CHAPTER XVI

tthesametime,shecarriedonherlifewithsuchindependencethathescarcelyexpectedanyconfidencetobeexpressedinwords. “Youhavefled,too,then?”hesaid,lookingathercloak.Katharinehadforgottentoremovethistokenofherstar-gazing. “Fled?”sheasked.“Fromwhomd’youmean?Oh,thefamilyparty.Yes,itwashotdownthere,soIwentintothegarden.” “Andaren’tyouverycold?”Henryinquired,placingcoalonthefire,drawingachairuptothegrate,andlayingasidehercloak.HerindifferencetosuchdetailsoftenforcedHenrytoactthepartgenerallytakenbywomeninsuchdealings.Itwasoneofthetiesbetweenthem. “Thankyou,Henry,”shesaid.“I’mnotdisturbingyou?” “I’mnothere.I’matBungay,”hereplied.“I’mgivingamusiclessontoHaroldandJulia.ThatwaswhyIhadtoleavethetablewiththeladies—I’mspendingthenightthere,andIshan’tbebacktilllateonChristmasEve.” “HowIwish—”Katharinebegan,andstoppedshort.“Ithinkthesepartiesareagreatmistake,”sheaddedbriefly,andsighed. “Oh,horrible!”heagreedandtheybothfellsilent. Hersighmadehimlookather.Shouldheventuretoaskherwhyshesighed?Washerreticenceaboutherownaffairsasinviolableasithadoftenbeenconvenientforratheranegoisticalyoungmantothinkit?ButsinceherengagementtoRodney,Henry’sfeelingtowardsherhadbecomerathercomplexequallydividedbetweenanimpulsetohurtherandanimpulsetobetendertoherandallthetimehesufferedacuriousirritationfromthesensethatshewasdriftingawayfromhimforeveruponunknownseas.Onherside,directlyKatharinegotintohispresence,andthesenseofthestarsdroppedfromher,sheknewthatanyintercoursebetweenpeopleisextremelypartialfromthewholemassofherfeelings,onlyoneortwocouldbeselectedforHenry’sinspection,andthereforeshesighed.Thenshelookedathim,andtheireyesmeeting,muchmoreseemedtobeincommonbetweenthemthanhadappearedpossible.Atanyratetheyhadagrandfatherincommonatanyratetherewasakindofloyaltybetweenthemsometimesfoundbetweenrelationswhohavenoothercausetolikeeachother,asthesetwohad. “Well,what’sthedateofthewedding?”saidHenry,themaliciousmoodnowpredominating. “IthinksometimeinMarch,”shereplied. “Andafterwards?”heasked. “Wetakeahouse,Isuppose,somewhereinChelsea.” “It’sveryinteresting,”heobserved,stealinganotherlookather. Shelaybackinherarm-chair,herfeethighuponthesideofthegrate,andinfrontofher,presumablytoscreenhereyes,sheheldanewspaperfromwhichshepickedupasentenceortwonowandagain.Observingthis,Henryremarked: “Perhapsmarriagewillmakeyoumorehuman.” Atthissheloweredthenewspaperaninchortwo,butsaidnothing.Indeed,shesatquitesilentforoveraminute. “Whenyouconsiderthingslikethestars,ouraffairsdon’tseemtomatterverymuch,dothey?”shesaidsuddenly. “Idon’tthinkIeverdoconsiderthingslikethestars,”Henryreplied.“I’mnotsurethatthat’snottheexplanation,though,”headded,nowobservinghersteadily. “Idoubtwhetherthereisanexplanation,”sherepliedratherhurriedly,notclearlyunderstandingwhathemeant. “What?Noexplanationofanything?”heinquired,withasmile. “Oh,thingshappen.That’saboutall,”sheletdropinhercasual,decidedway. “Thatcertainlyseemstoexplainsomeofyouractions,”Henrythoughttohimself. “Onething’saboutasgoodasanother,andone’sgottodosomething,”hesaidaloud,expressingwhathesupposedtobeherattitude,muchinheraccent.Perhapsshedetectedtheimitation,forlookinggentlyathim,shesaid,withironicalcomposure: “Well,ifyoubelievethatyourlifemustbesimple,Henry.” “ButIdon’tbelieveit,”hesaidshortly. “NomoredoI,”shereplied. “Whataboutthestars?”heaskedamomentlater.“Iunderstandthatyouruleyourlifebythestars?” Sheletthispass,eitherbecauseshedidnotattendtoit,orbecausethetonewasnottoherliking. Oncemoreshepaused,andthensheinquired: “Butdoyoualwaysunderstandwhyyoudoeverything?Oughtonetounderstand?Peoplelikemymotherunderstand,”shereflected.“NowImustgodowntothem,Isuppose,andseewhat’shappening.” “Whatcouldbehappening?”Henryprotested. “Oh,theymaywanttosettlesomething,”sherepliedvaguely,puttingherfeetontheground,restingherchinonherhands,andlookingoutofherlargedarkeyescontemplativelyatthefire. “Andthenthere’sWilliam,”sheadded,asifbyanafterthought. Henryverynearlylaughed,butrestrainedhimself. “Dotheyknowwhatcoalsaremadeof,Henry?”sheasked,amomentlater. “Mares’tails,Ibelieve,”hehazarded. “Haveyoueverbeendownacoal-mine?”shewenton. “Don’tlet’stalkaboutcoal-mines,Katharine,”heprotested.“Weshallprobablyneverseeea