CHAPTER XXXII

nstitutions,andifheweren’tforcedtoearnhislivinghewouldwriteabookthatverymuchwantswriting—” “Heisnotwelloff,then?”Mrs.Milvaininterposed. “Hasn’tapenny,I’mafraid,andafamilymoreorlessdependentonhim.” “Amotherandsisters?—Hisfatherisdead?” “Yes,hisfatherdiedsomeyearsago,”saidMr.Hilbery,whowaspreparedtodrawuponhisimagination,ifnecessary,tokeepMrs.MilvainsuppliedwithfactsabouttheprivatehistoryofRalphDenhamsince,forsomeinscrutablereason,thesubjecttookherfancy. “Hisfatherhasbeendeadsometime,andthisyoungmanhadtotakehisplace—” “Alegalfamily?”Mrs.Milvaininquired.“IfancyI’veseenthenamesomewhere.” Mr.Hilberyshookhishead.“Ishouldbeinclinedtodoubtwhethertheywerealtogetherinthatwalkoflife,”heobserved.“IfancythatDenhamoncetoldmethathisfatherwasacornmerchant.Perhapshesaidastockbroker.Hecametogrief,anyhow,asstockbrokershaveawayofdoing.I’veagreatrespectforDenham,”headded.Theremarksoundedtohisearsunfortunatelyconclusive,andhewasafraidthattherewasnothingmoretobesaidaboutDenham.Heexaminedthetipsofhisfingerscarefully.“Cassandra’sgrownintoaverycharmingyoungwoman,”hestartedafresh.“Charmingtolookat,andcharmingtotalkto,thoughherhistoricalknowledgeisnotaltogetherprofound.Anothercupoftea?” Mrs.Milvainhadgivenhercupalittlepush,whichseemedtoindicatesomemomentarydispleasure.Butshedidnotwantanymoretea. “ItisCassandrathatIhavecomeabout,”shebegan.“IamverysorrytosaythatCassandraisnotatallwhatyouthinkher,Trevor.ShehasimposeduponyourandMaggie’sgoodness.Shehasbehavedinawaythatwouldhaveseemedincredible—inthishouseofallhouses—wereitnotforothercircumstancesthatarestillmoreincredible.” Mr.Hilberylookedtakenaback,andwassilentforasecond. “Itallsoundsveryblack,”heremarkedurbanely,continuinghisexaminationofhisfinger-nails.“ButIownIamcompletelyinthedark.” Mrs.Milvainbecamerigid,andemittedhermessageinlittleshortsentencesofextremeintensity. “WhohasCassandragoneoutwith?WilliamRodney.WhohasKatharinegoneoutwith?RalphDenham.Whyaretheyforevermeetingeachotherroundstreetcorners,andgoingtomusic-halls,andtakingcabslateatnight?WhywillKatharinenottellmethetruthwhenIquestionher?Iunderstandthereasonnow.KatharinehasentangledherselfwiththisunknownlawyershehasseenfittocondoneCassandra’sconduct.” Therewasanotherslightpause. “Ah,well,Katharinewillnodoubthavesomeexplanationtogiveme,”Mr.Hilberyrepliedimperturbably.“It’salittletoocomplicatedformetotakeinallatonce,Iconfess—and,ifyouwon’tthinkmerude,Celia,IthinkI’llbegettingalongtowardsKnightsbridge.” Mrs.Milvainroseatonce. “ShehascondonedCassandra’sconductandentangledherselfwithRalphDenham,”sherepeated.Shestoodveryerectwiththedauntlessairofonetestifyingtothetruthregardlessofconsequences.Sheknewfrompastdiscussionsthattheonlywaytocounterherbrother’sindolenceandindifferencewastoshootherstatementsathiminacompressedformoncefinallyuponleavingtheroom.Havingspokenthus,sherestrainedherselffromaddinganotherword,andleftthehousewiththedignityofoneinspiredbyagreatideal. ShehadcertainlyframedherremarksinsuchawayastopreventherbrotherfrompayinghiscallintheregionofKnightsbridge.HehadnofearsforKatharine,buttherewasasuspicionatthebackofhismindthatCassandramighthavebeen,innocentlyandignorantly,ledintosomefoolishsituationinoneoftheirunshepherdeddissipations.HiswifewasanerraticjudgeoftheconventionshehimselfwaslazyandwithKatharineabsorbed,verynaturally—Hereherecalled,aswellashecould,theexactnatureofthecharge.