hadministered
from
the
beginning
.
The
busy
,
loud-ticking
clock
was
working
on
with
cheerful
unconcern
,
as
if
this
were
just
like
every
other
day
whose
passing
moments
it
had
registered
.
The
hands
were
pointing
towards
seven
,
and
the
dinner
hour
was
half-past
seven
.
Hadria
stood
looking
down
at
the
sleeping
child
,
her
hands
resting
on
the
low
rail
of
the
cot
.
There
was
a
desolate
look
in
her
eyes
,
and
something
more
terrible
still
,
almost
beyond
definition
.
It
was
like
the
last
white
glow
of
some
vast
fire
that
has
been
extinguished
.
Suddenly
—
as
something
that
gives
way
by
the
run
,
after
a
long
resistance
—
she
dropped
upon
her
knees
beside
the
cot
with
a
slight
cry
,
and
broke
into
a
silent
storm
of
sobs
,
deep
and
suppressed
.
The
stillness
of
the
room
was
unbroken
,
and
one
could
hear
the
loud
tick-tack
of
the
little
clock
telling
off
the
seconds
with
business-like
exactness
.
CHAPTER
LVII
.
THE
evening
was
sultry
.
Although
the
windows
of
the
dining-room
were
wide
open
,
not
a
breath
of
air
came
in
from
the
garden
.
A
dull
,
muggy
atmosphere
brooded
sullenly
among
the
masses
of
the
evergreens
,
and
in
the
thick
summer
foliage
of
the
old
walnut
tree
on
the
lawn
.
“
How
oppressive
it
is
!
”
Valeria
exclaimed
.
She
had
been
asked
to
allow
a
niece
of
Madame
Bertaux
,
who
was
to
join
some
friends
in
Italy
,
to
make
the
journey
under
her
escort
,
and
the
date
of
her
departure
was
therefore
fixed
.
She
had
decided
to
return
to
town
on
the
morrow
,
to
make
her
preparations
.
Valeria
declared
impulsively
that
she
would
stay
at
home
,
after
all
.
She
could
not
bear
to
leave
Hadria
for
so
many
lonely
months
.
“
Oh
,
no
,
no
,
”
cried
Hadria
in
dismay
,
“
do
n't
let
me
begin
already
to
impoverish
other
lives
!
”
Valeria
remonstrated
but
Hadria
persisted
.
“
At
least
I
have
learnt
that
lesson
,
”
she
said
.
“
I
should
have
been
a
fool
if
I
had
n't
,
for
my
life
has
been
a
sermon
on
the
text
.
”
Professor
Fortescue
gave
a
little
frown
,
as
he
often
did
when
some
painful
idea
passed
through
his
mind
.
“
It
is
happening
everywhere
,
”
said
Hadria
,
“
the
poor
,
sterile
lives
exhaust
the
strong
and
full
ones
.
I
will
not
be
one
of
those
vampire
souls
,
at
least
not
while
I
have
my
senses
about
me
.
”
Again
,
the
little
frown
of
pain
contracted
the
Professor
's
brow
.
The
dusk
had
invaded
the
dinner
table
,
but
they
had
not
thought
of
candles
.
They
went
straight
out
to
the
still
garden
.
Valeria
had
a
fan
,
with
which
she
vainly
tried
to
overcome
the
expression
of
the
atmosphere
.
She
was
very
low-spirited
.
Hadria
looked
ill
and
exhausted
.
Little
Martha
's
name
was
not
mentioned
.
It
was
too
sore
a
subject
.
“
I
ca
n't
bear
the
idea
of
leaving
you
,
Hadria
,
especially
when
you
talk
like
that
.
I
wish
,
how
I
wish
,
that
some
way
could
be
found
out
of
this
labyrinth
.
Is
this
sort
of
thing
to
be
the
end
of
all
the
grand
new
hopes
and
efforts
of
women
?
Is
all
our
force
to
be
killed
and
overwhelmed
in
this
absurd
way
?
”
“
Ah
,
no
,
not
all
,
in
heaven
's
name
!
”
“
But
if
women
wo
n't
repudiate
,
in
practice
,
the
claims
that
they
hold
to
be
unjust
,
in
theory
,
how
can
they
hope
to
escape
?
We
may
talk
to
all
eternity
,
if
we
do
n't
act
.
”
Hadria
shrugged
her
shoulders
.
“
Your
reasoning
is
indisputable
,
but
what
can
one
do
?
There
are
cases
—
in
short
,
some
things
are
impossible
!
”
Valeria
was
silent
.
“
I
have
thought
,
at
times
,
that
you
might
make
a
better
stand
,
”
she
said
at
last
,
clinging
still
to
her
theory
of
the
sovereignty
of
the
will
.
Hadria
did
not
reply
.
The
Professor
shook
his
head
.
“
You
know
my
present
conditions
,
”
said
Hadria
,
after
a
silence
.
“
I
ca
n't
overcome
them
.
But
perhaps
some
one
else
in
my
place
might
overcome
them
.
I
confess
I
do
n't
see
how
.
Do
you
?
”
Valeria
hesitated
.
She
made
some
vague
statement
about
strength
of
character
,
and
holding
on
through
storm
and
stress
to
one
's
purpose
;
had
not
this
been
the
history
of
all
lives
worth
living
?
Hadria
agreed
,
but
pressed
the
practical
question
.
And
that
Valeria
could
not
answer
.
She
could
not
bring
herself
to
say
that
the
doctor
's
warnings
ought
to
be
disregarded
by
Hadria
,
at
the
risk
of
her
mother
's
life
.
It
was
not
merely
a
risk
,
but
a
practical
certainty
that
any
further
shock
or
trouble
would
be
fatal
.
Valeria
was
tongue-tied
.
“
Now
do
you
see
why
I
feel
so
terrified
when
anyone
proposes
to
narrow
down
his
existence
,
even
in
the
smallest
particular
,
for
my
sake
?
”
asked
Hadria
.
“
It
is
because
I
see
what
awful
power
a
human
being
may
acquire
of
ravaging
and
of
ruling
other
lives
,
and
I
do
n't
want
to
acquire
that
power
.
I
see
that
the
tyranny
may
be
perfectly
well-intentioned
,
and
indeed
scarcely
to
be
called
tyranny
,
for
it
is
but
half
conscious
,
yet
only
the
more
irresistible
for
that
.
