Chapter 5

ndspitefulnessandsociety.IactuallyhatedsocietyforadayortwoatMonteriano.Ididn’tseethatallthesethingsareinvincible,andthatifwegoagainstthemtheywillbreakustopieces.Thankyouforlisteningtosomuchnonsense.” “Oh,Iquitesympathizewithwhatyousay,”saidPhilipencouragingly“itisn’tnonsense,andayearortwoagoIshouldhavebeensayingittoo.ButIfeeldifferentlynow,andIhopethatyoualsowillchange.Societyisinvincible—toacertaindegree.Butyourreallifeisyourown,andnothingcantouchit.Thereisnopoweronearththatcanpreventyourcriticizinganddespisingmediocrity—nothingthatcanstopyouretreatingintosplendourandbeauty—intothethoughtsandbeliefsthatmakethereallife—therealyou.” “Ihaveneverhadthatexperienceyet.SurelyIandmylifemustbewhereIlive.” Evidentlyshehadtheusualfeminineincapacityforgraspingphilosophy.Butshehaddevelopedquiteapersonality,andhemustseemoreofher.“Thereisanothergreatconsolationagainstinvinciblemediocrity,”hesaid—“themeetingafellow-victim.Ihopethatthisisonlythefirstofmanydiscussionsthatweshallhavetogether.” Shemadeasuitablereply.ThetrainreachedCharingCross,andtheyparted,—hetogotoamatinee,shetobuypetticoatsforthecorpulentpoor.Herthoughtswanderedassheboughtthem:thegulfbetweenherselfandMr.Herriton,whichshehadalwaysknowntobegreat,nowseemedtoherimmeasurable. TheseeventsandconversationstookplaceatChristmas-time.TheNewLifeinitiatedbythemlastedsomesevenmonths.Thenalittleincident—amerelittlevexatiousincident—broughtittoitsclose. Irmacollectedpicturepost-cards,andMrs.HerritonorHarrietalwaysglancedfirstatallthatcame,lestthechildshouldgetholdofsomethingvulgar.Onthisoccasionthesubjectseemedperfectlyinoffensive—alotofruinedfactorychimneys—andHarrietwasabouttohandittoherniecewhenhereyewascaughtbythewordsonthemargin.Shegaveashriekandflungthecardintothegrate.OfcoursenofirewasalightinJuly,andIrmaonlyhadtorunandpickitoutagain. “Howdareyou!”screamedheraunt.“Youwickedgirl!Giveithere!” UnfortunatelyMrs.Herritonwasoutoftheroom.Irma,whowasnotinaweofHarriet,dancedroundthetable,readingasshedidso,“ViewofthesuperbcityofMonteriano—fromyourlitalbrother.” StupidHarrietcaughther,boxedherears,andtorethepost-cardintofragments.Irmahowledwithpain,andbeganshoutingindignantly,“Whoismylittlebrother?WhyhaveIneverheardofhimbefore?Grandmamma!Grandmamma!Whoismylittlebrother?Whoismy—” Mrs.Herritonsweptintotheroom,saying,“Comewithme,dear,andIwilltellyou.Nowitistimeforyoutoknow.” Irmareturnedfromtheinterviewsobbing,though,asamatteroffact,shehadlearntverylittle.Butthatlittletookholdofherimagination.Shehadpromisedsecrecy—sheknewnotwhy.Butwhatharmintalkingofthelittlebrothertothosewhohadheardofhimalready? “AuntHarriet!”shewouldsay.“UnclePhil!Grandmamma!Whatdoyousupposemylittlebrotherisdoingnow?Hashebeguntoplay?DoItalianbabiestalksoonerthanus,orwouldhebeanEnglishbabybornabroad?Oh,Idolongtoseehim,andbethefirsttoteachhimtheTenCommandmentsandtheCatechism.” ThelastremarkalwaysmadeHarrietlookgrave. “Really,”exclaimedMrs.Herriton,“Irmaisgettingtootiresome.SheforgotpoorLiliasoonenough.” “Alivingbrotherismoretoherthanadeadmother,”saidPhilipdreamily.