CHAPTER XXXII

hesaidtohim.“I’veexplainedthatIpreventedyoufromtellinghim.” William’smannerwasmarkedbytheutmostformality.HebowedveryslightlyinthedirectionofMr.Hilbery,andstooderect,holdingonelapelofhiscoat,andgazingintothecenterofthefire.HewaitedforMr.Hilberytospeak. Mr.Hilberyalsoassumedanappearanceofformidabledignity.Hehadrisentohisfeet,andnowbentthetoppartofhisbodyslightlyforward. “Ishouldlikeyouraccountofthisaffair,Rodney—ifKatharinenolongerpreventsyoufromspeaking.” Williamwaitedtwosecondsatleast. “Ourengagementisatanend,”hesaid,withtheutmoststiffness. “Hasthisbeenarrivedatbyyourjointdesire?” AfteraperceptiblepauseWilliambenthishead,andKatharinesaid,asifbyanafterthought: “Oh,yes.” Mr.Hilberyswayedtoandfro,andmovedhislipsasiftoutterremarkswhichremainedunspoken. “Icanonlysuggestthatyoushouldpostponeanydecisionuntiltheeffectofthismisunderstandinghashadtimetowearoff.Youhavenowknowneachother—”hebegan. “There’sbeennomisunderstanding,”Katharineinterposed.“Nothingatall.”Shemovedafewpacesacrosstheroom,asifsheintendedtoleavethem.Herpreoccupiednaturalnesswasinstrangecontrasttoherfather’spomposityandtoWilliam’smilitaryrigidity.Hehadnotonceraisedhiseyes.Katharine’sglance,ontheotherhand,rangedpastthetwogentlemen,alongthebooks,overthetables,towardsthedoor.Shewaspayingtheleastpossibleattention,itseemed,towhatwashappening.Herfatherlookedatherwithasuddencloudingandtroublingofhisexpression.Somehowhisfaithinherstabilityandsensewasqueerlyshaken.Henolongerfeltthathecouldultimatelyentrustherwiththewholeconductofherownaffairsafterasuperficialshowofdirectingthem.Hefelt,forthefirsttimeinmanyyears,responsibleforher. “Lookhere,wemustgettothebottomofthis,”hesaid,droppinghisformalmannerandaddressingRodneyasifKatharinewerenotpresent.“You’vehadsomedifferenceofopinion,eh?Takemywordforit,mostpeoplegothroughthissortofthingwhenthey’reengaged.I’veseenmoretroublecomefromlongengagementsthanfromanyotherformofhumanfolly.Takemyadviceandputthewholematteroutofyourminds—bothofyou.Iprescribeacompleteabstinencefromemotion.Visitsomecheerfulseasideresort,Rodney.” HewasstruckbyWilliam’sappearance,whichseemedtohimtoindicateprofoundfeelingresolutelyheldincheck.Nodoubt,hereflected,Katharinehadbeenverytrying,unconsciouslytrying,andhaddrivenhimtotakeupapositionwhichwasnoneofhiswilling.Mr.HilberycertainlydidnotoverrateWilliam’ssufferings.Nominutesinhislifehadhithertoextortedfromhimsuchintensityofanguish.Hewasnowfacingtheconsequencesofhisinsanity.HemustconfesshimselfentirelyandfundamentallyotherthanMr.Hilberythoughthim.Everythingwasagainsthim.EventheSundayeveningandthefireandthetranquillibraryscenewereagainsthim.Mr.Hilbery’sappealtohimasamanoftheworldwasterriblyagainsthim.HewasnolongeramanofanyworldthatMr.Hilberycaredtorecognize.Butsomepowercompelledhim,asithadcompelledhimtocomedownstairs,tomakehisstandhereandnow,aloneandunhelpedbyanyone,withoutprospectofreward.Hefumbledwithvariousphrasesandthenjerkedout: “IloveCassandra.” Mr.Hilbery’sfaceturnedacuriousdullpurple.Helookedathisdaughter.Henoddedhishead,asiftoconveyhissilentcommandtohertoleavetheroombuteithershedidnotnoticeitorpreferrednottoobey. “Youhavetheimpudence—”Mr.Hilberybegan,inadull,lowvoicethathehimselfhadneverheardbefore,whentherewasascufflingandexclaiminginthehall,andCassandra,whoappearedtobeinsistingagainstsomedissuasiononthepartofanother,burstintotheroom. “UncleTrevor,”sheexclaimed,“Iinsistupontellingyouthetruth!”SheflungherselfbetweenRodneyandheruncle,asifshesoughttointercepttheirblows.Asherunclestoodperfectlystill,lookingverylargeandimposing,andasnobodyspoke,sheshrankbackalittle,andlookedfirstatKatharineandthenatRodney.“Youmustknowthetruth,”shesaid,alittlelamely. “YouhavetheimpudencetotellmethisinKatharine’spresence?”Mr.Hilberycontinued,speakingwithcompletedisregardofCassandra’sinterruption. “Iamaware,quiteaware—”Rodney’swords,whichwerebrokeninsense,spokenafterapause,andwithhiseyesupontheground,neverthelessexpressedanastonishingamountofresolution.