CHAPTER XVI

chotheragain.Whenyou’remarried—” Tremendouslytohissurprise,hesawthetearsstandinhereyes. “Whydoyouallteaseme?”shesaid.“Itisn’tkind.” Henrycouldnotpretendthathewasaltogetherignorantofhermeaning,though,certainly,hehadneverguessedthatshemindedtheteasing.Butbeforeheknewwhattosay,hereyeswereclearagain,andthesuddencrackinthesurfacewasalmostfilledup. “Thingsaren’teasy,anyhow,”shestated. Obeyinganimpulseofgenuineaffection,Henryspoke. “Promiseme,Katharine,thatifIcaneverhelpyou,youwillletme.” Sheseemedtoconsider,lookingoncemoreintotheredofthefire,anddecidedtorefrainfromanyexplanation. “Yes,Ipromisethat,”shesaidatlength,andHenryfelthimselfgratifiedbyhercompletesincerity,andbegantotellhernowaboutthecoal-mine,inobediencetoherloveoffacts. Theywere,indeed,descendingtheshaftinasmallcage,andcouldhearthepicksoftheminers,somethinglikethegnawingofrats,intheearthbeneaththem,whenthedoorwasburstopen,withoutanyknocking. “Well,hereyouare!”Rodneyexclaimed.BothKatharineandHenryturnedroundveryquicklyandratherguiltily.Rodneywasineveningdress.Itwasclearthathistemperwasruffled. “That’swhereyou’vebeenallthetime,”herepeated,lookingatKatharine. “I’veonlybeenhereabouttenminutes,”shereplied. “MydearKatharine,youleftthedrawing-roomoveranhourago.” Shesaidnothing. “Doesitverymuchmatter?”Henryasked. Rodneyfoundithardtobeunreasonableinthepresenceofanotherman,anddidnotanswerhim. “Theydon’tlikeit,”hesaid.“Itisn’tkindtooldpeopletoleavethemalone—althoughI’venodoubtit’smuchmoreamusingtosituphereandtalktoHenry.” “Wewerediscussingcoal-mines,”saidHenryurbanely. “Yes.Butweweretalkingaboutmuchmoreinterestingthingsbeforethat,”saidKatharine. Fromtheapparentdeterminationtohurthimwithwhichshespoke,HenrythoughtthatsomesortofexplosiononRodney’spartwasabouttotakeplace. “Icanquiteunderstandthat,”saidRodney,withhislittlechuckle,leaningoverthebackofhischairandtappingthewoodworklightlywithhisfingers.Theywereallsilent,andthesilencewasacutelyuncomfortabletoHenry,atleast. “Wasitverydull,William?”Katharinesuddenlyasked,withacompletechangeoftoneandalittlegestureofherhand. “Ofcourseitwasdull,”Williamsaidsulkily. “Well,youstayandtalktoHenry,andI’llgodown,”shereplied. Sheroseasshespoke,andassheturnedtoleavetheroom,shelaidherhand,withacuriouslycaressinggesture,uponRodney’sshoulder.InstantlyRodneyclaspedherhandinhis,withsuchanimpulseofemotionthatHenrywasannoyed,andratherostentatiouslyopenedabook. “Ishallcomedownwithyou,”saidWilliam,asshedrewbackherhand,andmadeasiftopasshim. “Ohno,”shesaidhastily.“YoustayhereandtalktoHenry.” “Yes,do,”saidHenry,shuttinguphisbookagain.Hisinvitationwaspolite,withoutbeingpreciselycordial.Rodneyevidentlyhesitatedastothecourseheshouldpursue,butseeingKatharineatthedoor,heexclaimed: “No.Iwanttocomewithyou.” Shelookedback,andsaidinaverycommandingtone,andwithanexpressionofauthorityuponherface: “It’suselessforyoutocome.Ishallgotobedintenminutes.Goodnight.” Shenoddedtothemboth,butHenrycouldnothelpnoticingthatherlastnodwasinhisdirection.Rodneysatdownratherheavily. HismortificationwassoobviousthatHenryscarcelylikedtoopentheconversationwithsomeremarkofaliterarycharacter.Ontheotherhand,unlesshecheckedhim,Rodneymightbegintotalkabouthisfeelings,andirreticenceisapttobeextremelypainful,atanyrateinprospect.Hethereforeadoptedamiddlecoursethatistosay,hewroteanoteuponthefly-leafofhisbook,whichran,“Thesituationisbecomingmostuncomfortable.”Thishedecoratedwiththoseflourishesanddecorativeborderswhichgrowofthemselvesupontheseoccasionsandashedidso,hethoughttohimselfthatwhateverKatharine’sdifficultiesmightbe,theydidnotjustifyherbehavior.Shehadspokenwithakindofbrutalitywhichsuggestedthat,whetheritisnaturalorassumed,womenhaveapeculiarblindnesstothefeelingsofmen. ThepencilingofthisnotegaveRodneytimetorecoverhimself.Perhaps,forhewasaveryvainman,hewasmorehurtthatHenryhadseenhimrebuffedthanbytherebuffitself.HewasinlovewithKatharine,andvanityisnotdecreasedbutincreasedbyloveespecially,onemayhazard,inthepresenceofone’sownsex.ButRodneyenjoyedthecouragewhichspringsfromthatlaughableandlovabledefect,andwhenhehadmasteredhisfirstimpulse,insomewaytomakeafoolofhimself,hedrewinspirationfromtheperfectfitofhiseveningdress.Hechoseacigarette,tappeditonthebacko