CHAPTER VI

nna!"criedLetty."It'sfrightfullynice.It'slikeapicnicthatdoesn'tleaveoff.Whenarewegoingoverthehouse,andoutintothegarden?Idosowanttogo—oh,Idosowanttogo!"Andshejumpedupanddownimpatientlyonherchair,tillherardourwaspartiallyquenchedbyhermother'sforbiddinghertogooutofdoorsintherain."Well,let'sgooverthehouse,then,"saidLetty,dyingtoexplore. "Oh,yes,youmaygooverthehouse,"saidhermotherwithashrugofdispleasurethoughwhysheshouldbedispleaseditwouldhavepuzzledanyonewhohaddinedsatisfactorilytoexplain.ThenshesuddenlyrememberedHilton,andwithanexclamationstartedoffinsearchofher. TheothersputontheirfursbeforegoingintotheArcticatmosphereofthehall,andbegantoexplore,spendingthenexthourverypleasantlyramblingalloverthehouse,whileSusie,whohadfoundHilton,remainedshutupinthebedroomallottedhertillsuppertime. ThecookshowedAnnaherbedroom,andwhenshehadgone,Annagaveonelookroundattheevergreenwreathswithwhichitwasdecoratedandwhichfilleditwithapungent,bakedsmell,andthenranouttoseewhatherhousewaslike.Herheartwasfullofprideandhappinessasshewanderedabouttheroomsandpassages.Themagicwordmineranginherears,andgaveeachpieceoffurnitureacharmsoridiculouslygreatthatshewouldnothavetoldanyoneofitfortheworld.Shetookupthedifferentirrelevantornamentsthatwerescatteredthroughtherooms,collectedassuchthingsdocollect,nobodyknewwhenorwhy,andsheputthemdownagainsomewhereelse,onlybecauseshehadtherighttoalterthingsandshelovedtoremindherselfofit.Shepattedthewallsandthetablesasshepassedshesmootheddownthefoldsofthecurtainswithtendertouchesshewentuptoeveryseparatelooking-glassandstoodinfrontofitamoment,sothatthereshouldbenonethathadnotreflectedtheimageofitsmistress.ShewassochildishlydelightedwithherscantypossessionsthatshewasthankfulSusieremainedinvisibleanddidnotcomeoutandscoff. Whatifitseemedanodd,bareplacetoeyesusedtothesuperfluityofhangingsandstuffingsthatprevailedatEstcourt?Thesebareboards,theseshabbylittlematsbythesideofthebeds,thewornfoxes'skinsbeforethewriting-tables,thecaneorwoodenchairs,thewhitecalicocurtainswithmeekcottonfringes,thequeerlittleprintsonthewalls,thepaintedwoodenbedsteads,seemedtoherintheirverypoornessandunpretentiousnesstobeemblematicalofallthevirtues.Asshelingeredinthequietrooms,whileLettyracedalongthepassages,AnnasaidtoherselfthatthisSpartansimplicity,thisabsenceofeveryluxurythatcouldstillfurthersoftenanalreadylanguidandeffeminatesoul,wasbeautiful.Here,asinthewhitewashedpraying-placesofthePuritans,iftherewereanybeautyandanygloryitmustallcomefromwithin,beallofthespirit,beonlythebeautyofacleanlifeandthegloryofkindthoughts.Shepicturedherselfwakingupinoneofthoseunadornedbedswiththemorningsunshiningonherface,andrisingtogoherdailyroundofusefulnessinherquiethouse,wheretherewouldbenoquarrels,andnopitifulambitions,andnoneofthosemanybitterheartachesthatneedneverbe.Wouldtheynotbehappydays,thosedaysofsimpleduties?"Thebetterlife—thebetterlife,"sherepeatedmusingly,standinginthemiddleofthebigroomthroughwhosetallwindowsshecouldseethegarden,andastripofmarshyland,andthenthegreyseaandthewhiteofthegullsandthedarklineoftheRügencoastoverwhichtheduskwasgatheringandshecountedonherfingersmechanically,"Simplicity,frugality,hardwork.UncleJoachimsaidthatwasthebetterlife,andhewaswise—oh,hewasverywise—butstill——Andhelovedme,andunderstoodme,butstill——" Lookingupshecaughtsightofherselfinalongglassopposite,aslimfigureinafurcloak,withbareheadandpensiveeyes,lostinreflection.Itremindedherofthedaythelettercame,whenshestoodbeforetheglassinherLondonbedroomdressedfordinner,withthatsamesentenceofhispersistentlyinherears,andhowshehadnotbeenabletoimagineherselfleadingthelifeitdescribed.Now,inhertravellingdress,paleandtiredandsubduedafterthelongjourney,shornofeverygraceofclothesandcurls,shecriticisedherownfatuityinhavingheldherselftobeoftoofineaclay,toodelicate,toofragile,foralifethatmightberough."Oh,vainandfoolishone!"shesaidaloud,apostrophisingthefigureintheglasswiththefamiliarDuofthedaysbeforehermotherdied,"Artthouthensomuchbetterthanothers,thatthoumustforeverbeonlyornamentalandanexpense?Canstthounotlive,exceptinluxury?Orwalk,exceptoncarpets?Oreat,exceptthysoupbenotofchocolate?Gototheants,thousluggardconsidertheirways,andbewise."Andshewrappedherselfinhercloak,andfrowneddefianceatthatothergirl. Shewasstandingscowlingatherselfwithgreatdisapprovalwhenthehousemaid,whohadbeensearchingforhereverywhere,cametotellherthattheHerrOberinspectorwasdownstairs,andhadsentuptoknowifhisvisitwereconvenient. ItwasnotatallconvenientandAnnathoughtthathemighthavesparedherthisfirsteveningatleast.Butshesupposedthatshemustgodowntohim,feelingsomehowunequaltosendingsoauthoritativeapersonaway. Shefoundhimstandingintheinnerhallwithaportfoliounderhisarm.Hewasblowinghisnose,makingasoundliketheblastofatrumpet,andwakingtheechoes.Noteventhatcouldhedoquietly,shethought,hernewsenseofproprietorshipoddlyirritatedbyanosebeingblownsoaggressivelyinherhouse.Besides,theywereherechoesthathewasdisturbing.Shesmiledatherownchildishness. Shegreetedhimkindly,however,inresponsetohiselaborateobeisances,andshookhandsonseeingthatheexpectedtobeshakenhandswith,thoughshehaddonesotwicealreadythatafternoonandthensheletherselfbeusheredbyhimintothedrawing-room,aroomonthegardensideofthehouse,withFrenchwindows,andbookshelves,andahugeroundpolishedtableinthemiddle. IthadbeenoneofthetworoomsusedbyUncleJoachim,andwasfulloftracesofhisvisits.Shesatdownatabigwriting-tablewithagreenclothtop,herfeetplungedinthelongmattedhairsofagreyrug,andrequestedDellwigtositdownnearher,whichhedid,sayingapologetically,"Iwillbesofree." Theservant,Mar