CHAPTER XXIX
關燈
小
中
大
tion,forsomelittlewhilelonger.NordidKatharinespeak.Herattitudewasthatofsomeonewhowishestobeconcealedasmuchaspossiblefromobservation.Shesighedprofoundlyshewasabsolutelysilent,andapparentlyovercomebyherthoughts.
“D’youknowwhattimeitis?”shesaidatlength,andshookherpillow,asifmakingreadyforsleep.
Cassandraroseobediently,andoncemoretookuphercandle.Perhapsthewhitedressing-gown,andtheloosenedhair,andsomethingunseeingintheexpressionoftheeyesgaveheralikenesstoawomanwalkinginhersleep.Katharine,atleast,thoughtso.
“There’snoreasonwhyIshouldgohome,then?”Cassandrasaid,pausing.“Unlessyouwantmetogo,Katharine?Whatdoyouwantmetodo?”
Forthefirsttimetheireyesmet.
“Youwantedustofallinlove,”Cassandraexclaimed,asifshereadthecertaintythere.Butasshelookedshesawasightthatsurprisedher.ThetearsroseslowlyinKatharine’seyesandstoodthere,brimmingbutcontained—thetearsofsomeprofoundemotion,happiness,grief,renunciationanemotionsocomplexinitsnaturethattoexpressitwasimpossible,andCassandra,bendingherheadandreceivingthetearsuponhercheek,acceptedtheminsilenceastheconsecrationofherlove.
“Please,miss,”saidthemaid,abouteleveno’clockonthefollowingmorning,“Mrs.Milvainisinthekitchen.”
Alongwickerbasketofflowersandbrancheshadarrivedfromthecountry,andKatharine,kneelinguponthefloorofthedrawing-room,wassortingthemwhileCassandrawatchedherfromanarm-chair,andabsent-mindedlymadespasmodicoffersofhelpwhichwerenotaccepted.Themaid’smessagehadacuriouseffectuponKatharine.
Sherose,walkedtothewindow,and,themaidbeinggone,saidemphaticallyandeventragically:
“Youknowwhatthatmeans.”
Cassandrahadunderstoodnothing.
“AuntCeliaisinthekitchen,”Katharinerepeated.
“Whyinthekitchen?”Cassandraasked,notunnaturally.
“Probablybecauseshe’sdiscoveredsomething,”Katharinereplied.Cassandra’sthoughtsflewtothesubjectofherpreoccupation.
“Aboutus?”sheinquired.
“Heavenknows,”Katharinereplied.“Ishan’tletherstayinthekitchen,though.Ishallbringheruphere.”
ThesternnesswithwhichthiswassaidsuggestedthattobringAuntCeliaupstairswas,forsomereason,adisciplinarymeasure.
“Forgoodness’sake,Katharine,”Cassandraexclaimed,jumpingfromherchairandshowingsignsofagitation,“don’tberash.Don’tlethersuspect.Remember,nothing’scertain—”
Katharineassuredherbynoddingherheadseveraltimes,butthemannerinwhichshelefttheroomwasnotcalculatedtoinspirecompleteconfidenceinherdiplomacy.
Mrs.Milvainwassitting,orratherperching,upontheedgeofachairintheservants’room.Whethertherewasanysoundreasonforherchoiceofasubterraneanchamber,orwhetheritcorrespondedwiththespiritofherquest,Mrs.Milvaininvariablycameinbythebackdoorandsatintheservants’roomwhenshewasengagedinconfidentialfamilytransactions.TheostensiblereasonshegavewasthatneitherMr.norMrs.Hilberyshouldbedisturbed.But,intruth,Mrs.Milvaindependedevenmorethanmostelderlywomenofhergenerationuponthedeliciousemotionsofintimacy,agony,andsecrecy,andtheadditionalthrillprovidedbythebasementwasonenotlightlytobeforfeited.SheprotestedalmostplaintivelywhenKatharineproposedtogoupstairs.
“I’vesomethingthatIwanttosaytoyouinprivate,”shesaid,hesitatingreluctantlyuponthethresholdofherambush.
“Thedrawing-roomisempty—”
“Butwemightmeetyourmotheruponthestairs.Wemightdisturbyourfather,”Mrs.Milvainobjected,takingtheprecautiontospeakinawhisperalready.
ButasKatharine’spresencewasabsolutelynecessarytothesuccessoftheinterview,andasKatharineobstinatelyrecededupthekitchenstairs,Mrs.Milvainhadnocoursebuttofollowher.Sheglancedfurtivelyaboutherassheproceededupstairs,drewherskirtstogether,andsteppedwithcircumspectionpastalldoors,whethertheywereopenorshut.
“Nobodywilloverhearus?”shemurmured,whenthecomparativesanctuaryofthedrawing-roomhadbeenreached.“IseethatIhaveinterruptedyou,”sheadded,glancingattheflowersstrewnuponthefloor.Amomentlatersheinquired,“Wassomeonesittingwithyou?”noticingahandkerchiefthatCassandrahaddroppedinherflight.
“Cassandrawashelpingmetoputtheflowersinwater,”saidKatharine,andshespokesofirmlyandclearlythatMrs.Milvainglancednervouslyatthemaindoorandthenatthecurtainwhichdividedthelittleroomwiththerelicsfromthedrawing-room.
“Ah,Cassandraisstillwithyou,”sheremarked.“AnddidWilliamsendyouthoselovelyflowers?”
Katharinesatdownoppositeherauntandsaidneitheryesnorno.Shelookedpasther,anditmighthavebeenthoughtthatshewasconsideringverycriticallythepatternofthecurtains.Anotheradvantageofthebasement,fromMrs.Milvain’spointofview,wasthatitmadeitnecessarytositveryclosetogether,andthelightwasdimcomparedwiththatwhichnowpouredthroughthreewindowsuponKatharineandthebasketofflowers,andgaveeventheslightangularfigureofMrs.Milvainherselfahaloofgold.
“They’refromStogdonHouse,”saidKatharineabruptly,withalittlejerkofherhead.
Mrs.Milvainfeltthatitwouldbeeasiertotellherniecewhatshewishedtosayiftheywereactuallyinphysicalcontact,forthespiritualdistancebetweenthemwasformidable.Katharine,however,madenoovertures,andMrs.Milvain,whowaspossessedofrashbutheroiccourage,plungedwit
