CHAPTER XVII

ieldsvisiblebehindthosetrees,andattheleaflessbrancheswhichsurroundedthebodyofthesmallbluetit.Hersympathywithnaturewasexquisite. “Mostwomenknowbyinstinctwhethertheycangiveitornot,”LadyOtwayslippedinquickly,inratheralowvoice,asifshewantedtogetthissaidwhilehersister-in-law’sattentionwasdiverted.“Andifnot—wellthen,myadvicewouldbe—don’tmarry.” “Oh,butmarriageisthehappiestlifeforawoman,”saidMrs.Hilbery,catchingthewordmarriage,asshebroughthereyesbacktotheroomagain.Thensheturnedhermindtowhatshehadsaid. “It’sthemostinterestinglife,”shecorrectedherself.Shelookedatherdaughterwithalookofvaguealarm.Itwasthekindofmaternalscrutinywhichsuggeststhat,inlookingatherdaughteramotherisreallylookingatherself.Shewasnotaltogethersatisfiedbutshepurposelymadenoattempttobreakdownthereservewhich,asamatteroffact,wasaqualitysheparticularlyadmiredanddependeduponinherdaughter.Butwhenhermothersaidthatmarriagewasthemostinterestinglife,Katharinefelt,asshewasapttodosuddenly,fornodefinitereason,thattheyunderstoodeachother,inspiteofdifferingineverypossibleway.Yetthewisdomoftheoldseemstoapplymoretofeelingswhichwehaveincommonwiththerestofthehumanracethantoourfeelingsasindividuals,andKatharineknewthatonlysomeoneofherownagecouldfollowhermeaning.Boththeseelderlywomenseemedtohertohavebeencontentwithsolittlehappiness,andatthemomentshehadnotsufficientforcetofeelcertainthattheirversionofmarriagewasthewrongone.InLondon,certainly,thistemperateattitudetowardherownmarriagehadseemedtoherjust.Whyhadshenowchanged?Whydiditnowdepressher?Itneveroccurredtoherthatherownconductcouldbeanythingofapuzzletohermother,orthatelderpeopleareasmuchaffectedbytheyoungastheyoungarebythem.Andyetitwastruethatlove—passion—whateveronechosetocallit,hadplayedfarlesspartinMrs.Hilbery’slifethanmighthaveseemedlikely,judgingfromherenthusiasticandimaginativetemperament.Shehadalwaysbeenmoreinterestedbyotherthings.LadyOtway,strangethoughitseemed,guessedmoreaccuratelyatKatharine’sstateofmindthanhermotherdid. “Whydon’tweallliveinthecountry?”exclaimedMrs.Hilbery,oncemorelookingoutofthewindow.“I’msureonewouldthinksuchbeautifulthingsifonelivedinthecountry.Nohorridslumhousestodepressone,notramsormotor-carsandthepeoplealllookingsoplumpandcheerful.Isn’ttheresomelittlecottagenearyou,Charlotte,whichwoulddoforus,withaspareroom,perhaps,incaseweaskedafrienddown?Andweshouldsavesomuchmoneythatweshouldbeabletotravel—” “Yes.Youwouldfinditveryniceforaweekortwo,nodoubt,”saidLadyOtway.“Butwhathourwouldyoulikethecarriagethismorning?”shecontinued,touchingthebell. “Katharineshalldecide,”saidMrs.Hilbery,feelingherselfunabletopreferonehourtoanother.“AndIwasjustgoingtotellyou,Katharine,how,whenIwokethismorning,everythingseemedsoclearinmyheadthatifI’dhadapencilIbelieveIcouldhavewrittenquitealongchapter.Whenwe’reoutonourdriveIshallfindusahouse.Afewtreesroundit,andalittlegarden,apondwithaChineseduck,astudyforyourfather,astudyforme,andasittingroomforKatharine,becausethenshe’llbeamarriedlady.” AtthisKatharineshiveredalittle,drewuptothefire,andwarmedherhandsbyspreadingthemoverthetopmostpeakofthecoal.Shewishedtobringthetalkbacktomarriageagain,inordertohearAuntCharlotte’sviews,butshedidnotknowhowtodothis. “Letmelookatyourengagement-ring,AuntCharlotte,”shesaid,noticingherown. Shetooktheclusterofgreenstonesandturneditroundandround,butshedidnotknowwhattosaynext. “ThatpooroldringwasasaddisappointmenttomewhenIfirsthadit,”LadyOtwaymused.“I’dsetmyheartonadiamondring,butIneverlikedtotellFrank,naturally.HeboughtitatSimla.” Katharineturnedtheringroundoncemore,andgaveitbacktoherauntwithoutspeaking.Andwhilesheturneditroundherlipssetthemselvesfirmlytogether,anditseemedtoherthatshecouldsatisfyWilliamasthesewomenhadsatisfiedtheirhusbandsshecouldpretendtolikeemeraldswhenshepreferreddiamonds.Havingreplacedherring,LadyOtwayremarkedthatitwaschil