”
“
It
is
one
's
own
fault
if
one
submits
to
conscious
tyranny
,
”
the
Professor
put
in
,
“
and
I
think
tyrant
and
victim
are
then
much
on
a
par
.
”
“
A
mere
demand
can
be
resisted
,
”
Hadria
added
;
“
it
is
grief
,
real
grief
,
however
unreasonable
,
that
brings
people
to
their
knees
.
But
,
oh
,
may
the
day
hasten
,
when
people
shall
cease
to
grieve
when
others
claim
their
freedom
!
”
Valeria
smiled
.
“
I
do
n't
think
you
are
in
much
danger
of
grudging
liberty
to
your
neighbours
,
Hadria
;
so
you
need
not
be
so
frightened
of
becoming
a
vampire
,
as
I
think
you
call
it
.
”
“
Not
now
,
but
how
can
one
tell
what
the
result
of
years
and
years
of
monotonous
existence
may
be
,
or
the
effect
of
example
?
How
did
it
happen
that
my
mother
came
to
feel
aggrieved
if
her
daughters
claimed
some
right
of
choice
in
the
ordering
of
their
lives
?
I
suppose
it
is
because
her
mother
felt
aggrieved
if
she
ventured
to
call
her
soul
her
own
.
”
Valeria
laughed
.
“
But
it
is
true
,
”
said
Hadria
.
“
Very
few
of
us
,
if
any
,
are
in
the
least
original
as
regards
our
sorrowing
.
We
follow
the
fashion
.
We
are
not
so
presumptuous
as
to
decide
for
ourselves
what
shall
afflict
us
.
”
“
Or
what
shall
transport
us
with
joy
,
”
added
Valeria
,
with
a
shrug
.
“
Still
less
perhaps
.
Tradition
says
‘Weep
,
this
is
the
moment
,
’
or
‘Rejoice
,
the
hour
has
come
,
’
and
we
chant
our
dirge
or
kindle
our
bonfires
accordingly
.
Why
,
it
means
a
little
martyrdom
to
the
occasional
sinner
who
selects
his
own
occasion
for
sorrow
or
for
joy
.
”
Valeria
laughed
at
the
notion
of
Hadria
's
being
under
the
dictatorship
of
tradition
,
or
of
anything
else
,
as
to
her
emotions
.
But
Hadria
held
that
everybody
was
more
or
less
subject
to
the
thraldom
.
And
the
thraldom
increased
as
the
mind
and
the
experience
narrowed
.
And
as
the
narrowing
process
progressed
,
she
said
,
the
exhausting
or
vampire
quality
grew
and
grew
.
“
I
have
seen
it
,
I
have
seen
it
!
Those
who
have
been
starved
in
life
,
levy
a
sort
of
tax
on
the
plenty
of
others
,
in
the
instinctive
effort
to
replenish
their
own
empty
treasure-house
.
Only
that
is
impossible
.
One
can
gain
no
riches
in
that
fashion
.
One
can
only
reduce
one
's
victim
to
a
beggary
like
one
's
own
.
”
Valeria
was
perturbed
.
“
The
more
I
see
of
life
,
the
more
bitter
a
thing
it
seems
to
be
a
woman
!
And
one
of
the
discouraging
features
of
it
is
,
that
women
are
so
ready
to
oppress
each
other
!
”
“
Because
they
have
themselves
suffered
oppression
,
”
said
the
Professor
.
“
It
is
a
law
that
we
cannot
evade
;
if
we
are
injured
,
we
pay
back
the
injury
,
whether
we
will
or
not
,
upon
our
neighbours
.
If
we
are
blessed
,
we
bless
,
but
if
we
are
cursed
,
we
curse
.
”
“
These
moral
laws
,
or
laws
of
nature
,
or
whatever
one
likes
to
call
them
,
seem
to
be
stern
as
death
!
”
exclaimed
Valeria
.
“
I
suppose
we
are
all
inheriting
the
curse
that
has
been
laid
upon
our
mothers
through
so
many
ages
.
”
“
We
are
not
free
from
the
shades
of
our
grandmothers
,
”
said
Hadria
,
“
only
I
hope
a
little
(
when
I
have
not
been
to
the
Vicarage
for
some
time
)
that
we
may
be
less
of
a
hindrance
and
an
obsession
to
our
granddaughters
than
our
grandmothers
have
been
to
us
.
”
“
Ah
!
that
way
lies
hope
!
”
cried
the
Professor
.
“
I
wish
,
I
wish
I
could
believe
!
”
Valeria
exclaimed
.
“
But
I
was
born
ten
years
too
early
for
the
faith
of
this
generation
.
”
“
It
is
you
who
have
helped
to
give
this
generation
its
faith
,
”
said
Hadria
.
“
But
have
you
real
hope
and
real
faith
,
in
your
heart
of
hearts
?
Tell
me
,
Hadria
.
”
Hadria
looked
startled
.
“
Ah
!
I
knew
it
.
Women
do
n't
really
believe
that
the
cloud
will
lift
.
If
they
really
believed
what
they
profess
,
they
would
prove
it
.
They
would
not
submit
and
resign
themselves
.
Oh
,
why
do
n't
you
shew
what
a
woman
can
do
,
Hadria
?
”
Hadria
gave
a
faint
smile
.
She
did
not
speak
for
some
time
,
and
when
she
did
,
her
words
seemed
to
have
no
direct
reference
to
Valeria
's
question
.
“
I
believe
that
there
are
thousands
and
thousands
of
women
whose
lives
have
run
on
parallel
lines
with
mine
.
”
She
recalled
a
strange
and
grotesque
vision
,
or
waking-dream
,
that
she
had
dreamt
a
few
nights
before
:
of
a
vast
abyss
,
black
and
silent
,
which
had
to
be
filled
up
to
the
top
with
the
bodies
of
women
,
hurled
down
to
the
depths
of
the
pit
of
darkness
,
in
order
that
the
survivors
might
,
at
last
,
walk
over
in
safety
.
Human
bodies
take
but
little
room
,
and
the
abyss
seemed
to
swallow
them
,
as
some
greedy
animal
its
prey
.
But
Hadria
knew
,
in
her
dream
,
that
some
day
it
would
have
claimed
its
last
victim
,
and
the
surface
would
be
level
and
solid
,
so
that
people
would
come
and
go
,
scarcely
remembering
that
beneath
their
feet
was
once
a
chasm
into
which
throbbing
lives
had
to
descend
,
to
darkness
and
a
living
death
.
