CHAPTER XXVI

Althoughtheoldcoaches,withtheirgaypanelsandtheguard’shorn,andthehumorsoftheboxandthevicissitudesoftheroad,havelongmolderedintodustsofarastheywerematter,andarepreservedintheprintedpagesofournovelistssofarastheypartookofthespirit,ajourneytoLondonbyexpresstraincanstillbeaverypleasantandromanticadventure.CassandraOtway,attheageoftwenty-two,couldimaginefewthingsmorepleasant.Satiatedwithmonthsofgreenfieldsasshewas,thefirstrowofartisans’villasontheoutskirtsofLondonseemedtohavesomethingseriousaboutit,whichpositivelyincreasedtheimportanceofeverypersonintherailwaycarriage,andeven,toherimpressionablemind,quickenedthespeedofthetrainandgaveanoteofsternauthoritytotheshriekoftheengine-whistle.TheywereboundforLondontheymusthaveprecedenceofalltrafficnotsimilarlydestined.AdifferentdemeanorwasnecessarydirectlyonesteppedoutuponLiverpoolStreetplatform,andbecameoneofthosepreoccupiedandhastycitizensforwhoseneedsinnumerabletaxi-cabs,motor-omnibuses,andundergroundrailwayswereinwaiting.Shedidherbesttolookdignifiedandpreoccupiedtoo,butasthecabcarriedheraway,withadeterminationwhichalarmedheralittle,shebecamemoreandmoreforgetfulofherstationasacitizenofLondon,andturnedherheadfromonewindowtoanother,pickingupeagerlyabuildingonthissideorastreetsceneonthattofeedherintensecuriosity.Andyet,whilethedrivelastednoonewasreal,nothingwasordinarythecrowds,theGovernmentbuildings,thetideofmenandwomenwashingthebaseofthegreatglasswindows,wereallgeneralized,andaffectedherasifshesawthemonthestage. Allthesefeelingsweresustainedandpartlyinspiredbythefactthatherjourneytookherstraighttothecenterofhermostromanticworld.Athousandtimesinthemidstofherpastorallandscapeherthoughtstookthispreciseroad,wereadmittedtothehouseinChelsea,andwentdirectlyupstairstoKatharine’sroom,where,invisiblethemselves,theyhadthebetterchanceoffeastingupontheprivacyoftheroom’sadorableandmysteriousmistress.Cassandraadoredhercousintheadorationmighthavebeenfoolish,butwassavedfromthatexcessandlentanengagingcharmbythevolatilenatureofCassandra’stemperament.Shehadadoredagreatmanythingsandpeopleinthecourseoftwenty-twoyearsshehadbeenalternatelytheprideandthedesperationofherteachers.Shehadworshippedarchitectureandmusic,naturalhistoryandhumanity,literatureandart,butalwaysattheheightofherenthusiasm,whichwasaccompaniedbyabrilliantdegreeofaccomplishment,shechangedhermindandbought,surreptitiously,anothergrammar.TheterribleresultswhichgovernesseshadpredictedfromsuchmentaldissipationwerecertainlyapparentnowthatCassandrawastwenty-two,andhadneverpassedanexamination,anddailyshowedherselflessandlesscapableofpassingone.Themoreseriouspredictionthatshecouldneverpossiblyearnherlivingwasalsoverified.ButfromalltheseshortstrandsofdifferentaccomplishmentsCassandrawoveforherselfanattitude,acastofmind,which,ifuseless,wasfoundbysomepeopletohavethenotdespicablevirtuesofvivacityandfreshness.Katharine,forexample,thoughtheramostcharmingcompanion.Thecousinsseemedtoassemblebetweenthemagreatrangeofqualitieswhichareneverfoundunitedinonepersonandseldominhalfadozenpeople.WhereKatharinewassimple,CassandrawascomplexwhereKatharinewassolidanddirect,Cassandrawasvagueandevasive.Inshort,theyrepresentedverywellthemanlyandthewomanlysidesofthefemininenature,and,forfoundation,therewastheprofoundunityofcommonbloodbetweenthem.IfCassandraadoredKatharineshewasincapableofadoringanyonewithoutrefreshingherspiritwithfrequentdraughtsofrailleryandcriticism,andKatharineenjoyedherlaughteratleastasmuchasherrespect. RespectwascertainlyuppermostinCassandra’smindatthepresentmoment.Katharine’sengagementhadappealedtoherimaginationasthefirstengagementinacircleofcontemporariesisapttoappealtotheimaginationsoftheothersitwassolemn,beautiful,andmysteriousitgavebothpartiestheimportantairofthosewhohavebeeninitiatedintosomeritewhichisstillconcealedfromtherestofthegroup.ForKatharine’ssakeCassandrathoughtWilliamamostdistinguishedandinterestingcharacter,andwelcomedfirsthisconversationandthenhismanuscriptasthemarksofafriendshipwhichitflatteredanddelightedhertoinspire. KatharinewasstilloutwhenshearrivedatCheyneWalk.Aftergreetingheruncleandauntandreceiving,asusual,apresentoftwosovereignsfor“cabfaresanddissipation”fromUncleTrevor,whosefavoritenieceshewas,shechangedherdressandwanderedintoKatharine’sroomtoawaither.Whatagreatlooking-glassKatharinehad,shethought,andhowmatureallthearrangementsuponthedressing-tablewerecomparedtowhatshewasusedtoathome.Glancinground,shethoughtthatthebillsstuckuponaskewerandstoodforornamentuponthemantelpiecewereastonishinglylikeKatharine,Therewasn’taphotographofWilliamanywheretobeseen.Theroom,withitscombinationofluxuryandbareness,itssilkdressing-gownsandcrimsonslippers,itsshabbycarpetandbarewalls,hadapowerfulairofKatharineherselfshestoodinthemiddleoftheroomandenjoyedthesensationandthen,withadesiretofingerwhathercousinwasinthehabitoffingering,Cassandrabegantotakedownthebookswhichstoodinarowupontheshelfabovethebed.Inmosthousesthisshelfistheledgeuponwhichthelastrelicsofreligiousbelieflodgethemselvesasif,lateatnight,intheheartofprivacy,people,skepticalbyday,findsolaceinsippingonedraughtoftheoldcharmforsuchsorrowsorperplexitiesasmaystealfromtheirhiding-placesinthedark.Buttherewasnohymn-bookhere.Bytheirbatteredcoversandenigmaticalcontents,Cassandrajudgedthemtobeoldschool-booksbelongingtoUncleTrevor,andpiously,thougheccentrically,preservedbyhisdaughter.Therewasnoend,shethought,totheunexpectednessofKatharine.Shehadoncehadapassionforgeometryherself,and,curleduponKatharine’squilt,shebecameabsorbedintryingtorememberhowfarshehadforgottenwhatsheonceknew.Katharine,cominginalittlelater,foundherdeepinthischaracteristicpursuit. “Mydear,”Cassandraexclaimed,shakingthebookathercousin,“mywholelife’schangedfromthismoment!Imustwritetheman’snamedownatonce,orIshallforget—” Whosename,whatbook,whichlifewaschangedKatharineproceededtoascertain.Shebegantolayasideherclotheshurriedly,forshewasverylate. “MayIsitandwatchyou?”Cassandraasked,shuttingupherbook.“Igotreadyonpurpose.” “Oh,you’reready,areyou?”saidKatharine,halfturninginthemidstofheroperations,andlookingatCassandra,whosat,claspingherknees,ontheedgeofthebed. “Therearepeopledininghere,”shesaid,takingintheeffectofCassandrafromanewpointofview.Afteraninterval,thedistinction,theirregularcharm,ofthesmallfacewithitslongtaperingnoseanditsbrightovaleyeswereverynotable.Thehairroseupofftheforeheadratherstiffly,and,givenamorecarefultreatmentbyhairdressersanddressmakers,thelightangularfiguremightpossessalikenesstoaFrenchladyofdistinctionintheeighteenthcentury. “Who’scomingtodinner?”Cassandraasked,anticipatingfurtherpossibilitiesofrapture. “There’sWilliam,and,Ibelieve,AuntEleanorandUncleAubrey.” “I’msogladWilliamiscoming.Didhetellyouthathesentmehismanuscript?Ithinkit’swonderful—Ithinkhe’salmostgoodenoughforyou,Katharine.” “Youshallsitnexttohimandtellhimwhatyouthinkofhim.” “Ishan’tdaredothat,”Cassandraasserted. “Why?You’renotafraidofhim,areyou?” “Alittle—becausehe’sconnectedwithyou.” Katharinesmiled. “Butthen,withyourwell-knownfidelity,consideringthatyou’restayinghereatleastafortnight,youwon’thaveanyillusionsleftaboutmebythetimeyougo.Igiveyouaweek,Cassandra.Ishallseemypowerfadingdaybyday.Nowit’sattheclimaxbutto-morrowit’llhavebeguntofade.WhatamItowear,Iwonder?Findmeabluedress,Cassandra,overthereinthelongwardrobe.” Shespokedisconnectedly,handlingbrushandcomb,andpullingoutthelittledrawersinherdressing-tableandleavingthemopen.Cassandra,sittingonthebedbehindher,sawthereflectionofhercousin’sfaceinthelooking-glass.Thefaceinthelooking-glasswasseriousandintent,apparentlyoccupiedwithotherthingsbesidesthestraightnessofthepar