsgentlytoMrs.Hilbery,buttomakeherunderstandit.Howwasonetolassohermind,andtetherittothisminute,unimportantspot?Amatter-of-factstatementseemedbest. “IthinkAuntCeliahascometotalkaboutCyril,mother,”shesaidratherbrutally.“AuntCeliahasdiscoveredthatCyrilismarr