Valeria
looked
anxious
and
ill
at
ease
.
She
watched
Hadria
's
face
.
She
was
longing
to
urge
her
to
leave
Craddock
Dene
,
but
was
deterred
by
the
knowledge
of
the
uselessness
of
such
advice
.
Hadria
could
not
take
it
.
“
I
chafe
against
these
situations
!
”
cried
Valeria
.
“
I
am
so
unused
,
in
my
own
life
,
to
such
tethers
and
limitations
.
They
would
drive
me
crazy
!
”
“
Oh
,
”
Hadria
exclaimed
,
with
an
amused
smile
,
“
this
is
a
new
cry
!
”
“
I
do
n't
care
,
”
said
Valeria
discontentedly
.
“
I
never
supposed
that
one
could
be
tied
hand
and
foot
,
in
this
way
.
I
should
never
stand
it
.
It
is
intolerable
!
”
“
These
are
what
you
have
frequently
commended
to
me
as
‘home
ties
,
’
”
said
Hadria
.
“
Oh
,
but
it
is
impossible
!
”
“
You
attack
the
family
!
”
cried
the
Professor
.
“
If
the
family
makes
itself
ridiculous
—
?
”
The
Professor
and
Hadria
laughed
.
Valeria
was
growing
excited
.
“
The
natural
instinct
of
man
to
get
his
fun
at
his
neighbour
's
expense
meets
with
wholesome
rebuffs
in
the
outer
world
,
”
said
the
Professor
,
“
but
in
the
family
it
has
its
chance
.
That
's
why
the
family
is
so
popular
.
”
Valeria
,
with
her
wonted
capriciousness
,
veered
round
in
defence
of
the
institution
that
she
had
been
just
jeering
at
.
“
Well
,
after
all
,
it
is
the
order
of
Nature
to
have
one
's
fun
at
the
expense
of
someone
,
and
I
do
n't
believe
we
shall
ever
be
able
to
practise
any
other
principle
,
I
mean
on
a
national
scale
,
however
much
we
may
progress
.
”
“
Oh
,
but
we
sha
n't
progress
unless
we
do
,
”
said
the
Professor
.
“
You
are
always
paradoxical
.
”
“
There
is
no
paradox
here
.
I
am
just
as
certain
as
I
am
of
my
own
existence
,
that
real
,
solid
,
permanent
progress
is
impossible
to
any
people
until
they
recognise
,
as
a
mere
truism
,
that
whatever
is
gained
by
cruelty
,
be
it
towards
the
humblest
thing
alive
,
is
not
gain
,
but
the
worst
of
loss
.
”
“
Oh
,
you
always
go
too
far
!
”
cried
Valeria
.
“
I
do
n't
admit
that
in
a
horror
of
cruelty
,
it
is
possible
to
go
too
far
,
”
the
Professor
replied
.
“
Cruelty
is
the
one
unpardonable
sin
.
”
He
passed
his
hand
across
his
brow
,
with
a
weary
gesture
,
as
if
the
pressure
of
misery
and
tumult
and
anguish
in
the
world
,
were
more
than
he
could
bear
.
“
You
wo
n't
give
up
your
music
,
Hadria
,
”
Valeria
said
,
at
the
end
of
a
long
cogitation
.
“
It
is
a
forlorn
sort
of
pursuit
,
”
Hadria
answered
,
with
a
whimsical
smile
,
“
but
I
will
do
all
I
can
.
”
Valeria
seemed
relieved
.
“
And
you
will
not
give
up
hope
?
”
“
Hope
?
Of
what
?
”
“
Oh
,
of
—
of
—
.
What
an
absurd
question
!
”
Hadria
smiled
.
“
It
is
better
to
face
facts
,
I
think
,
than
to
shroud
them
away
.
After
all
,
it
is
only
by
the
rarest
chance
that
character
and
conditions
happen
to
suit
each
other
so
well
that
the
powers
can
be
developed
.
They
are
generally
crushed
.
One
more
or
less
—
.
”
Hadria
gave
a
shrug
.
The
Professor
broke
in
,
abruptly
.
“
It
is
exactly
the
one
more
or
less
that
sends
the
balance
up
or
down
,
that
decides
the
fate
of
men
and
nations
.
An
individual
often
counts
more
than
a
generation
.
If
that
were
not
so
,
nothing
would
be
possible
,
and
hope
would
be
insane
.
”
“
Perhaps
it
is
!
”
said
Hadria
beneath
her
breath
.
The
Professor
had
risen
.
He
heard
the
last
words
,
but
made
no
remonstrance
.
Yet
there
was
a
something
in
his
expression
that
gave
comfort
.
“
I
fear
I
shall
have
to
be
going
back
,
”
he
said
,
looking
at
his
watch
.
As
he
spoke
,
the
first
notes
of
a
nightingale
stole
out
of
the
shrubbery
.
Voices
were
hushed
,
and
the
three
stood
listening
spellbound
,
to
the
wonderful
impassioned
song
.
Hadria
marvelled
at
its
strange
serenity
,
despite
the
passion
,
and
speculated
vaguely
as
to
the
possibility
of
a
paradox
of
the
same
kind
in
the
soul
of
a
human
being
.
Passion
and
serenity
?
Had
not
the
Professor
combined
these
apparent
contradictions
?
There
was
ecstasy
so
supreme
in
the
bird
's
note
that
it
had
become
calm
again
,
like
great
heat
that
affects
the
senses
,
as
with
frost
,
or
a
flooded
river
that
runs
swift
and
smooth
for
very
fulness
.
Presently
,
a
second
nightingale
began
to
answer
from
a
distant
tree
,
and
the
garden
was
filled
with
the
wild
music
.
One
or
two
stars
had
already
twinkled
out
.
“
I
ought
really
to
be
going
,
”
said
the
Professor
.
But
he
lingered
still
.
His
eyes
wandered
anxiously
to
Hadria
's
white
face
.
He
said
good-night
to
Valeria
,
and
then
he
and
Hadria
walked
to
the
gate
together
.
“
You
will
come
back
and
see
us
at
Craddock
Dene
soon
after
you
return
,
wo
n't
you
?
”
she
said
wistfully
.
