CHAPTER XXXI

ThetraywhichbroughtKatharine’scupofteathenextmorningbrought,also,anotefromhermother,announcingthatitwasherintentiontocatchanearlytraintoStratford-on-Avonthatveryday. “Pleasefindoutthebestwayofgettingthere,”thenoteran,“andwiretodearSirJohnBurdetttoexpectme,withmylove.I’vebeendreamingallnightofyouandShakespeare,dearestKatharine.” Thiswasnomomentaryimpulse.Mrs.HilberyhadbeendreamingofShakespeareanytimethesesixmonths,toyingwiththeideaofanexcursiontowhatsheconsideredtheheartofthecivilizedworld.TostandsixfeetaboveShakespeare’sbones,toseetheverystoneswornbyhisfeet,toreflectthattheoldestman’soldestmotherhadverylikelyseenShakespeare’sdaughter—suchthoughtsrousedanemotioninher,whichsheexpressedatunsuitablemoments,andwithapassionthatwouldnothavebeenunseemlyinapilgrimtoasacredshrine.Theonlystrangethingwasthatshewishedtogobyherself.But,naturallyenough,shewaswellprovidedwithfriendswholivedintheneighborhoodofShakespeare’stomb,andweredelightedtowelcomeherandsheleftlatertocatchhertraininthebestofspirits.Therewasamansellingvioletsinthestreet.Itwasafineday.ShewouldremembertosendMr.Hilberythefirstdaffodilshesaw.And,assheranbackintothehalltotellKatharine,shefelt,shehadalwaysfelt,thatShakespeare’scommandtoleavehisbonesundisturbedappliedonlytoodiouscuriosity-mongers—nottodearSirJohnandherself.LeavingherdaughtertocogitatethetheoryofAnneHathaway’ssonnets,andtheburiedmanuscriptsherereferredto,withtheimpliedmenacetothesafetyoftheheartofcivilizationitself,shebrisklyshutthedoorofhertaxi-cab,andwaswhirledoffuponthefirststageofherpilgrimage. Thehousewasoddlydifferentwithouther.Katharinefoundthemaidsalreadyinpossessionofherroom,whichtheymeanttocleanthoroughlyduringherabsence.ToKatharineitseemedasiftheyhadbrushedawaysixtyyearsorsowiththefirstflickoftheirdampdusters.Itseemedtoherthattheworkshehadtriedtodointhatroomwasbeingsweptintoaveryinsignificantheapofdust.Thechinashepherdesseswerealreadyshiningfromabathofhotwater.Thewriting-tablemighthavebelongedtoaprofessionalmanofmethodicalhabits. Gatheringtogetherafewpapersuponwhichshewasatwork,Katharineproceededtoherownroomwiththeintentionoflookingthroughthem,perhaps,inthecourseofthemorning.ButshewasmetonthestairsbyCassandra,whofollowedherup,butwithsuchintervalsbetweeneachstepthatKatharinebegantofeelherpurposedwindlingbeforetheyhadreachedthedoor.Cassandraleantoverthebanisters,andlookeddownuponthePersianrugthatlayonthefloorofthehall. “Doesn’teverythinglookoddthismorning?”sheinquired.“Areyoureallygoingtospendthemorningwiththosedulloldletters,becauseifso—” Thedulloldletters,whichwouldhaveturnedtheheadsofthemostsoberofcollectors,werelaiduponatable,and,afteramoment’spause,Cassandra,lookinggraveallofasudden,askedKatharinewheresheshouldfindthe“HistoryofEngland”byLordMacaulay.ItwasdownstairsinMr.Hilbery’sstudy.Thecousinsdescendedtogetherinsearchofit.Theydivergedintothedrawing-roomforthegoodreasonthatthedoorwasopen.TheportraitofRichardAlardyceattractedtheirattention. “Iwonderwhathewaslike?”ItwasaquestionthatKatharinehadoftenaskedherselflately. “Oh,afraudliketherestofthem—atleastHenrysaysso,”Cassandrareplied.“ThoughIdon’tbelieveeverythingHenrysays,”sheaddedalittledefensively. DowntheywentintoMr.Hilbery’sstudy,wheretheybegantolookamonghisbooks.Sodesultorywasthisexaminationthatsomefifteenminutesfailedtodiscovertheworktheywereinsearchof. “MustyoureadMacaulay’sHistory,Cassandra?”Katharineasked,withastretchofherarms. “Imust,”Cassandrarepliedbriefly. “Well,I’mgoingtoleaveyoutolookforitbyyourself.” “Oh,no,Katharine.Pleasestayandhelpme.Yousee—yousee—ItoldWilliamI’dreadalittleeveryday.AndIwanttotellhimthatI’vebegunwhenhecomes.” “WhendoesWilliamcome?”Katharineasked,turningtotheshelvesagain. “Totea,ifthatsuitsyou?” “Ifitsuitsmetobeout,Isupposeyoumean.” “Oh,you’rehorrid....Whyshouldn’tyou—?” “Yes?” “Whyshouldn’tyoubehappytoo?” “Iamquitehappy,”Katharinereplied. “ImeanasIam.Katharine,”shesaidimpulsively,“dolet’sbemarriedonthesameday.” “Tothesameman?” “Oh,no,no.Butwhyshouldn’tyoumarry—someoneelse?” “Here’syourMacaulay,”saidKatharine,turningroundwiththebookinherhand.