“Iamquiteawarewhatyoumustthinkofme,”hebroughtout,lookingMr.Hilberydirectlyintheeyesforthefirsttime. “Icouldexpressmyviewsonthesubjectmorefullyifwewerealone,”Mr.Hilberyreturned. “Butyouforgetme,”saidKatharine.ShemovedalittletowardsRodney,andhermovementseemedtotestifymutelytoherrespectforhim,andheralliancewithhim.“IthinkWilliamhasbehavedperfectlyrightly,and,afterall,itisIwhoamconcerned—IandCassandra.” Cassandra,too,gaveanindescribablyslightmovementwhichseemedtodrawthethreeofthemintoalliancetogether.Katharine’stoneandglancemadeMr.Hilberyoncemorefeelcompletelyataloss,andinaddition,painfullyandangrilyobsoletebutinspiteofanawfulinnerhollownesshewasoutwardlycomposed. “CassandraandRodneyhaveaperfectrighttosettletheirownaffairsaccordingtotheirownwishesbutIseenoreasonwhytheyshoulddosoeitherinmyroomorinmyhouse....Iwishtobequiteclearonthispoint,howeveryouarenolongerengagedtoRodney.” Hepaused,andhispauseseemedtosignifythathewasextremelythankfulforhisdaughter’sdeliverance. CassandraturnedtoKatharine,whodrewherbreathasiftospeakandcheckedherselfRodney,too,seemedtoawaitsomemovementonherpartherfatherglancedatherasifhehalfanticipatedsomefurtherrevelation.Sheremainedperfectlysilent.Inthesilencetheyhearddistinctlystepsdescendingthestaircase,andKatharinewentstraighttothedoor. “Wait,”Mr.Hilberycommanded.“Iwishtospeaktoyou—alone,”headded. Shepaused,holdingthedoorajar. “I’llcomeback,”shesaid,andasshespokesheopenedthedoorandwentout.Theycouldhearherimmediatelyspeaktosomeoneoutside,thoughthewordswereinaudible. Mr.Hilberywasleftconfrontingtheguiltycouple,whoremainedstandingasiftheydidnotaccepttheirdismissal,andthedisappearanceofKatharinehadbroughtsomechangeintothesituation.So,inhissecretheart,Mr.Hilberyfeltthatithad,forhecouldnotexplainhisdaughter’sbehaviortohisownsatisfaction. “UncleTrevor,”Cassandraexclaimedimpulsively,“don’tbeangry,please.Icouldn’thelpitIdobegyoutoforgiveme.” Herunclestillrefusedtoacknowledgeheridentity,andstilltalkedoverherheadasifshedidnotexist. “IsupposeyouhavecommunicatedwiththeOtways,”hesaidtoRodneygrimly. “UncleTrevor,wewantedtotellyou,”Cassandrarepliedforhim.“Wewaited—”shelookedappealinglyatRodney,whoshookhisheadeversoslightly. “Yes?Whatwereyouwaitingfor?”heruncleaskedsharply,lookingatheratlast. Thewordsdiedonherlips.Itwasapparentthatshewasstrainingherearsasiftocatchsomesoundoutsidetheroomthatwouldcometoherhelp.Hereceivednoanswer.Helistened,too. “Thisisamostunpleasantbusinessforallparties,”heconcluded,sinkingintohischairagain,hunchinghisshouldersandregardingtheflames.Heseemedtospeaktohimself,andRodneyandCassandralookedathiminsilence. “Whydon’tyousitdown?”hesaidsuddenly.Hespokegruffly,buttheforceofhisangerwasevidentlyspent,orsomepreoccupationhadturnedhismoodtootherregions.WhileCassandraacceptedhisinvitation,Rodneyremainedstanding. “IthinkCassandracanexplainmattersbetterinmyabsence,”hesaid,andlefttheroom,Mr.Hilberygivinghisassentbyaslightnodofthehead. Meanwhile,inthedining-roomnextdoor,DenhamandKatharinewereoncemoreseatedatthemahoganytable.Theyseemedtobecontinuingaconversationbrokenoffinthemiddle,asifeachrememberedtheprecisepointatwhichtheyhadbeeninterrupted,andwaseagertogoonasquicklyaspossible.Katharine,havinginterposedashortaccountoftheinterviewwithherfather,Denhammadenocomment,butsaid: “Anyhow,there’snoreasonwhyweshouldn’tseeeachother.” “Orstaytogether.It’sonlymarriagethat’soutofthequestion,”Katharinereplied. “ButifIfindmyselfcomingtowantyoumoreandmore?” “Ifourlapsescomemoreandmoreoften?” Hesighedimpatiently,andsaidnothingforamoment. “Butatleast,”herenewed,“we’veestablishedthefactthatmylapsesarestillinsomeoddwayconnectedwithyouyourshavenothingtodowithme.Katharine,”headded,hisassumptionofreasonbrokenupbyhisagitation,“Iassureyouthatweareinlove—whatotherpeoplecalllove.Rememberthatnight.Wehadnodoubtswhateverthen.Wewereabsolutelyhappyforh