“
Of
course
I
will
.
And
I
hope
that
meanwhile
,
you
will
set
to
work
to
get
strong
and
well
.
All
your
leisure
ought
to
be
devoted
to
that
object
,
for
the
present
.
I
should
be
so
delighted
to
hear
from
you
now
and
again
,
when
you
have
a
spare
moment
and
the
spirit
moves
you
.
I
will
write
and
tell
you
how
I
fare
,
if
I
may
.
If
,
at
any
time
,
I
can
be
of
service
to
you
,
do
n't
forget
how
great
a
pleasure
it
would
be
to
me
to
render
it
.
I
hope
if
ever
I
come
back
to
England
—
”
“
When
you
come
back
,
”
Hadria
corrected
,
hastily
.
—
“
that
we
may
meet
oftener
.
”
“
Indeed
,
that
will
be
something
to
look
forward
to
!
”
They
exchanged
the
hearty
,
lingering
handshake
of
trusty
friendship
and
deep
affection
.
The
last
words
,
the
last
good
wishes
,
were
spoken
,
the
last
wistful
effort
was
made
of
two
human
souls
to
bid
each
other
be
of
good
cheer
,
and
to
bring
to
one
another
comfort
and
hope
.
Hadria
leant
on
the
gate
,
a
lonely
figure
in
the
dim
star-light
,
watching
the
form
that
had
already
become
shadowy
,
retreating
along
the
road
and
gradually
losing
itself
in
the
darkness
.
CHAPTER
XLVIII
.
AUTUMN
had
come
round
again
.
Craddock
Dene
had
calmed
down
after
the
exciting
event
of
the
summer
.
Martha
's
little
cottage
was
now
standing
empty
,
the
virginia
creeper
trailing
wildly
,
in
thick
festoons
and
dangling
sprays
over
the
porch
and
creeping
up
round
the
windows
,
even
threatening
to
cover
them
with
a
ruddy
screen
,
since
now
the
bright
little
face
no
longer
looked
out
of
the
latticed
panes
,
and
the
cottage
was
given
over
to
dust
and
spiders
.
Mrs.
Temperley
was
often
seen
by
the
villagers
passing
along
the
road
towards
Craddock
.
She
would
sometimes
pause
at
the
cottage
,
to
gather
a
few
of
the
flowers
that
still
came
up
in
the
tiny
garden
.
It
was
said
that
she
gathered
them
to
lay
on
Ellen
Jervis
's
grave
.
“
Dear
,
dear
,
she
do
take
on
about
that
child
!
”
Dodge
used
to
say
,
as
she
passed
up
the
street
of
Craddock
.
And
Mrs.
Gullick
,
good
soul
,
would
shake
her
head
and
express
her
sympathy
,
in
spite
of
not
“
holding
”
with
Mrs.
Temperley
's
“
ways
.
”
Her
poorer
neighbours
understood
far
more
than
the
others
could
understand
,
how
sorely
she
was
grieving
about
the
child
.
Because
she
said
nothing
on
the
subject
,
it
was
generally
supposed
that
she
had
ceased
to
care
.
After
all
,
it
was
an
act
of
charity
that
she
had
undertaken
,
on
an
impulse
,
and
it
was
quite
as
well
that
she
should
be
relieved
of
the
responsibility
.
Hannah
used
to
write
regularly
,
to
let
her
know
how
Martha
was
.
Professor
Theobald
had
directed
Hannah
to
do
this
.
The
nurse
had
to
admit
that
he
was
very
good
and
very
devoted
to
the
child
.
She
throve
in
her
new
home
,
and
seemed
perfectly
happy
.
Hadria
was
now
delivered
over
to
the
tender
mercies
of
her
own
thoughts
.
Her
memories
burnt
,
as
corrosive
acids
,
in
her
brain
.
She
could
find
no
shadow
of
protection
from
her
own
contempt
.
There
was
not
one
nook
or
cranny
into
which
that
ruthless
self-knowledge
could
not
throw
its
cruel
glare
.
In
the
hours
of
darkness
,
in
the
haunted
hours
of
the
early
morning
,
she
and
her
memories
played
horrible
games
with
one
another
.
She
was
hunted
,
they
the
hunters
.
There
was
no
thought
on
which
she
could
rest
,
no
consoling
remembrance
.
She
often
wished
that
she
had
followed
her
frequent
impulse
to
tell
Miss
Du
Prel
the
whole
wretched
story
.
But
she
could
not
force
herself
to
touch
the
subject
through
the
painful
medium
of
speech
.
Valeria
knew
that
Hadria
was
capable
of
any
outward
law-breaking
,
but
she
would
never
be
prepared
for
the
breaking
of
her
own
inner
law
,
the
real
canon
on
which
she
had
always
laid
so
much
stress
.
And
then
she
had
shrunk
from
the
idea
of
betraying
a
secret
not
solely
her
own
.
If
she
told
the
story
,
Valeria
would
certainly
guess
the
name
.
She
felt
a
still
greater
longing
that
Professor
Fortescue
should
know
the
facts
;
he
would
be
able
to
help
her
to
face
it
all
,
and
to
take
the
memory
into
her
life
and
let
its
pain
eat
out
what
was
base
and
evil
in
her
soul
.
He
would
give
her
hope
;
his
experience
,
his
extraordinary
sympathy
,
would
enable
him
to
understand
it
all
,
better
than
she
did
herself
.
If
he
would
look
at
this
miserable
episode
unflinchingly
,
and
still
hold
out
his
hand
to
her
,
as
she
knew
he
would
,
and
still
believe
in
her
,
then
she
might
believe
still
in
herself
,
in
her
power
of
rising
after
this
lost
illusion
,
this
shock
of
self-detection
,
and
of
going
on
again
,
sadder
,
and
perhaps
stronger
;
but
if
he
thought
that
since
she
was
capable
of
a
real
treason
against
her
gods
,
that
she
was
radically
unsound
at
heart
,
and
a
mass
of
sophistication
,
then
—
Hadria
buried
her
face
in
the
pillow
.
She
went
through
so
often
now
,
these
paroxysms
of
agony
.
Do
what
she
would
,
look
where
she
might
,
she
saw
no
relief
.
She
was
afraid
to
trust
herself
.
