CHAPTER XXXIII

train,”Katharineinterposed,seeingthatCassandrawasunabletospeak. “Life,”beganMrs.Hilbery,drawinginspirationfromtheportraitsonthewallapparently,“consistsinmissingtrainsandinfinding—”Butshepulledherselfupandremarkedthatthekettlemusthaveboiledcompletelyovereverything. ToKatharine’sagitatedminditappearedthatthiskettlewasanenormouskettle,capableofdelugingthehouseinitsincessantshowersofsteam,theenragedrepresentativeofallthosehouseholddutieswhichshehadneglected.Sheranhastilyuptothedrawing-room,andtherestfollowedher,forMrs.HilberyputherarmroundCassandraanddrewherupstairs.TheyfoundRodneyobservingthekettlewithuneasinessbutwithsuchabsenceofmindthatKatharine’scatastrophewasinafairwaytobefulfilled.Inputtingthematterstraightnogreetingswereexchanged,butRodneyandCassandrachoseseatsasfarapartaspossible,andsatdownwithanairofpeoplemakingaverytemporarylodgment.EitherMrs.Hilberywasimpervioustotheirdiscomfort,orchosetoignoreit,orthoughtithightimethatthesubjectwaschanged,forshedidnothingbuttalkaboutShakespeare’stomb. “Somuchearthandsomuchwaterandthatsublimespiritbroodingoveritall,”shemused,andwentontosingherstrange,half-earthlysongofdawnsandsunsets,ofgreatpoets,andtheunchangedspiritofnoblelovingwhichtheyhadtaught,sothatnothingchanges,andoneageislinkedwithanother,andnoonedies,andweallmeetinspirit,untilsheappearedobliviousofanyoneintheroom.Butsuddenlyherremarksseemedtocontracttheenormouslywidecircleinwhichtheyweresoaringandtoalight,airilyandtemporarily,uponmattersofmoreimmediatemoment. “KatharineandRalph,”shesaid,asiftotrythesound.“WilliamandCassandra.” “Ifeelmyselfinanentirelyfalseposition,”saidWilliamdesperately,thrustinghimselfintothisbreachinherreflections.“I’venorighttobesittinghere.Mr.Hilberytoldmeyesterdaytoleavethehouse.I’dnointentionofcomingbackagain.Ishallnow—” “Ifeelthesametoo,”Cassandrainterrupted.“AfterwhatUncleTrevorsaidtomelastnight—” “Ihaveputyouintoamostodiousposition,”Rodneywenton,risingfromhisseat,inwhichmovementhewasimitatedsimultaneouslybyCassandra.“UntilIhaveyourfather’sconsentIhavenorighttospeaktoyou—letaloneinthishouse,wheremyconduct”—helookedatKatharine,stammered,andfellsilent—“wheremyconducthasbeenreprehensibleandinexcusableintheextreme,”heforcedhimselftocontinue.“Ihaveexplainedeverythingtoyourmother.SheissogenerousastotryandmakemebelievethatIhavedonenoharm—youhaveconvincedherthatmybehavior,selfishandweakasitwas—selfishandweak—”herepeated,likeaspeakerwhohaslosthisnotes. TwoemotionsseemedtobestrugglinginKatharineonethedesiretolaughattheridiculousspectacleofWilliammakingheraformalspeechacrossthetea-table,theotheradesiretoweepatthesightofsomethingchildlikeandhonestinhimwhichtouchedherinexpressibly.Toeveryone’ssurprisesherose,stretchedoutherhand,andsaid: “You’venothingtoreproachyourselfwith—you’vebeenalways—”butherehervoicediedaway,andthetearsforcedthemselvesintohereyes,andrandownhercheeks,whileWilliam,equallymoved,seizedherhandandpressedittohislips.Nooneperceivedthatthedrawing-roomdoorhadopeneditselfsufficientlytoadmitatleasthalfthepersonofMr.Hilbery,orsawhimgazeatthesceneroundthetea-tablewithanexpressionoftheutmostdisgustandexpostulation.Hewithdrewunseen.Hepausedoutsideonthelandingtryingtorecoverhisself-controlandtodecidewhatcoursehemightwithmostdignitypursue.Itwasobvioustohimthathiswifehadentirelyconfusedthemeaningofhisinstructions.Shehadplungedthemallintothemostodiousconfusion.Hewaitedamoment,andthen,withmuchpreliminaryrattlingofthehandle,openedthedoorasecondtime.Theyhadallregainedtheirplacessomeincidentofanabsurdnaturehadnowsetthemlaughingandlookingunderthetable,sothathisentrancepassedmomentarilyunperceived.Katharine,withflushedcheeks,raisedherheadandsaid: “Well,that’smylastattemptatthedramatic.” “It’sastonishingwhatadistancetheyroll,”saidRalph,stoopingtoturnupthecornerofthehearthrug. “Don’ttrouble—don’tbother.Weshallfindit—”Mrs.Hilberybegan,andthensawherhusbandandexclaimed:“Oh,Trevor,we’relookingforCassandra’sengagement-ring!” Mr.Hilberylookedinstinctivelyatthecarpet.Remarkablyenough,theringhadrolledtotheverypointwherehestood.Hesawtherubiestouchingthetipofhisboot.Suchistheforceofhabitthathecouldnotrefrainfromstooping,withanabsurdlittlethrillofpleasureatbeingtheonetofindwhatotherswerelookingfor,and,pickingtheringup,hepresentedit,withabowthatwascourtlyintheextreme,toCassandra.Whetherthemakingofabowreleasedautomaticallyfeelingsofcomplaisanceandurbanity,Mr.Hilberyfoundhisresentmentcompletelywashedawayduringthesecondinwhichhebentandstraightenedhimself.Cassandradaredtoofferhercheekandreceivedhisembrace.HenoddedwithsomedegreeofstiffnesstoRodneyandDenham,whohadbothrisenuponseeinghim,andnowaltogethersatdown.Mrs.Hilberyseemedtohavebeenwaitingfortheentranceofherhusband,andforthisprecisemomentinordertoputtohimaquestionwhich,fromtheardorwithwhichsheannouncedit,hadevidentlybeenpressingforutteranceforsometimepast. “Oh,Trevor,pleasetellme,whatwasthedateofthefirstperformanceof‘Hamlet’?” InordertoanswerherMr.HilberyhadtohaverecoursetotheexactscholarshipofWilliamRodney,andbeforehehadgivenhisexcellentauthoritiesforbelievingashebelieved,RodneyfelthimselfadmittedoncemoretothesocietyofthecivilizedandsanctionedbytheauthorityofnolessapersonthanShakespearehimself.Thepowerofliterature,whichhadtemporarilydesertedMr.Hilbery,nowcamebacktohim,pouringovertherawuglinessofhumanaffairsitssoothingbalm,andprovidingaformintowhichsuchpassionsashehadfeltsopainfullythenightbeforecouldbemoldedsothattheyfellroundlyfromthetongueinshapelyphrases,hurtingnobody.HewassufficientlysureofhiscommandoflanguageatlengthtolookatKatharineandagainatDenham.AllthistalkaboutShakespearehadactedasasoporific,orratherasanincantationuponKatharine.Sheleanedbackinherchairattheheadofthetea-table,perfectlysilent,lookingvaguelypastthemall,receivingthemostgeneralizedideasofhumanheadsagainstpictures,againstyellow-tintedwalls,againstcurtainsofdeepcrimsonvelvet.Denham,towhomheturnednext,sharedherimmobilityunderhisgaze.Butbeneathhisrestraintandcalmitwaspossibletodetectaresolution,awill,setnowwithunalterabletenacity,whichmadesuchturnsofspeechasMr.Hilberyhadatcommandappearoddlyirrelevant.Atanyrate,hesaidnothing.Herespectedtheyoungmanhewasaveryableyoungmanhewaslikelytogethisownway.Hecould,hethought,lookingathisstillandverydignifiedhead,understandKatharine’spreference,and,ashethoughtthis,hewassurprisedbyapangofacutejealousy.ShemighthavemarriedRodneywithoutcausinghimatwinge.Thismansheloved.Orwhatwasthestateofaffairsbetweenthem?Anextraordinaryconfusionofemotionwasbeginningtogetthebetterofhim,whenMrs.Hilbery,whohadbeenconsciousofasuddenpauseintheconversation,andhadlookedwistfullyatherdaughteronceortwice,remarked: “Don’tstayifyouwanttogo,Katharine.There’sthelittleroomoverthere.PerhapsyouandRalph—” “We’reengaged,”saidKatharine,wakingwithastart,andlookingstraightatherfather.Hewastakenabackbythedirectnessofthestatementheexclaimedasifanunexpectedblowhadstruckhim.Hadhelovedhertoseehersweptawaybythistorrent,tohavehertakenfromhimbythisuncontrollableforce,tostandbyhelpless,ignored?Oh,howhelovedher!Howhelovedher!HenoddedverycurtlytoDenham. “Igatheredsomethingofthekindlastnight,”hesaid.“Ihopeyou’lldeserveher.”Butheneverlookedathisdaughter,andstrodeoutoftheroom,leavinginthemindsofthewomenasense,halfofawe,halfofamusement,attheextravagant,inconsiderate,uncivilizedmale,outragedsomehowandgonebellowingtohislairwitharoarwhichstillsometimesreverberatesinthemostpolishedofdrawing-rooms.ThenKatharine,lookingattheshutdoor,lookeddownagain,tohidehertears.