Chapter 5
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age,asIdaresayyouknow.IsupposethatthechildwillbeeducatedinItaly.Possiblyhisgrandmothermaybedoingsomething,butIhavenotheardofit.Idonotexpectthatshewillhavehimover.Shedisapprovesofthefather.Itisaltogetherapainfulbusinessforher.”
ShewascarefulonlytoscoldIrmafordisobedience—thateighthdeadlysin,soconvenienttoparentsandguardians.Harrietwouldhaveplungedintoneedlessexplanationsandabuse.Thechildwasashamed,andtalkedaboutthebabyless.Theendoftheschoolyearwasathand,andshehopedtogetanotherprize.Butshealsohadputherhandtothewheel.
ItwasseveraldaysbeforetheysawMissAbbott.Mrs.Herritonhadnotcomeacrosshermuchsincethekissofreconciliation,norPhilipsincethejourneytoLondon.Shehad,indeed,beenratheradisappointmenttohim.Hercreditabledisplayoforiginalityhadneverbeenrepeated:hefearedshewasslippingback.NowshecameabouttheCottageHospital—herlifewasdevotedtodullactsofcharity—andthoughshegotmoneyoutofhimandoutofhismother,shestillsattightinherchair,lookinggraverandmorewoodenthanever.
“Idaresayyouhaveheard,”saidMrs.Herriton,wellknowingwhatthematterwas.
“Yes,Ihave.Icametoaskyouhaveanystepsbeentaken?”
Philipwasastonished.Thequestionwasimpertinentintheextreme.HehadaregardforMissAbbott,andregrettedthatshehadbeenguiltyofit.
“Aboutthebaby?”askedMrs.Herritonpleasantly.
“Yes.”
“AsfarasIknow,nosteps.Mrs.Theobaldmayhavedecidedonsomething,butIhavenotheardofit.”
“Iwasmeaning,hadyoudecidedonanything?”
“Thechildisnorelationofours,”saidPhilip.“Itisthereforescarcelyforustointerfere.”
Hismotherglancedathimnervously.“PoorLiliawasalmostadaughtertomeonce.IknowwhatMissAbbottmeans.Butnowthingshavealtered.AnyinitiativewouldnaturallycomefromMrs.Theobald.”
“ButdoesnotMrs.Theobaldalwaystakeanyinitiativefromyou?”askedMissAbbott.
Mrs.Herritoncouldnothelpcolouring.“Isometimeshavegivenheradviceinthepast.Ishouldnotpresumetodosonow.”
“Thenisnothingtobedoneforthechildatall?”
“Itisextraordinarilygoodofyoutotakethisunexpectedinterest,”saidPhilip.
“Thechildcameintotheworldthroughmynegligence,”repliedMissAbbott.“ItisnaturalIshouldtakeaninterestinit.”
“MydearCaroline,”saidMrs.Herriton,“youmustnotbroodoverthething.Letbygonesbebygones.Thechildshouldworryyouevenlessthanitworriesus.Weneverevenmentionit.Itbelongstoanotherworld.”
MissAbbottgotupwithoutreplyingandturnedtogo.HerextremegravitymadeMrs.Herritonuneasy.“Ofcourse,”sheadded,“ifMrs.Theobalddecidesonanyplanthatseemsatallpracticable—ImustsayIdon’tseeanysuch—IshallaskifImayjoinherinit,forIrma’ssake,andshareinanypossibleexpenses.”
“Pleasewouldyouletmeknowifshedecidesonanything.Ishouldliketojoinaswell.”
“Mydear,howyouthrowaboutyourmoney!Wewouldneverallowit.”
“Andifshedecidesonnothing,pleasealsoletmeknow.Letmeknowinanycase.”
Mrs.Herritonmadeapointofkissingher.
“Istheyoungpersonmad?”burstoutPhilipassoonasshehaddeparted.“NeverinmylifehaveIseensuchcolossalimpertinence.Sheoughttobewellsmacked,andsentbacktoSunday-school.”
Hismothersaidnothing.
