CHAPTER XVI

fhishand,displayedhisexquisitepumpsontheedgeofthefender,andsummonedhisself-respect. “You’veseveralbigestatesroundhere,Otway,”hebegan.“Anygoodhunting?Letmesee,whatpackwoulditbe?Who’syourgreatman?” “SirWilliamBudge,thesugarking,hasthebiggestestate.HeboughtoutpoorStanham,whowentbankrupt.” “WhichStanhamwouldthatbe?VerneyorAlfred?” “Alfred....Idon’thuntmyself.You’reagreathuntsman,aren’tyou?Youhaveagreatreputationasahorseman,anyhow,”headded,desiringtohelpRodneyinhisefforttorecoverhiscomplacency. “Oh,Iloveriding,”Rodneyreplied.“CouldIgetahorsedownhere?Stupidofme!Iforgottobringanyclothes.Ican’timagine,though,whotoldyouIwasanythingofarider?” Totellthetruth,HenrylaboredunderthesamedifficultyhedidnotwishtointroduceKatharine’sname,and,therefore,herepliedvaguelythathehadalwaysheardthatRodneywasagreatrider.Intruth,hehadheardverylittleabouthim,onewayoranother,acceptinghimasafigureoftentobefoundinthebackgroundathisaunt’shouse,andinevitably,thoughinexplicably,engagedtohiscousin. “Idon’tcaremuchforshooting,”Rodneycontinued“butonehastodoit,unlessonewantstobealtogetheroutofthings.Idaresaythere’ssomeveryprettycountryroundhere.IstayedonceatBolhamHall.YoungCranthorpewasupwithyou,wasn’the?HemarriedoldLordBolham’sdaughter.Verynicepeople—intheirway.” “Idon’tmixinthatsociety,”Henryremarked,rathershortly.ButRodney,nowstartedonanagreeablecurrentofreflection,couldnotresistthetemptationofpursuingitalittlefurther.Heappearedtohimselfasamanwhomovedeasilyinverygoodsociety,andknewenoughaboutthetruevaluesoflifetobehimselfaboveit. “Oh,butyoushould,”hewenton.“It’swellworthstayingthere,anyhow,onceayear.Theymakeoneverycomfortable,andthewomenareravishing.” “Thewomen?”Henrythoughttohimself,withdisgust.“Whatcouldanywomanseeinyou?”Histolerancewasrapidlybecomingexhausted,buthecouldnothelplikingRodneynevertheless,andthisappearedtohimstrange,forhewasfastidious,andsuchwordsinanothermouthwouldhavecondemnedthespeakerirreparably.Hebegan,inshort,towonderwhatkindofcreaturethismanwhowastomarryhiscousinmightbe.Couldanyone,exceptarathersingularcharacter,affordtobesoridiculouslyvain? “Idon’tthinkIshouldgetoninthatsociety,”hereplied.“Idon’tthinkIshouldknowwhattosaytoLadyRoseifImether.” “Idon’tfindanydifficulty,”Rodneychuckled.“Youtalktothemabouttheirchildren,iftheyhaveany,ortheiraccomplishments—painting,gardening,poetry—they’resodelightfullysympathetic.Seriously,youknowIthinkawoman’sopinionofone’spoetryisalwaysworthhaving.Don’taskthemfortheirreasons.Justaskthemfortheirfeelings.Katharine,forexample—” “Katharine,”saidHenry,withanemphasisuponthename,almostasifheresentedRodney’suseofit,“Katharineisveryunlikemostwomen.” “Quite,”Rodneyagreed.“Sheis—”Heseemedabouttodescribeher,andhehesitatedforalongtime.“She’slookingverywell,”hestated,orratheralmostinquired,inadifferenttonefromthatinwhichhehadbeenspeaking.Henrybenthishead. “But,asafamily,you’regiventomoods,eh?” “NotKatharine,”saidHenry,withdecision. “NotKatharine,”Rodneyrepeated,asifheweighedthemeaningofthewords.“No,perhapsyou’reright.Butherengagementhaschangedher.Naturally,”headded,“onewouldexpectthattobeso.”HewaitedforHenrytoconfirmthisstatement,butHenryremainedsilent. “Katharinehashadadifficultlife,insomeways,”hecontinued.“Iexpectthatmarriagewillbegoodforher.Shehasgreatpowers.” “Great,”saidHenry,withdecision. “Yes—butnowwhatdirectiond’youthinktheytake?” Rodneyhadcompletelydroppedhisposeasamanoftheworld,andseemedtobeaskingHenrytohelphiminadifficulty. “Idon’tknow,”Henryhesitatedcautiously. “D’youthinkchildren—ahousehold—thatsortofthing—d’youthinkthat’llsatisfyher?Mind,I’moutallday.” “Shewouldcertainlybeverycompetent,”Henrystated. “Oh,she’swonderfullycompetent,”saidRodney.“But—Igetabsorbedinmypoetry.Well,Katharinehasn’tgotthat.Sheadmiresmypoetry,youknow,butthatwouldn’tbeenoughforher?” “No,”saidHenry.Hepaused.“Ithinkyou’reright,”headded,asifheweresumminguphisthoughts.“Katharinehasn’tfoundherselfyet.Lifeisn’taltogetherrealtoheryet—Isometimesthink—” “Yes?”Rodneyinquired,asifhewereeagerforHenrytocontinue.“ThatiswhatI—”hewasgoingon,asHenryremainedsilent,butthesentencewasnotfinished,forthedooropened,andtheywereinterruptedbyHenry’syoungerbrotherGilbert,muchtoHenry’srelief,forhehadalreadysaidmorethanheliked.