CHAPTER XVII

Whenthesunshone,asitdidwithunusualbrightnessthatChristmasweek,itrevealedmuchthatwasfadedandnotaltogetherwell-kept-upinStogdonHouseanditsgrounds.Intruth,SirFrancishadretiredfromserviceundertheGovernmentofIndiawithapensionthatwasnotadequate,inhisopinion,tohisservices,asitcertainlywasnotadequatetohisambitions.Hiscareerhadnotcomeuptohisexpectations,andalthoughhewasaveryfine,white-whiskered,mahogany-coloredoldmantolookat,andhadlaiddownaverychoicecellarofgoodreadingandgoodstories,youcouldnotlongremainignorantofthefactthatsomethunder-stormhadsouredthemhehadagrievance.Thisgrievancedatedbacktothemiddleyearsofthelastcentury,when,owingtosomeofficialintrigue,hismeritshadbeenpassedoverinadisgracefulmannerinfavorofanother,hisjunior. Therightsandwrongsofthestory,presumingthattheyhadsomeexistenceinfact,werenolongerclearlyknowntohiswifeandchildrenbutthisdisappointmenthadplayedaverylargepartintheirlives,andhadpoisonedthelifeofSirFrancismuchasadisappointmentinloveissaidtopoisonthewholelifeofawoman.Longbroodingonhisfailure,continualarrangementandrearrangementofhisdesertsandrebuffs,hadmadeSirFrancismuchofanegoist,andinhisretirementhistemperbecameincreasinglydifficultandexacting. Hiswifenowofferedsolittleresistancetohismoodsthatshewaspracticallyuselesstohim.HemadehisdaughterEleanorintohischiefconfidante,andtheprimeofherlifewasbeingrapidlyconsumedbyherfather.Toherhedictatedthememoirswhichweretoavengehismemory,andshehadtoassurehimconstantlythathistreatmenthadbeenadisgrace.Already,attheageofthirty-five,hercheekswerewhiteningashermother’shadwhitened,butforhertherewouldbenomemoriesofIndiansunsandIndianrivers,andclamorofchildreninanurseryshewouldhaveverylittleofsubstancetothinkaboutwhenshesat,asLadyOtwaynowsat,knittingwhitewool,withhereyesfixedalmostperpetuallyuponthesameembroideredbirduponthesamefire-screen.ButthenLadyOtwaywasoneofthepeopleforwhomthegreatmake-believegameofEnglishsociallifehasbeeninventedshespentmostofhertimeinpretendingtoherselfandherneighborsthatshewasadignified,important,much-occupiedperson,ofconsiderablesocialstandingandsufficientwealth.Inviewoftheactualstateofthingsthisgameneededagreatdealofskilland,perhaps,attheageshehadreached—shewasoversixty—sheplayedfarmoretodeceiveherselfthantodeceiveanyoneelse.Moreover,thearmorwaswearingthinsheforgottokeepupappearancesmoreandmore. Thewornpatchesinthecarpets,andthepallorofthedrawing-room,wherenochairorcoverhadbeenrenewedforsomeyears,wereduenotonlytothemiserablepension,buttothewearandtearoftwelvechildren,eightofwhomweresons.Asoftenhappensintheselargefamilies,adistinctdividing-linecouldbetraced,abouthalf-wayinthesuccession,wherethemoneyforeducationalpurposeshadrunshort,andthesixyoungerchildrenhadgrownupfarmoreeconomicallythantheelder.Iftheboyswereclever,theywonscholarships,andwenttoschooliftheywerenotclever,theytookwhatthefamilyconnectionhadtoofferthem.Thegirlsacceptedsituationsoccasionally,buttherewerealwaysoneortwoathome,nursingsickanimals,tendingsilkworms,orplayingthefluteintheirbedrooms.Thedistinctionbetweentheelderchildrenandtheyoungercorrespondedalmosttothedistinctionbetweenahigherclassandalowerone,forwithonlyahaphazardeducationandinsufficientallowances,theyoungerchildrenhadpickedupaccomplishments,friends,andpointsofviewwhichwerenottobefoundwithinthewallsofapublicschoolorofaGovernmentoffice.Betweenthetwodivisionstherewasconsiderablehostility,theeldertryingtopatronizetheyounger,theyoungerrefusingtorespecttheelderbutonefeelingunitedthemandinstantlyclosedanyriskofabreach—theircommonbeliefinthesuperiorityoftheirownfamilytoallothers.Henrywastheeldestoftheyoungergroup,andtheirleaderheboughtstrangebooksandjoinedoddsocietieshewentwithoutatieforawholeyear,andhadsixshirtsmadeofblackflannel.Hehadlongrefusedtotakeaseateitherinashippingofficeorinatea-merchant’swarehouseandpersisted,inspiteofthedisapprovalofunclesan