She
was
afraid
to
accept
her
own
suggestions
of
comfort
,
if
ever
a
ray
of
it
came
to
her
,
lest
it
should
be
but
another
form
of
self-deception
,
another
proof
of
moral
instability
.
In
her
eternal
tossing
to
and
fro
,
in
mental
anguish
,
the
despairing
idea
often
assailed
her
:
that
after
all
,
it
did
not
matter
what
she
did
or
thought
.
She
was
but
an
atom
of
the
vast
whole
,
a
drop
in
the
ocean
of
human
life
.
She
had
no
end
or
motive
in
anything
.
She
could
go
on
doing
what
had
to
be
done
to
the
last
,
glad
if
she
might
bring
a
little
pleasure
in
so
acting
,
but
beyond
that
,
what
was
there
to
consider
?
The
wounds
to
her
vanity
and
her
pride
ached
a
little
,
at
times
,
but
the
infinitely
deeper
hurt
of
disillusion
overwhelmed
the
lesser
feeling
.
She
was
too
profoundly
sad
to
care
for
that
trivial
mortification
.
Sometimes
,
Professor
Fortescue
used
to
write
to
Hadria
,
and
she
looked
forward
to
these
letters
as
to
nothing
else
.
She
heard
from
Valeria
also
,
who
had
met
the
Professor
at
Siena
.
She
said
he
did
not
look
as
well
as
she
had
hoped
to
find
him
.
She
could
not
see
that
he
had
gained
at
all
,
since
leaving
England
.
He
was
cheerful
,
and
enjoying
sunny
Italy
as
much
as
his
strength
would
allow
.
Valeria
was
shocked
to
notice
how
very
weak
he
was
.
He
had
a
look
in
his
face
that
she
could
not
bear
to
see
.
If
he
did
not
improve
soon
,
she
thought
of
trying
to
persuade
him
to
return
home
to
see
his
doctor
again
.
When
one
was
ill
,
home
was
the
best
place
after
all
.
“
You
and
Professor
Fortescue
,
”
she
said
,
in
closing
her
letter
,
“
are
the
two
people
I
love
in
the
world
.
You
are
all
that
I
have
in
life
to
cling
to
.
Write
to
me
,
dearest
Hadria
,
for
I
am
very
anxious
and
wretched
.
”
The
affairs
of
life
and
death
mix
themselves
incongruously
enough
,
in
this
confused
world
.
The
next
news
that
stirred
the
repose
of
Craddock
Dene
,
was
that
of
Algitha
's
engagement
to
Wilfrid
Burton
.
In
spite
of
his
socialistic
views
,
Mrs.
Fullerton
was
satisfied
with
the
marriage
,
because
Wilfrid
Burton
was
well-connected
and
had
good
expectations
.
The
mother
had
feared
that
Algitha
would
never
marry
at
all
,
and
she
not
only
raised
no
objection
,
but
seemed
relieved
.
Wilfrid
Burton
had
come
down
to
stay
at
the
Red
House
,
during
one
of
Algitha
's
holidays
,
and
it
was
then
that
the
betrothal
had
taken
place
.
The
marriage
promised
to
be
happy
,
for
the
couple
were
deeply
attached
and
had
interests
in
common
.
They
intended
to
continue
to
work
on
the
same
lines
after
they
were
married
.
Both
parents
were
favourably
impressed
by
the
son-in-law
elect
,
and
the
Cottage
became
the
scene
of
exciting
arguments
on
the
subject
of
socialism
.
Mr.
Fullerton
insisted
on
holding
Wilfrid
Burton
responsible
for
every
sort
of
theory
that
had
ever
been
attributed
not
merely
to
socialists
,
but
to
communists
,
anarchists
,
collectivists
,
nihilists
,
and
the
rest
;
and
nothing
would
persuade
him
that
the
young
man
was
not
guilty
of
all
these
contradictory
enormities
of
thought
.
Wilfrid
's
personality
,
however
,
overcame
every
prejudice
against
him
,
on
this
account
,
after
the
first
meeting
.
Joseph
Fleming
,
among
others
,
congratulated
Algitha
heartily
on
her
engagement
.
“
I
can
see
you
are
very
happy
,
”
he
said
naïvely
.
She
laughed
and
coloured
.
“
Indeed
I
ought
to
be
.
Life
is
gloriously
worth
living
,
when
it
is
lived
in
the
presence
of
good
and
generous
souls
.
”
“
I
wish
I
had
married
,
”
said
Joseph
pensively
.
“
It
is
not
too
late
to
mend
,
”
suggested
Algitha
.
“
How
reckless
you
are
!
”
exclaimed
her
sister
.
“
How
can
you
recommend
marriage
in
the
abstract
?
You
happen
to
have
met
just
the
right
person
,
but
Mr.
Fleming
has
n't
,
it
would
seem
.
”
“
If
one
person
can
be
so
fortunate
,
so
can
another
,
”
said
Algitha
.
“
Why
tempt
Providence
?
Rather
bear
the
ills
you
have
—
”
“
I
am
surprised
to
hear
you
take
a
gloomy
view
of
anything
,
Mrs.
Temperley
,
”
said
Joseph
;
“
I
always
thought
you
so
cheerful
.
You
say
funnier
things
than
any
lady
I
have
ever
met
,
except
an
Irish
girl
who
used
to
sing
comic
songs
.
”
Both
sisters
laughed
.
“
How
do
you
know
that
,
in
the
intervals
of
her
comic
songs
,
that
girl
has
not
a
gloomy
disposition
?
”
asked
Hadria
.
“
Oh
no
,
you
can
see
that
she
is
without
a
care
in
the
world
;
she
is
like
Miss
Fullerton
,
always
full
of
good
cheer
and
kindness
.
”
“
Had
she
also
slums
to
cheer
her
up
?
”
asked
Hadria
.
“
No
,
not
at
all
.
She
never
does
anything
in
particular
.
”
“
I
am
surprised
that
she
is
cheerful
then
,
”
said
Algitha
.
“
It
wo
n't
last
.
”
“
It
is
her
slums
that
keep
my
sister
in
such
good
spirits
,
”
said
Hadria
.
“
Really
!
Well
,
if
you
are
fond
of
that
sort
of
thing
,
Mrs.
Temperley
,
there
are
some
nasty
enough
places
at
the
lower
end
of
Craddock
—
”
“
Oh
,
it
is
n't
that
one
clings
to
slums
for
slums
'
sake
,
”
cried
Hadria
laughing
.
