CHAPTER XXV

ikeshalfsmotheredbythedeadleaves.Hedidthiswiththepeculiartouchofthebotanist.InnamingthelittlegreenplanttoherheusedtheLatinname,thusdisguisingsomeflowerfamiliareventoChelsea,andmakingherexclaim,halfinamusement,athisknowledge.Herownignorancewasvast,sheconfessed.Whatdidonecallthattreeopposite,forinstance,supposingonecondescendedtocallitbyitsEnglishname?Beechorelmorsycamore?Itchanced,bythetestimonyofadeadleaf,tobeoakandalittleattentiontoadiagramwhichDenhamproceededtodrawuponanenvelopesoonputKatharineinpossessionofsomeofthefundamentaldistinctionsbetweenourBritishtrees.Shethenaskedhimtoinformheraboutflowers.Tohertheywerevariouslyshapedandcoloredpetals,poised,atdifferentseasonsoftheyear,uponverysimilargreenstalksbuttohimtheywere,inthefirstinstance,bulbsorseeds,andlater,livingthingsendowedwithsex,andpores,andsusceptibilitieswhichadaptedthemselvesbyallmannerofingeniousdevicestoliveandbegetlife,andcouldbefashionedsquatortapering,flame-coloredorpale,pureorspotted,byprocesseswhichmightrevealthesecretsofhumanexistence.Denhamspokewithincreasingardorofahobbywhichhadlongbeenhisinsecret.NodiscoursecouldhavewornamorewelcomesoundinKatharine’sears.Forweeksshehadheardnothingthatmadesuchpleasantmusicinhermind.Itwakenedechoesinallthoseremotefastnessesofherbeingwherelonelinesshadbroodedsolongundisturbed. Shewishedhewouldgoonforevertalkingofplants,andshowingherhowsciencefeltnotquiteblindlyforthelawthatruledtheirendlessvariations.Alawthatmightbeinscrutablebutwascertainlyomnipotentappealedtoheratthemoment,becauseshecouldfindnothinglikeitinpossessionofhumanlives.Circumstanceshadlongforcedher,astheyforcemostwomenintheflowerofyouth,toconsider,painfullyandminutely,allthatpartoflifewhichisconspicuouslywithoutordershehadhadtoconsidermoodsandwishes,degreesoflikingordisliking,andtheireffectuponthedestinyofpeopledeartohershehadbeenforcedtodenyherselfanycontemplationofthatotherpartoflifewherethoughtconstructsadestinywhichisindependentofhumanbeings.AsDenhamspoke,shefollowedhiswordsandconsideredtheirbearingwithaneasyvigorwhichspokeofacapacitylonghoardedandunspent.Theverytreesandthegreenmergingintothebluedistancebecamesymbolsofthevastexternalworldwhichreckssolittleofthehappiness,ofthemarriagesordeathsofindividuals.Inordertogiveherexamplesofwhathewassaying,Denhamledtheway,firsttotheRockGarden,andthentotheOrchidHouse. Forhimtherewassafetyinthedirectionwhichthetalkhadtaken.Hisemphasismightcomefromfeelingsmorepersonalthanthosesciencerousedinhim,butitwasdisguised,andnaturallyhefounditeasytoexpoundandexplain.Nevertheless,whenhesawKatharineamongtheorchids,herbeautystrangelyemphasizedbythefantasticplants,whichseemedtopeerandgapeatherfromstripedhoodsandfleshythroats,hisardorforbotanywaned,andamorecomplexfeelingreplacedit.Shefellsilent.Theorchidsseemedtosuggestabsorbingreflections.Indefianceoftherulesshestretchedherunglovedhandandtouchedone.Thesightoftherubiesuponherfingeraffectedhimsodisagreeablythathestartedandturnedaway.Butnextmomenthecontrolledhimselfhelookedathertakinginonestrangeshapeafteranotherwiththecontemplative,consideringgazeofapersonwhoseesnotexactlywhatisbeforehim,butgropesinregionsthatliebeyondit.Thefar-awaylookentirelylackedself-consciousness.Denhamdoubtedwhethersherememberedhispresence.Hecouldrecallhimself,ofcourse,byawordoramovement—butwhy?Shewashappierthus.Sheneedednothingthathecouldgiveher.Andforhim,too,perhaps,itwasbesttokeepaloof,onlytoknowthatsheexisted,topreservewhathealreadyhad—perfect,remote,andunbroken.Further,herstilllook,standingamongtheorchidsinthathotatmosphere,strangelyillustratedsomescenethathehadimaginedinhisroomathome.Thesight,minglingwithhisrecollection,kepthimsilentwhenthedoorwasshutandtheywerewalkingonagain. Butthoughshedidnotspeak,Katharinehadanuneasysensethatsilenceonherpartwasselfishness.Itwasselfishofhertocontinue,asshewished