“Ishouldsayyou’dbetterbegintoreadatonceifyoumeantobeeducatedbytea-time.” “DamnLordMacaulay!”criedCassandra,slappingthebookuponthetable.“Wouldyourathernottalk?” “We’vetalkedenoughalready,”Katharinerepliedevasively. “IknowIshan’tbeabletosettletoMacaulay,”saidCassandra,lookingruefullyatthedullredcoveroftheprescribedvolume,which,however,possessedatalismanicproperty,sinceWilliamadmiredit.Hehadadvisedalittleseriousreadingforthemorninghours. “HaveyoureadMacaulay?”sheasked. “No.Williamnevertriedtoeducateme.”AsshespokeshesawthelightfadefromCassandra’sface,asifshehadimpliedsomeother,moremysterious,relationship.Shewasstungwithcompunction.Shemarveledatherownrashnessinhavinginfluencedthelifeofanother,asshehadinfluencedCassandra’slife. “Weweren’tserious,”shesaidquickly. “ButI’mfearfullyserious,”saidCassandra,withalittleshudder,andherlookshowedthatshespokethetruth.SheturnedandglancedatKatharineasshehadneverglancedatherbefore.Therewasfearinherglance,whichdartedonherandthendroppedguiltily.Oh,Katharinehadeverything—beauty,mind,character.ShecouldnevercompetewithKatharineshecouldneverbesafesolongasKatharinebroodedoverher,dominatingher,disposingofher.Shecalledhercold,unseeing,unscrupulous,buttheonlysignshegaveoutwardlywasacuriousone—shereachedoutherhandandgraspedthevolumeofhistory.AtthatmomentthebellofthetelephonerangandKatharinewenttoanswerit.Cassandra,releasedfromobservation,droppedherbookandclenchedherhands.Shesufferedmorefierytortureinthosefewminutesthanshehadsufferedinthewholeofherlifeshelearntmoreofhercapacitiesforfeeling.ButwhenKatharinereappearedshewascalm,andhadgainedalookofdignitythatwasnewtoher. “Wasthathim?”sheasked. “ItwasRalphDenham,”Katharinereplied. “ImeantRalphDenham.” “WhydidyoumeanRalphDenham?WhathasWilliamtoldyouaboutRalphDenham?”TheaccusationthatKatharinewascalm,callous,andindifferentwasnotpossibleinfaceofherpresentairofanimation.ShegaveCassandranotimetoframeananswer.“Now,whenareyouandWilliamgoingtobemarried?”sheasked. Cassandramadenoreplyforsomemoments.Itwas,indeed,averydifficultquestiontoanswer.Inconversationthenightbefore,WilliamhadindicatedtoCassandrathat,inhisbelief,KatharinewasbecomingengagedtoRalphDenhaminthedining-room.Cassandra,intherosylightofherowncircumstances,hadbeendisposedtothinkthatthemattermustbesettledalready.ButaletterwhichshehadreceivedthatmorningfromWilliam,whileardentinitsexpressionofaffection,hadconveyedtoherobliquelythathewouldprefertheannouncementoftheirengagementtocoincidewiththatofKatharine’s.ThisdocumentCassandranowproduced,andreadaloud,withconsiderableexcisionsandmuchhesitation. “...athousandpities—ahem—Ifearweshallcauseagreatdealofnaturalannoyance.If,ontheotherhand,whatIhavereasontothinkwillhappen,shouldhappen—withinreasonabletime,andthepresentpositionisnotinanywayoffensivetoyou,delaywould,inmyopinion,serveallourinterestsbetterthanaprematureexplanation,whichisboundtocausemoresurprisethanisdesirable—” “VerylikeWilliam,”Katharineexclaimed,havinggatheredthedriftoftheseremarkswithaspeedthat,byitself,disconcertedCassandra. “Iquiteunderstandhisfeelings,”Cassandrareplied.“Iquiteagreewiththem.Ithinkitwouldbemuchbetter,ifyouintendtomarryMr.Denham,thatweshouldwaitasWilliamsays.” “But,then,ifIdon’tmarryhimformonths—or,perhaps,notatall?” Cassandrawassilent.Theprospectappalledher.KatharinehadbeentelephoningtoRalphDenhamshelookedqueer,tooshemustbe,orabouttobecome,engagedtohim.ButifCassandracouldhaveoverheardtheconversationuponthetelephone,shewouldnothavefeltsocertainthatittendedinthatdirection.Itwastothiseffect: “I’mRalphDenhamspeaking.I’minmyrightsensesnow.” “Howlongdidyouwaitoutsidethehouse?” “Iwenthomeandwroteyoualetter.Itoreitup.” “Ishalltearupeverythingtoo.” “Ishallcome.” “Yes.Cometo-day.” “Imustexplaintoyou—” “Yes.Wemustexplain—” Alongpausefollowed.Ralphbeganasentence,whichhecanceledwiththeword,“Nothing.”Suddenly,together,atthesamemoment,theysaidgood-bye.Andyet,ifthetelephonehadbeenmiraculouslyconnectedwi