“
I
am
afraid
they
are
already
overrun
with
visitors
,
”
Joseph
added
.
“
There
are
so
many
Miss
Walkers
.
”
It
was
not
long
after
this
conversation
,
that
Craddock
Dene
was
thrilled
by
another
piece
of
matrimonial
news
.
Joseph
Fleming
was
announced
to
be
engaged
to
the
Irish
girl
who
sang
comic
songs
.
She
was
staying
with
Mrs.
Jordan
at
the
time
.
And
the
Irish
girl
,
whose
name
was
Kathleen
O'Halloran
,
came
and
sang
her
comic
songs
to
Craddock
Dene
,
while
Joseph
sat
and
beamed
in
pride
and
happiness
,
and
the
audience
rippled
with
laughter
.
Kathleen
was
very
pretty
and
very
fascinating
,
with
her
merry
,
kind-hearted
ways
,
and
she
became
extremely
popular
with
her
future
neighbours
.
Little
changes
had
taken
place
in
the
village
,
through
death
or
marriage
or
departure
.
Dodge
had
laid
to
rest
many
victims
of
influenza
,
which
visited
the
neighbourhood
with
great
severity
.
Among
the
slain
,
poor
Dodge
had
to
number
his
own
wife
.
The
old
man
was
broken
down
with
his
loss
.
He
loved
to
talk
over
her
illness
and
death
with
Hadria
,
whose
presence
seemed
to
comfort
him
more
than
anything
else
,
as
he
assured
her
,
in
his
quaint
dialect
.
Sometimes
,
returning
through
the
Craddock
Woods
,
Hadria
would
pass
through
the
churchyard
on
her
way
home
,
after
her
walk
,
and
there
she
would
come
upon
Dodge
patiently
at
work
upon
some
new
grave
,
the
sound
of
his
pickaxe
breaking
the
autumn
silence
,
ominously
.
His
head
was
more
bent
than
of
yore
,
and
his
hair
was
whiter
.
His
old
face
would
brighten
up
when
he
heard
Hadria
's
footstep
,
and
he
would
pause
,
a
moment
or
two
,
for
a
gossip
.
The
conversation
generally
turned
upon
his
old
“
missus
,
”
who
was
buried
under
a
yew
tree
,
near
the
wicket
gate
.
Then
he
would
ask
after
Hadria
's
belongings
;
about
her
father
and
mother
,
about
Hubert
,
and
the
boys
.
Mr.
Fullerton
had
made
the
gravedigger
's
acquaintance
,
and
won
his
hearty
regard
by
many
a
chat
and
many
a
little
kindness
.
Dodge
had
never
ceased
to
regret
that
Martha
had
been
taken
away
from
Craddock
.
The
place
seemed
as
if
it
had
gone
to
sleep
,
he
said
.
Things
were
n't
as
they
used
to
be
.
Hadria
would
often
go
to
see
the
old
man
,
trying
to
cheer
him
and
minister
to
his
growing
ailments
.
His
shrewdness
was
remarkable
.
Mr.
Fullerton
quoted
Dodge
as
an
authority
on
matters
of
practical
philosophy
,
and
the
old
gravedigger
became
a
sort
of
oracle
at
the
Cottage
.
Wilfrid
Burton
complained
that
he
was
incessantly
confronted
with
some
saying
of
Dodge
,
and
from
this
there
was
no
appeal
.
The
news
from
Italy
was
still
far
from
reassuring
.
Valeria
was
terribly
anxious
.
But
she
felt
thankful
,
she
said
,
to
be
with
the
invalid
and
able
to
look
after
him
.
The
doctors
would
not
hear
of
his
returning
to
England
at
the
approach
of
winter
.
It
would
be
sheer
suicide
.
He
must
go
further
south
.
Valeria
had
met
some
old
friends
,
among
them
Madame
Bertaux
,
and
they
had
decided
to
go
on
together
,
perhaps
to
Naples
or
Sorrento
.
Her
friends
had
all
fallen
in
love
with
the
Professor
,
as
every
one
did
.
They
were
a
great
help
and
comfort
to
her
.
If
it
were
not
for
the
terrible
foreboding
,
Valeria
said
she
would
be
perfectly
happy
.
The
Professor
's
presence
seemed
to
change
the
very
atmosphere
.
He
spoke
often
about
Hadria
,
and
over
and
over
again
asked
Valeria
to
watch
over
her
and
help
her
.
And
he
spoke
often
about
his
wife
.
Valeria
confessed
that
,
at
one
time
,
she
used
to
be
horribly
and
shamefully
jealous
of
this
wife
,
whom
he
worshipped
so
faithfully
,
but
now
that
feeling
had
left
her
.
She
was
thankful
for
the
great
privilege
of
his
friendship
.
A
new
tone
had
come
over
Valeria
's
letters
,
of
late
;
the
desperate
,
almost
bitter
element
had
passed
away
,
and
something
approaching
serenity
had
taken
its
place
.
No
one
,
she
said
,
could
be
in
the
Professor
's
presence
every
day
,
and
remain
exactly
the
same
as
before
.
She
saw
his
potent
,
silent
influence
upon
every
creature
who
crossed
his
path
.
He
came
and
went
among
his
fellows
,
quietly
,
beneficently
,
and
each
was
the
better
for
having
met
him
,
more
or
less
,
according
to
the
fineness
and
sensitiveness
of
the
nature
.
“
My
love
for
him
,
”
said
Valeria
,
“
used
at
one
time
to
be
a
great
trouble
to
me
.
It
made
me
restless
and
unhappy
.
Now
I
am
glad
of
it
,
and
though
there
must
be
an
element
of
pain
in
a
hopeless
love
,
yet
I
hold
myself
fortunate
to
have
cherished
it
.
”
Hadria
received
this
letter
from
the
postman
when
she
was
coming
out
of
Dodge
's
cottage
.
It
threw
her
into
a
conflict
of
strong
and
painful
feeling
:
foreboding
,
heart-sickness
,
a
longing
so
strong
to
see
her
friends
that
it
seemed
as
if
she
must
pack
up
instantly
and
go
to
them
,
and
through
it
all
,
a
sense
of
loneliness
that
was
almost
unbearable
.
How
she
envied
Valeria
!
