CHAPTER XXIX

houtpreface: “Peoplearetalkingaboutyou,Katharine.ThatiswhyIhavecomethismorning.YouforgivemeforsayingwhatI’dmuchrathernotsay?WhatIsayisonlyforyourownsake,mychild.” “There’snothingtoforgiveyet,AuntCelia,”saidKatharine,withapparentgoodhumor. “PeoplearesayingthatWilliamgoeseverywherewithyouandCassandra,andthatheisalwayspayingherattentions.AttheMarkhams’dancehesatoutfivedanceswithher.AttheZootheywereseenalonetogether.Theylefttogether.Theynevercamebackheretillsevenintheevening.Butthatisnotall.Theysayhismannerisverymarked—heisquitedifferentwhensheisthere.” Mrs.Milvain,whosewordshadrunthemselvestogether,andwhosevoicehadraiseditstonealmosttooneofprotest,hereceased,andlookedintentlyatKatharine,asiftojudgetheeffectofhercommunication.AslightrigidityhadpassedoverKatharine’sface.Herlipswerepressedtogetherhereyeswerecontracted,andtheywerestillfixeduponthecurtain.Thesesuperficialchangescoveredanextremeinnerloathingsuchasmightfollowthedisplayofsomehideousorindecentspectacle.Theindecentspectaclewasherownactionbeheldforthefirsttimefromtheoutsideheraunt’swordsmadeherrealizehowinfinitelyrepulsivethebodyoflifeiswithoutitssoul. “Well?”shesaidatlength. Mrs.Milvainmadeagestureasiftobringhercloser,butitwasnotreturned. “Weallknowhowgoodyouare—howunselfish—howyousacrificeyourselftoothers.Butyou’vebeentoounselfish,Katharine.YouhavemadeCassandrahappy,andshehastakenadvantageofyourgoodness.” “Idon’tunderstand,AuntCelia,”saidKatharine.“WhathasCassandradone?” “CassandrahasbehavedinawaythatIcouldnothavethoughtpossible,”saidMrs.Milvainwarmly.“Shehasbeenutterlyselfish—utterlyheartless.ImustspeaktoherbeforeIgo.” “Idon’tunderstand,”Katharinepersisted. Mrs.Milvainlookedather.WasitpossiblethatKatharinereallydoubted?ThattherewassomethingthatMrs.Milvainherselfdidnotunderstand?Shebracedherself,andpronouncedthetremendouswords: “CassandrahasstolenWilliam’slove.” Stillthewordsseemedtohavecuriouslylittleeffect. “Doyoumean,”saidKatharine,“thathehasfalleninlovewithher?” “Therearewaysofmakingmenfallinlovewithone,Katharine.” Katharineremainedsilent.ThesilencealarmedMrs.Milvain,andshebeganhurriedly: “Nothingwouldhavemademesaythesethingsbutyourowngood.IhavenotwishedtointerfereIhavenotwishedtogiveyoupain.Iamauselessoldwoman.Ihavenochildrenofmyown.Ionlywanttoseeyouhappy,Katharine.” Againshestretchedforthherarms,buttheyremainedempty. “YouarenotgoingtosaythesethingstoCassandra,”saidKatharinesuddenly.“You’vesaidthemtomethat’senough.” KatharinespokesolowandwithsuchrestraintthatMrs.Milvainhadtostraintocatchherwords,andwhensheheardthemshewasdazedbythem. “I’vemadeyouangry!IknewIshould!”sheexclaimed.Shequivered,andakindofsobshookherbuteventohavemadeKatharineangrywassomerelief,andallowedhertofeelsomeoftheagreeablesensationsofmartyrdom. “Yes,”saidKatharine,standingup,“I’msoangrythatIdon’twanttosayanythingmore.Ithinkyou’dbettergo,AuntCelia.Wedon’tunderstandeachother.” AtthesewordsMrs.Milvainlookedforamomentterriblyapprehensivesheglancedatherniece’sface,butreadnopitythere,whereuponshefoldedherhandsuponablackvelvetbagwhichshecarriedinanattitudethatwasalmostoneofprayer.Whateverdivinitysheprayedto,ifprayshedid,atanyratesherecoveredherdignityinasingularwayandfacedherniece. “Marriedlove,”shesaidslowlyandwithemphasisuponeveryword,“isthemostsacredofallloves.Theloveofhusbandandwifeisthemostholyweknow.ThatisthelessonMamma’schildrenlearntfromherthatiswhattheycanneverforget.Ihavetriedtospeakasshewouldhavewishedherdaughtertospeak.Youarehergrandchild.” Katharineseemedtojudgethisdefenceuponitsmerits,andthentoconvictitoffalsity. “Idon’tseethatthereisanyexcuseforyourbehavior,”shesaid. AtthesewordsMrs.Milvainroseandstoodforamomentbesideherniece.Shehadnevermetwithsuchtreatmentbefore,andshedidnotknowwithwhatweaponstobreakdowntheterriblewallofresistanceofferedherbyonewho,byvirtueofyouthandbeautyandsex,shouldhavebeenalltearsandsupplications.ButMrs.Milvainherselfwasobstinateuponamatterofthiskindshecouldnotadmitthatshewaseitherbeatenormistaken.Shebeheldherselfthechampionofmarriedloveinitspurityandsupremacywhatherniecestoodforshewasquiteunabletosay,butshewasfilledwiththegravestsuspicions.Theoldwomanandtheyoungwomanstoodsidebysideinunbrokensilence.Mrs.Milvaincouldnotmakeuphermindtowithdrawwhileherprinciplestrembledinthebalanceandhercuriosityremainedunappeased.SheransackedhermindforsomequestionthatshouldforceKatharinetoenlightenher,butthesupplywaslimited,thechoicedifficult,andwhileshehesitatedthedooropenedandWilliamRodneycamein.Hecarriedinhishandanenormousandsplendidbunchofwhiteandpurpleflowers,and,eithernotseeingMrs.Milvain,ordisregardingher,headvancedstraighttoKatharine,andpresentedtheflowerswiththewords: “Theseareforyou,Katharine.” KatharinetookthemwithaglancethatMrs.Milvaindidnotfailtointercept.Butwithallherexperience,shedidnotknowwhattomakeofit.Shewatchedanxiouslyforfurtherillumination.Williamgreetedherwithoutobvioussignofgui