“Butdon’tyousee—sheispracticallythreateningus?Youcan’tputheroffwithMrs.Theobaldsheknowsaswellaswedothatsheisanonentity.Ifwedon’tdoanythingshe’sgoingtoraiseascandal—thatweneglectourrelatives,&c.,whichis,ofcourse,alie.Stillshe’llsayit.Oh,dear,sweet,soberCarolineAbbotthasascrewloose!WeknewitatMonteriano.Ihadmysuspicionslastyearonedayinthetrainandhereitisagain.Theyoungpersonismad.”
Shestillsaidnothing.
“ShallIgoroundatonceandgiveitherwell?I’dreallyenjoyit.”
Inalow,seriousvoice—suchavoiceasshehadnotusedtohimformonths—Mrs.Herritonsaid,“Carolinehasbeenextremelyimpertinent.Yettheremaybesomethinginwhatshesaysafterall.Oughtthechildtogrowupinthatplace—andwiththatfather?”
Philipstartedandshuddered.Hesawthathismotherwasnotsincere.Herinsinceritytoothershadamusedhim,butitwasdishearteningwhenusedagainsthimself.
“Letusadmitfrankly,”shecontinued,“thatafterallwemayhaveresponsibilities.”
“Idon’tunderstandyou,Mother.Youareturningabsolutelyround.Whatareyouupto?”
Inonemomentanimpenetrablebarrierhadbeenerectedbetweenthem.Theywerenolongerinsmilingconfidence.Mrs.Herritonwasoffontacticsofherown—tacticswhichmightbebeyondorbeneathhim.
Hisremarkoffendedher.“Upto?IamwonderingwhetherIoughtnottoadoptthechild.Isthatsufficientlyplain?”
“Andthisistheresultofhalf-a-dozenidiociesofMissAbbott?”
“Itis.Irepeat,shehasbeenextremelyimpertinent.Nonethelesssheisshowingmemyduty.IfIcanrescuepoorLilia’sbabyfromthathorribleman,whowillbringitupeitherasPapistorinfidel—whowillcertainlybringituptobevicious—Ishalldoit.”
“YoutalklikeHarriet.”
“Andwhynot?”saidshe,flushingatwhatsheknewtobeaninsult.“Say,ifyouchoose,thatItalklikeIrma.Thatchildhasseenthethingmoreclearlythananyofus.Shelongsforherlittlebrother.Sheshallhavehim.Idon’tcareifIamimpulsive.”
Hewassurethatshewasnotimpulsive,butdidnotdaretosayso.Herabilityfrightenedhim.Allhislifehehadbeenherpuppet.ShelethimworshipItaly,andreformSawston—justasshehadletHarrietbeLowChurch.Shehadlethimtalkasmuchasheliked.Butwhenshewantedathingshealwaysgotit.
Andthoughshewasfrighteninghim,shedidnotinspirehimwithreverence.Herlife,hesaw,waswithoutmeaning.Towhatpurposewasherdiplomacy,herinsincerity,hercontinuedrepressionofvigour?Didtheymakeanyonebetterorhappier?Didtheyevenbringhappinesstoherself?Harrietwithhergloomypeevishcreed,Liliawithherclutchesafterpleasure,wereafterallmoredivinethanthiswell-ordered,active,uselessmachine.
Nowthathismotherhadwoundedhisvanityhecouldcriticizeherthus.Buthecouldnotrebel.Totheendofhisdayshecouldprobablygoondoingwhatshewanted.HewatchedwithacoldinteresttheduelbetweenherandMissAbbott.Mrs.Herriton’spolicyonlyappearedgradually.ItwastopreventMissAbbottinterferingwiththechildatallcosts,andifpossibletopreventheratasmallcost.Pridewastheonlysolidelementinherdisposition.Shecouldnotbeartoseemlesscharitablethanothers.
“Iamplanningwhatcanbedone,”shewouldtellpeople,“andthatkindCarolineAbbottishelpingme.Itisnobusinessofeitherofus,butwearegettingtofeelthatthebabymustnotbeleftentirelytothathorribleman.ItwouldbeunfairtolittleIrmaafterall,heisherhalf-brother.No,wehavecometonothingdefinite.”
MissAbbottwasequallycivil,butnottobeappeasedbygoodintentions.Thechild’swelfarewasasacreddutytoher,notamatterofprideorevenofsentiment.Byitalone,shefelt,couldsheundoalittleoftheevilthatshehadpermittedtoco