To
love
with
her
whole
heart
,
without
a
shadow
of
doubt
;
to
have
that
element
of
warmth
in
her
life
which
could
never
fail
her
,
like
sunshine
to
the
earth
.
Among
the
cruelest
elements
of
Hadria
's
experience
had
been
that
emptying
of
her
heart
;
the
rebuff
to
the
need
for
love
,
the
conviction
that
she
was
to
go
through
life
without
its
supreme
emotion
.
Professor
Theobald
had
thrown
away
what
might
have
been
a
master-passion
.
The
outlook
was
so
blank
and
cold
,
so
unutterably
lonely
!
She
looked
back
to
the
days
at
Dunaghee
,
as
if
several
lifetimes
had
passed
between
her
and
them
.
What
illusions
they
had
all
harboured
in
those
strange
old
days
!
“
Do
you
remember
our
famous
discussion
on
Emerson
in
the
garret
?
”
she
said
to
Algitha
.
“
Do
I
?
It
is
one
of
the
episodes
of
our
youth
that
stands
out
most
distinctly
.
”
“
And
how
about
Emerson
's
doctrine
?
Are
we
the
makers
of
our
circumstances
?
Does
our
fate
‘fit
us
like
a
glove
?
’
”
Algitha
looked
thoughtful
.
“
I
doubt
it
,
”
she
said
.
“
Yet
you
have
brilliantly
done
what
you
meant
to
do
.
”
“
My
own
experience
does
not
overshadow
my
judgment
entirely
,
I
hope
,
”
said
Algitha
.
“
I
have
seen
too
much
of
a
certain
tragic
side
of
life
to
be
able
to
lay
down
a
law
of
that
sort
.
I
ca
n't
believe
,
for
instance
,
that
among
all
those
millions
in
the
East
End
,
not
one
man
or
woman
,
for
all
these
ages
,
was
born
with
great
capacities
,
which
better
conditions
might
have
allowed
to
come
to
fruition
.
I
think
you
were
right
,
after
all
.
It
is
a
matter
of
relation
.
”
The
autumn
was
unusually
fine
,
and
the
colours
sumptuous
beyond
description
.
The
vast
old
trees
that
grew
so
tall
and
strong
,
in
the
genial
English
soil
,
burnt
away
their
summer
life
in
a
grand
conflagration
.
Hubert
had
successfully
carried
the
day
with
regard
to
the
important
case
which
had
taken
him
abroad
,
and
had
now
returned
to
Craddock
Dene
.
Henriette
came
to
stay
at
the
Red
House
.
She
followed
her
brother
,
one
day
,
into
the
smoking-room
,
and
there
,
with
much
tact
and
circumlocution
,
gave
him
to
understand
that
she
thought
Hadria
was
becoming
more
sensible
;
that
she
was
growing
more
like
other
people
,
less
opinionated
,
wiser
,
and
better
in
every
way
.
“
Hadria
was
always
very
sweet
,
of
course
,
”
said
Henriette
,
“
but
she
had
the
faults
of
her
qualities
,
as
we
all
have
.
You
have
had
your
trials
,
dear
Hubert
,
but
I
rejoice
to
believe
that
Hadria
will
give
you
little
further
cause
for
pain
or
regret
.
”
Hubert
made
no
reply
.
He
placed
the
tips
of
his
fingers
together
and
looked
into
the
fire
.
“
I
think
that
the
companionship
of
Lady
Engleton
has
been
of
great
service
to
Hadria
,
”
he
observed
,
after
a
long
pause
.
“
Unquestionably
,
”
assented
Henriette
.
“
She
has
had
an
enormous
influence
upon
her
.
She
has
taught
Hadria
to
see
that
one
may
hold
one
's
own
ideas
quietly
,
without
flying
in
everybody
's
face
.
Lady
Engleton
is
a
pronounced
agnostic
,
yet
she
never
misses
a
Sunday
at
Craddock
Church
,
and
I
am
glad
to
see
that
Hadria
is
following
her
example
.
It
must
be
a
great
satisfaction
to
you
,
Hubert
.
People
used
to
talk
unpleasantly
about
Hadria
's
extremely
irregular
attendance
.
It
is
such
a
mistake
to
offend
people
's
ideas
,
in
a
small
place
like
this
.
”
“
That
is
what
I
told
Hadria
,
”
said
Hubert
,
“
and
her
mother
has
been
speaking
seriously
to
her
on
the
subject
.
Hadria
made
no
opposition
,
rather
to
my
surprise
.
She
said
that
she
would
go
as
regularly
as
our
dining-room
clock
,
if
it
gave
us
all
so
much
satisfaction
.
”
“
How
charming
!
”
cried
Henriette
benevolently
,
“
and
how
characteristic
!
”
As
Hadria
sank
in
faith
and
hope
,
she
rose
in
the
opinion
of
her
neighbours
.
She
was
never
nearer
to
universal
unbelief
than
now
,
when
the
orthodox
began
to
smile
upon
her
.
Life
presented
itself
to
her
as
a
mere
welter
of
confused
forces
.
If
goodness
,
or
aspiration
,
or
any
godlike
thing
arose
,
for
a
moment
—
like
some
shipwrecked
soul
with
hands
outstretched
above
the
waves
—
swiftly
it
sank
again
submerged
,
leaving
only
a
faint
ripple
on
the
surface
,
soon
overswept
and
obliterated
.
She
could
detect
no
light
on
the
face
of
the
troubled
waters
.
Looking
around
her
at
other
lives
,
she
saw
the
story
written
in
different
characters
,
but
always
the
same
;
hope
,
struggle
,
failure
.
The
pathos
of
old
age
wrung
her
heart
;
the
sorrows
of
the
poor
,
the
lonely
,
the
illusions
of
the
seeker
after
wealth
,
the
utter
vanity
of
the
objects
of
men
's
pursuit
,
and
the
end
of
it
all
!
“
I
wonder
what
is
the
secret
of
success
,
Hadria
?
”
“
Speaking
generally
,
I
should
say
to
have
a
petty
aim
.
”
“
Then
if
one
succeeds
after
a
long
struggle
,
”
said
Algitha
pensively
.
“
One
finds
it
,
I
doubt
not
,
the
dismalest
of
failures
.
”
A
great
cloud
of
darkness
seemed
to
have
descended
over
the
earth
.
Hadria
felt
cut
off
even
from
Nature
.
