Chapter 10

dherverymuch,andhecouldnotbeartobepuzzled.Hehadreachedlovebythespiritualpath:herthoughtsandhergoodnessandhernobilityhadmovedhimfirst,andnowherwholebodyandallitsgestureshadbecometransfiguredbythem.Thebeautiesthatarecalledobvious—thebeautiesofherhairandhervoiceandherlimbs—hehadnoticedtheselastGino,whonevertraversedanypathatall,hadcommendedthemdispassionatelytohisfriend. Whywashesopuzzling?Hehadknownsomuchaboutheronce—whatshethought,howshefelt,thereasonsforheractions.Andnowheonlyknewthathelovedher,andalltheotherknowledgeseemedpassingfromhimjustasheneededitmost.WhywouldshenevercometoItalyagain?WhyhadsheavoidedhimselfandGinoeversincetheeveningthatshehadsavedtheirlives?Thetrainwasnearlyempty.Harrietslumberedinacompartmentbyherself.Hemustaskherthesequestionsnow,andhereturnedquicklytoherdownthecorridor. Shegreetedhimwithaquestionofherown.“Areyourplansdecided?” “Yes.Ican’tliveatSawston.” “HaveyoutoldMrs.Herriton?” “IwrotefromMonteriano.Itriedtoexplainthingsbutshewillneverunderstandme.Herviewwillbethattheaffairissettled—sadlysettledsincethebabyisdead.Stillit’soverourfamilycircleneedbevexednomore.Shewon’tevenbeangrywithyou.Yousee,youhavedoneusnoharminthelongrun.Unless,ofcourse,youtalkaboutHarrietandmakeascandal.Sothatismyplan—Londonandwork.Whatisyours?” “PoorHarriet!”saidMissAbbott.“AsifIdarejudgeHarriet!Oranybody.”AndwithoutreplyingtoPhilip’squestionshelefthimtovisittheotherinvalid. Philipgazedafterhermournfully,andthenhelookedmournfullyoutofthewindowatthedecreasingstreams.Alltheexcitementwasover—theinquest,Harriet’sshortillness,hisownvisittothesurgeon.Hewasconvalescent,bothinbodyandspirit,butconvalescencebroughtnojoy.Inthelooking-glassattheendofthecorridorhesawhisfacehaggard,andhisshoulderspulledforwardbytheweightofthesling.Lifewasgreaterthanhehadsupposed,butitwasevenlesscomplete.Hehadseentheneedforstrenuousworkandforrighteousness.Andnowhesawwhataverylittlewaythosethingswouldgo. “IsHarrietgoingtobeallright?”heasked.MissAbbotthadcomebacktohim. “Shewillsoonbeheroldself,”wasthereply.ForHarriet,afterashortparoxysmofillnessandremorse,wasquicklyreturningtohernormalstate.Shehadbeen“thoroughlyupset”asshephrasedit,butshesoonceasedtorealizethatanythingwaswrongbeyondthedeathofapoorlittlechild.Alreadyshespokeof“thisunluckyaccident,”and“themysteriousfrustrationofone’sattemptstomakethingsbetter.”MissAbbotthadseenthatshewascomfortable,andhadgivenherakindkiss.ButshereturnedfeelingthatHarriet,likehermother,consideredtheaffairassettled. “I’mclearenoughaboutHarriet’sfuture,andaboutpartsofmyown.ButIaskagain,Whataboutyours?” “Saw