CHAPTER XVII

ly,thoughnotmoresothanonemustexpectatthistimeofyear.Indeed,oneoughttobethankfultoseethesunatall,andsheadvisedthembothtodresswarmlyfortheirdrive.Heraunt’sstockofcommonplaces,Katharinesometimessuspected,hadbeenlaidinonpurposetofillsilenceswith,andhadlittletodowithherprivatethoughts.Butatthismomenttheyseemedterriblyinkeepingwithherownconclusions,sothatshetookupherknittingagainandlistened,chieflywithaviewtoconfirmingherselfinthebeliefthattobeengagedtomarrysomeonewithwhomyouarenotinloveisaninevitablestepinaworldwheretheexistenceofpassionisonlyatraveller’sstorybroughtfromtheheartofdeepforestsandtoldsorarelythatwisepeopledoubtwhetherthestorycanbetrue.ShedidherbesttolistentohermotheraskingfornewsofJohn,andtoherauntreplyingwiththeauthentichistoryofHilda’sengagementtoanofficerintheIndianArmy,butshecasthermindalternatelytowardsforestpathsandstarryblossoms,andtowardspagesofneatlywrittenmathematicalsigns.Whenhermindtookthisturnhermarriageseemednomorethananarchwaythroughwhichitwasnecessarytopassinordertohaveherdesire.Atsuchtimesthecurrentofhernatureraninitsdeepnarrowchannelwithgreatforceandwithanalarminglackofconsiderationforthefeelingsofothers.Justasthetwoelderladieshadfinishedtheirsurveyofthefamilyprospects,andLadyOtwaywasnervouslyanticipatingsomegeneralstatementastolifeanddeathfromhersister-in-law,Cassandraburstintotheroomwiththenewsthatthecarriagewasatthedoor. “Whydidn’tAndrewstellmehimself?”saidLadyOtway,peevishly,blamingherservantsfornotlivinguptoherideals. WhenMrs.HilberyandKatharinearrivedinthehall,readydressedfortheirdrive,theyfoundthattheusualdiscussionwasgoingforwardastotheplansoftherestofthefamily.Intokenofthis,agreatmanydoorswereopeningandshutting,twoorthreepeoplestoodirresolutelyonthestairs,nowgoingafewstepsup,andnowafewstepsdown,andSirFrancishimselfhadcomeoutfromhisstudy,withthe“Times”underhisarm,andacomplaintaboutnoiseanddraughtsfromtheopendoorwhich,atleast,hadtheeffectofbundlingthepeoplewhodidnotwanttogointothecarriage,andsendingthosewhodidnotwanttostaybacktotheirrooms.ItwasdecidedthatMrs.Hilbery,Katharine,Rodney,andHenryshoulddrivetoLincoln,andanyoneelsewhowishedtogoshouldfollowonbicyclesorinthepony-cart.EveryonewhostayedatStogdonHousehadtomakethisexpeditiontoLincolninobediencetoLadyOtway’sconceptionoftherightwaytoentertainherguests,whichshehadimbibedfromreadinginfashionablepapersofthebehaviorofChristmaspartiesinducalhouses.Thecarriagehorseswerebothfatandaged,stilltheymatchedthecarriagewasshakyanduncomfortable,buttheOtwayarmswerevisibleonthepanels.LadyOtwaystoodonthetopmoststep,wrappedinawhiteshawl,andwavedherhandalmostmechanicallyuntiltheyhadturnedthecornerunderthelaurel-bushes,whensheretiredindoorswithasensethatshehadplayedherpart,andasighatthethoughtthatnoneofherchildrenfeltitnecessarytoplaytheirs. Thecarriagebowledalongsmoothlyoverthegentlycurvingroad.Mrs.Hilberydroppedintoapleasant,inattentivestateofmind,inwhichshewasconsciousoftherunninggreenlinesofthehedges,oftheswellingploughland,andofthemildbluesky,whichservedher,afterthefirstfiveminutes,forapastoralbackgroundtothedramaofhumanlifeandthenshethoughtofacottagegarden,withtheflashofyellowdaffodilsagainstbluewaterandwhatwiththearrangementofthesedifferentprospects,andtheshapingoftwoorthreelovelyphrases,shedidnotnoticethattheyoungpeopleinthecarriagewerealmostsilent.Henry,indeed,hadbeenincludedagainsthiswish,andrevengedhimselfbyobservingKatharineandRodneywithdisillusionedeyeswhileKatharinewasinastateofgloomyself-suppressionwhichresultedincompleteapathy.WhenRodneyspoketohersheeithersaid“Hum!”orassentedsolistlesslythatheaddressedhisnextremarktohermother.Hisdeferencewasagreeabletoher,hismannerswereexemplaryandwhenthechurchtowersandfactorychimneysofthetowncameintosight,sherousedherself,andrecalledmemoriesofthefairsummerof1853,whichfittedinharmoniouslywithwhatshewasdreamingofthefuture.