“Shecanknithimsocks.” “Istoppedthat.Sheisbringinghimineverywhere.Itismostvexatious.Theothernightsheaskedifshemightincludehiminthepeopleshementionsspeciallyinherprayers.” “Whatdidyousay?” “OfcourseIallowedher,”sherepliedcoldly.“Shehasarighttomentionanyoneshechooses.ButIwasannoyedwithherthismorning,andIfearthatIshowedit.” “Andwhathappenedthismorning?” “Sheaskedifshecouldprayforher‘newfather’—fortheItalian!” “Didyoulether?” “Igotupwithoutsayinganything.” “YoumusthavefeltjustasyoudidwhenIwantedtoprayforthedevil.” “Heisthedevil,”criedHarriet. “No,Harrietheistoovulgar.” “Iwillthankyounottoscoffagainstreligion!”wasHarriet’sretort.“Thinkofthatpoorbaby.Irmaisrighttoprayforhim.WhatanentranceintolifeforanEnglishchild!” “Mydearsister,Icanreassureyou.Firstly,thebeastlybabyisItalian.Secondly,itwaspromptlychristenedatSantaDeodata’s,andapowerfulcombinationofsaintswatchover—” “Don’t,dear.And,Harriet,don’tbesoserious—ImeannotsoseriouswhenyouarewithIrma.Shewillbeworsethaneverifshethinkswehavesomethingtohide.” Harriet’sconsciencecouldbequiteastiresomeasPhilip’sunconventionality.Mrs.HerritonsoonmadeiteasyforherdaughtertogoforsixweekstotheTirol.ThensheandPhilipbegantograpplewithIrmaalone. Justastheyhadgotthingsalittlequietthebeastlybabysentanotherpicturepost-card—acomicone,notparticularlyproper.Irmareceiveditwhiletheywereout,andallthetroublebeganagain. “Icannotthink,”saidMrs.Herriton,“whathismotiveisinsendingthem.” Twoyearsbefore,Philipwouldhavesaidthatthemotivewastogivepleasure.Nowhe,likehismother,triedtothinkofsomethingsinisterandsubtle. “Doyousupposethatheguessesthesituation—howanxiouswearetohushthescandalup?” “Thatisquitepossible.HeknowsthatIrmawillworryusaboutthebaby.Perhapshehopesthatweshalladoptittoquiether.” “Hopefulindeed.” “Atthesametimehehasthechanceofcorruptingthechild’smorals.”Sheunlockedadrawer,tookoutthepost-card,andregardeditgravely.“Heentreatshertosendthebabyone,”washernextremark. “Shemightdoittoo!” “Itoldhernottobutwemustwatchhercarefully,without,ofcourse,appearingtobesuspicious.” Philipwasgettingtoenjoyhismother’sdiplomacy.Hedidnotthinkofhisownmoralsandbehaviouranymore. “Who’stowatchheratschool,though?Shemaybubbleoutanymoment.” “Wecanbuttrusttoourinfluence,”saidMrs.Herriton. Irmadidbubbleout,thatveryday.Shewasproofagainstasinglepost-card,notagainsttwo.Anewlittlebrotherisavaluablesentimentalassettoaschool-girl,andherschoolwasthenpassingthroughanacutephaseofbaby-worship.Happythegirlwhohadherquiverfullofthem,whokissedthemwhenshelefthomeinthemorning,whohadtherighttoextricatethemfrommail-cartsintheinterval,whodangledthematteaeretheyretiredtorest!ThatonemightsingtheunwrittensongofMiriam,blessedaboveallschool-girls,whowasallowedtohideherbabybrotherinasquashyplace,wherenonebutherselfcouldfindhim! HowcouldIrmakeepsilentwhenpretentiousgirlsspokeofbabycousinsandbabyvisitors—shewhohadababybrother,whowroteherpost-cardsthroughhisdearpapa?Shehadpromisednottotellabouthim—sheknewnotwhy—andshetold.Andonegirltoldanother,andonegirltoldhermother,andthethingwasout. “Yes,itisallverysad,”Mrs.Herritonkeptsaying.“Mydaughter-in-lawmadeaveryunhappymarri