CHAPTER IX

ied.Hehasawifeandchildren.” “No,heisnotmarried,”Mrs.Milvaininterposed,inlowtones,addressingherselftoMrs.Hilbery.“Hehastwochildren,andanotherontheway.” Mrs.Hilberylookedfromonetotheotherinbewilderment. “Wethoughtitbettertowaituntilitwasprovedbeforewetoldyou,”Katharineadded. “ButImetCyrilonlyafortnightagoattheNationalGallery!”Mrs.Hilberyexclaimed.“Idon’tbelieveawordofit,”andshetossedherheadwithasmileonherlipsatMrs.Milvain,asthoughshecouldquiteunderstandhermistake,whichwasaverynaturalmistake,inthecaseofachildlesswoman,whosehusbandwassomethingverydullintheBoardofTrade. “Ididn’twishtobelieveit,Maggie,”saidMrs.Milvain.“ForalongtimeIcouldn’tbelieveit.ButnowI’veseen,andIhavetobelieveit.” “Katharine,”Mrs.Hilberydemanded,“doesyourfatherknowofthis?” Katharinenodded. “Cyrilmarried!”Mrs.Hilberyrepeated.“Andnevertellingusaword,thoughwe’vehadhiminourhousesincehewasachild—nobleWilliam’sson!Ican’tbelievemyears!” Feelingthattheburdenofproofwaslaiduponher,Mrs.Milvainnowproceededwithherstory.Shewaselderlyandfragile,butherchildlessnessseemedalwaystoimposethesepainfuldutiesonher,andtoreverethefamily,andtokeepitinrepair,hadnowbecomethechiefobjectofherlife.Shetoldherstoryinalow,spasmodic,andsomewhatbrokenvoice. “Ihavesuspectedforsometimethathewasnothappy.Therewerenewlinesonhisface.SoIwenttohisrooms,whenIknewhewasengagedatthepoormen’scollege.Helecturesthere—Romanlaw,youknow,oritmaybeGreek.ThelandladysaidMr.Alardyceonlysleptthereaboutonceafortnightnow.Helookedsoill,shesaid.Shehadseenhimwithayoungperson.Isuspectedsomethingdirectly.Iwenttohisroom,andtherewasanenvelopeonthemantelpiece,andaletterwithanaddressinSetonStreet,offtheKenningtonRoad.” Mrs.Hilberyfidgetedratherrestlessly,andhummedfragmentsofhertune,asiftointerrupt. “IwenttoSetonStreet,”AuntCeliacontinuedfirmly.“Averylowplace—lodging-houses,youknow,withcanariesinthewindow.Numbersevenjustlikealltheothers.Irang,Iknockednoonecame.Iwentdownthearea.IamcertainIsawsomeoneinside—children—acradle.Butnoreply—noreply.”Shesighed,andlookedstraightinfrontofherwithaglazedexpressioninherhalf-veiledblueeyes. “Istoodinthestreet,”sheresumed,“incaseIcouldcatchasightofoneofthem.Itseemedaverylongtime.Therewereroughmensinginginthepublic-houseroundthecorner.Atlastthedooropened,andsomeone—itmusthavebeenthewomanherself—camerightpastme.Therewasonlythepillar-boxbetweenus.” “Andwhatdidshelooklike?”Mrs.Hilberydemanded. “Onecouldseehowthepoorboyhadbeendeluded,”wasallthatMrs.Milvainvouchsafedbywayofdescription. “Poorthing!”Mrs.Hilberyexclaimed. “PoorCyril!”Mrs.Milvainsaid,layingaslightemphasisuponCyril. “Butthey’vegotnothingtoliveupon,”Mrs.Hilberycontinued.“Ifhe’dcometouslikeaman,”shewenton,“andsaid,‘I’vebeenafool,’onewouldhavepitiedhimonewouldhavetriedtohelphim.There’snothingsodisgracefulafterall—Buthe’sbeengoingaboutalltheseyears,pretending,lettingonetakeitforgranted,thathewassingle.Andthepoordesertedlittlewife—” “Sheisnothiswife,”AuntCeliainterrupted. “I’veneverheardanythingsodetestable!”Mrs.Hilberywoundup,strikingherfistonthearmofherchair.Assherealizedthefactsshebecamethoroughlydisgusted,although,perhaps,shewasmorehurtbytheconcealmentofthesinthanbythesinitself.ShelookedsplendidlyrousedandindignantandKatharinefeltanimmensereliefandprideinhermother.Itwasplainthatherindignationwasverygenuine,andthathermindwasasperfectlyfocuseduponthefactsasanyonecouldwish—moreso,byalongway,thanAuntCelia’smind,whichseemedtobetimidlycircling,withamorbidpleasure,intheseunpleasantshades.Sheandhermothertogetherwouldtakethesituationinhand,visitCyril,andseethewholethingthrough. “WemustrealizeCyril’spointofviewfirst,”shesaid,speakingdirectlytohermother,asiftoacontemporary,butbeforethewordswereoutofhermouth,therewasmoreconfusionoutside,andCousinCaroline,Mrs.Hilbery’smaidencousin,enteredtheroom.AlthoughshewasbybirthanAlardyce,andAuntCeliaaHilbery,thecomplexitiesofthefamilyrelationshipweresuchthateachwasatoncefirstandsecondcousintotheother,andthusauntandcousintotheculpritCyril,sothathismisbehaviorwasalmostasmuchCousinCaro