“ShehascondonedCassandra’sconductandentangledherselfwithRalphDenham.”FromwhichitappearedthatKatharinewasnotabsorbed,orwhichofthemwasitthathadentangledherselfwithRalphDenham?FromthismazeofabsurdityMr.HilberysawnowayoutuntilKatharineherselfcametohishelp,sothatheappliedhimself,veryphilosophicallyonthewhole,toabook. NosoonerhadheheardtheyoungpeoplecomeinandgoupstairsthanhesentamaidtotellMissKatharinethathewishedtospeaktoherinthestudy.Shewasslippingfurslooselyontothefloorinthedrawing-roominfrontofthefire.Theywereallgatheredround,reluctanttopart.ThemessagefromherfathersurprisedKatharine,andtheotherscaughtfromherlook,assheturnedtogo,avaguesenseofapprehension. Mr.Hilberywasreassuredbythesightofher.Hecongratulatedhimself,hepridedhimself,uponpossessingadaughterwhohadasenseofresponsibilityandanunderstandingoflifeprofoundbeyondheryears.Moreover,shewaslookingto-dayunusualhehadcometotakeherbeautyforgrantednowheremembereditandwassurprisedbyit.HethoughtinstinctivelythathehadinterruptedsomehappyhourofherswithRodney,andapologized. “I’msorrytobotheryou,mydear.Iheardyoucomein,andthoughtI’dbettermakemyselfdisagreeableatonce—asitseems,unfortunately,thatfathersareexpectedtomakethemselvesdisagreeable.Now,yourAuntCeliahasbeentoseemeyourAuntCeliahastakenitintoherheadapparentlythatyouandCassandrahavebeen—letussayalittlefoolish.Thisgoingabouttogether—thesepleasantlittleparties—there’sbeensomekindofmisunderstanding.ItoldherIsawnoharminit,butIshouldjustliketohearfromyourself.HasCassandrabeenleftalittletoomuchinthecompanyofMr.Denham?” Katharinedidnotreplyatonce,andMr.Hilberytappedthecoalencouraginglywiththepoker.Thenshesaid,withoutembarrassmentorapology: “Idon’tseewhyIshouldanswerAuntCelia’squestions.I’vetoldheralreadythatIwon’t.” Mr.Hilberywasrelievedandsecretlyamusedatthethoughtoftheinterview,althoughhecouldnotlicensesuchirreverenceoutwardly. “Verygood.Thenyouauthorizemetotellherthatshe’sbeenmistaken,andtherewasnothingbutalittlefuninit?You’venodoubt,Katharine,inyourownmind?Cassandraisinourcharge,andIdon’tintendthatpeopleshouldgossipabouther.Isuggestthatyoushouldbealittlemorecarefulinfuture.Invitemetoyournextentertainment.” Shedidnotrespond,ashehadhoped,withanyaffectionateorhumorousreply.Shemeditated,ponderingsomethingorother,andhereflectedthatevenhisKatharinedidnotdifferfromotherwomeninthecapacitytoletthingsbe.Orhadshesomethingtosay? “Haveyouaguiltyconscience?”heinquiredlightly.“Tellme,Katharine,”hesaidmoreseriously,struckbysomethingintheexpressionofhereyes. “I’vebeenmeaningtotellyouforsometime,”shesaid,“I’mnotgoingtomarryWilliam.” “You’renotgoing—!”heexclaimed,droppingthepokerinhisimmensesurprise.“Why?When?Explainyourself,Katharine.” “Oh,sometimeago—aweek,perhapsmore.”Katharinespokehurriedlyandindifferently,asifthemattercouldnolongerconcernanyone. “ButmayIask—whyhaveInotbeentoldofthis—whatdoyoumeanbyit?” “Wedon’twishtobemarried—that’sall.” “ThisisWilliam’swishaswellasyours?” “Oh,yes.Weagreeperfectly.” Mr.Hilberyhadseldomfeltmorecompletelyataloss.HethoughtthatKatharinewastreatingthematterwithcuriousunconcernshescarcelyseemedawareofthegravityofwhatshewassayinghedidnotunderstandthepositionatall.Buthisdesiretosmootheverythingovercomfortablycametohisrelief.Nodoubttherewassomequarrel,somewhimseyonthepartofWilliam,who,thoughagoodfellow,wasalittleexactingsometimes—somethingthatawomancouldputright.Butthoughheinclinedtotaketheeasiestviewofhisresponsibilities,hecaredtoomuchforthisdaughtertoletthingsbe. “IconfessIfindgreatdifficultyinfollowingyou.IshouldliketohearWilliam’ssideofthestory,”hesaidirritably.“Ithinkheoughttohavespokentomeinthefirstinstance.” “Iwouldn’tlethim,”saidKatharine.“Iknowitmustseemtoyouverystrange,”sheadded.“ButIassureyou,ifyou’dwaitalittle—untilmothercomesback.” ThisappealfordelaywasmuchtoMr.Hilbery’sliking.Buthisconsciencewouldnotsufferit.Peopleweretalking.Hecouldnotendurethathisdaughter’sconductshouldbeinanywayconsideredirregular.Hewonderedwhether,inthecircumstances,itwouldbebettertowiretohiswife,tosendforoneofhissisters,toforbidWilliamthehouse,topackCassandraoffhome—forhewasvaguelyconsciousofresponsibilitiesinherdirection,too.Hisforeheadwasbecomingmoreandmorewrinkledbythemultiplicityofhisanxieties,whichhewassorelytemptedtoaskKatharinetosolveforhim,whenthedooropenedandWilliamRodneyappeared.Thisnecessitatedacompletechange,notonlyofmanner,butofpositionalso. “Here’sWilliam,”Katharineexclaimed,inatoneofrelief.“I’vetoldfatherwe’renotengaged,”s