CHAPTER X

Messrs.GrateleyandHooper,thesolicitorsinwhosefirmRalphDenhamwasclerk,hadtheirofficeinLincoln’sInnFields,andthereRalphDenhamappearedeverymorningverypunctuallyatteno’clock.Hispunctuality,togetherwithotherqualities,markedhimoutamongtheclerksforsuccess,andindeeditwouldhavebeensafetowagerthatintenyears’timeorsoonewouldfindhimattheheadofhisprofession,haditnotbeenforapeculiaritywhichsometimesseemedtomakeeverythingabouthimuncertainandperilous.HissisterJoanhadalreadybeendisturbedbyhisloveofgamblingwithhissavings.Scrutinizinghimconstantlywiththeeyeofaffection,shehadbecomeawareofacuriousperversityinhistemperamentwhichcausedhermuchanxiety,andwouldhavecausedherstillmoreifshehadnotrecognizedthegermsofitinherownnature.ShecouldfancyRalphsuddenlysacrificinghisentirecareerforsomefantasticimaginationsomecauseorideaoreven(soherfancyran)forsomewomanseenfromarailwaytrain,hangingupclothesinabackyard.Whenhehadfoundthisbeautyorthiscause,noforce,sheknew,wouldavailtorestrainhimfrompursuitofit.ShesuspectedtheEastalso,andalwaysfidgetedherselfwhenshesawhimwithabookofIndiantravelsinhishand,asthoughheweresuckingcontagionfromthepage.Ontheotherhand,nocommonloveaffair,hadtherebeensuchathing,wouldhavecausedheramoment’suneasinesswhereRalphwasconcerned.Hewasdestinedinherfancyforsomethingsplendidinthewayofsuccessorfailure,sheknewnotwhich. Andyetnobodycouldhaveworkedharderordonebetterinalltherecognizedstagesofayoungman’slifethanRalphhaddone,andJoanhadtogathermaterialsforherfearsfromtriflesinherbrother’sbehaviorwhichwouldhaveescapedanyothereye.Itwasnaturalthatsheshouldbeanxious.Lifehadbeensoarduousforallofthemfromthestartthatshecouldnothelpdreadinganysuddenrelaxationofhisgraspuponwhatheheld,though,assheknewfrominspectionofherownlife,suchsuddenimpulsetoletgoandmakeawayfromthedisciplineandthedrudgerywassometimesalmostirresistible.ButwithRalph,ifhebrokeaway,sheknewthatitwouldbeonlytoputhimselfunderharsherconstraintshefiguredhimtoilingthroughsandydesertsunderatropicalsuntofindthesourceofsomeriverorthehauntofsomeflyshefiguredhimlivingbythelaborofhishandsinsomecityslum,thevictimofoneofthoseterribletheoriesofrightandwrongwhichwerecurrentatthetimeshefiguredhimprisonerforlifeinthehouseofawomanwhohadseducedhimbyhermisfortunes.Halfproudly,andwhollyanxiously,sheframedsuchthoughts,astheysat,lateatnight,talkingtogetheroverthegas-stoveinRalph’sbedroom. ItislikelythatRalphwouldnothaverecognizedhisowndreamofafutureintheforecastswhichdisturbedhissister’speaceofmind.Certainly,ifanyoneofthemhadbeenputbeforehimhewouldhaverejecteditwithalaugh,asthesortoflifethatheldnoattractionsforhim.Hecouldnothavesaidhowitwasthathehadputtheseabsurdnotionsintohissister’shead.Indeed,hepridedhimselfuponbeingwellbrokenintoalifeofhardwork,aboutwhichhehadnosortofillusions.Hisvisionofhisownfuture,unlikemanysuchforecasts,couldhavebeenmadepublicatanymomentwithoutablushheattributedtohimselfastrongbrain,andconferredonhimselfaseatintheHouseofCommonsattheageoffifty,amoderatefortune,and,withluck,anunimportantofficeinaLiberalGovernment.Therewasnothingextravagantinaforecastofthatkind,andcertainlynothingdishonorable.Nevertheless,ashissisterguessed,itneededallRalph’sstrengthofwill,togetherwiththepressureofcircumstances,tokeephisfeetmovinginthepathwhichledthatway.Itneeded,inparticular,aconstantrepetitionofaphrasetotheeffectthathesharedthecommonfate,founditbestofall,a