The
splendours
of
the
autumn
appeared
at
a
vast
distance
from
her
.
They
belonged
to
another
world
.
She
could
not
get
near
them
.
Mother
earth
had
deserted
her
child
.
A
superficial
apathy
was
creeping
over
her
,
below
which
burnt
a
slow
fire
of
pain
.
But
the
greater
the
apathy
,
which
expressed
itself
outwardly
in
a
sort
of
cheerful
readiness
to
take
things
as
they
came
,
the
more
delighted
everybody
appeared
to
be
with
the
repentant
sinner
.
Her
associates
seemed
to
desire
earnestly
that
she
should
go
to
church
,
as
they
did
,
in
her
best
bonnet
—
and
why
not
?
She
would
get
a
best
bonnet
,
as
ridiculous
as
they
pleased
,
and
let
Mr.
Walker
do
his
worst
.
What
did
it
matter
?
Who
was
the
better
or
the
worse
for
what
she
thought
or
how
she
acted
?
What
mattered
it
,
whether
she
were
consistent
or
not
?
What
mattered
it
if
she
seemed
,
by
her
actions
,
to
proclaim
her
belief
in
dogmas
that
meant
nothing
to
her
,
except
as
interesting
products
of
the
human
mind
?
She
had
not
enough
faith
to
make
it
worth
while
to
stand
alone
.
Lord
Engleton
said
he
thought
it
right
to
go
to
church
regularly
,
for
the
sake
of
setting
an
example
to
the
masses
,
a
sentiment
which
always
used
to
afford
Hadria
more
amusement
than
many
intentional
witticisms
.
She
went
often
to
the
later
service
,
when
the
autumn
twilight
lay
heavy
and
sad
upon
the
churchyard
,
and
the
peace
of
evening
stole
in
through
the
windows
of
the
church
.
Then
,
as
the
sublime
poetry
of
psalmist
or
prophet
rolled
through
the
Norman
arches
,
or
the
notes
of
the
organ
stole
out
of
the
shadowed
chancel
,
a
spirit
of
repose
would
creep
into
the
heart
of
the
listener
,
and
the
tired
thoughts
would
take
a
more
rhythmic
march
.
She
felt
nearer
to
her
fellows
,
at
such
moments
,
than
at
any
other
.
Her
heart
went
out
to
them
,
in
wistful
sympathy
.
They
seemed
to
be
standing
together
then
,
one
and
all
,
at
the
threshold
of
the
great
Mystery
,
and
though
they
might
be
parted
ever
so
widely
by
circumstance
,
temperament
,
mental
endowment
,
manner
of
thought
,
yet
after
all
,
they
were
brethren
and
fellow
sufferers
;
they
shared
the
weakness
,
the
longing
,
the
struggle
of
life
;
they
all
had
affections
,
ambitions
,
heart-breakings
,
sins
,
and
victories
;
the
differences
were
slight
and
transient
,
in
the
presence
of
the
vast
unknown
,
the
Ultimate
Reality
for
which
they
were
all
groping
in
the
darkness
.
This
sense
of
brotherhood
was
strongest
with
regard
to
the
poorer
members
of
the
congregation
:
the
labourers
with
their
toil-stained
hands
and
bent
heads
,
the
wives
,
the
weary
mothers
,
their
faces
seamed
with
the
ceaseless
strain
of
child-bearing
,
and
hard
work
,
and
care
and
worry
.
In
their
prematurely
ageing
faces
,
in
their
furrowed
brows
,
Hadria
could
trace
the
marks
of
Life
's
bare
and
ruthless
hand
,
which
had
pressed
so
heavily
on
those
whose
task
it
had
been
to
bestow
the
terrible
gift
.
Here
the
burden
had
crushed
soul
and
flesh
;
here
that
insensate
spirit
of
Life
had
worked
its
will
,
gratified
its
rage
to
produce
and
reproduce
,
it
mattered
not
what
in
the
semblance
of
the
human
,
so
long
only
as
that
wretched
semblance
repeated
itself
,
and
repeated
itself
again
,
ad
nauseum
,
while
it
destroyed
the
creatures
which
it
used
for
its
wild
purpose
—
And
the
same
savage
story
was
written
,
once
more
,
on
the
faces
of
the
better
dressed
women
:
worry
,
weariness
,
apathy
,
strain
;
these
were
marked
unmistakeably
,
after
the
first
freshness
of
youth
had
been
driven
away
,
and
the
features
began
to
take
the
mould
of
the
habitual
thoughts
and
the
habitual
impressions
.
And
on
these
faces
,
there
was
a
certain
pettiness
and
coldness
not
observable
on
those
of
the
poorer
women
.
Often
,
when
one
of
the
neighbours
called
and
found
Hadria
alone
,
some
chance
word
of
womanly
sympathy
would
touch
a
spring
,
and
then
a
sad
,
narrow
little
story
of
trouble
and
difficulty
would
be
poured
out
;
a
revelation
of
the
bewildered
,
toiling
,
futile
existences
that
were
being
passed
beneath
a
smooth
appearance
;
of
the
heart-ache
and
heroism
and
misplaced
sacrifice
,
of
the
ruined
lives
that
a
little
common
sense
and
common
kindness
might
have
saved
;
the
unending
pain
and
trouble
about
matters
entirely
trivial
,
entirely
absurd
;
the
ceaseless
travail
to
bring
forth
new
elements
of
trouble
for
those
who
must
inherit
the
deeds
of
to-day
;
the
burdened
existences
agonizing
to
give
birth
to
new
existences
,
equally
burdened
,
which
in
their
turn
,
were
to
repeat
the
ceaseless
oblation
to
the
gods
of
Life
.
“
Futile
?
”
said
Lady
Engleton
.
“
I
think
women
are
generally
fools
,
entre
nous
;
that
is
why
they
so
often
fill
their
lives
with
sound
and
fury
,
accomplishing
nothing
.
”
Hadria
felt
that
this
was
a
description
of
her
own
life
,
as
well
as
that
of
most
of
her
neighbours
.
“
I
can
understand
so
well
how
it
is
that
women
become
conventional
,
”
she
said
,
apparently
without
direct
reference
to
the
last
remark
,
“
it
is
so
useless
to
take
the
trouble
to
act
on
one
's
own
initiative
.
It
annoys
everybody
frightfully
,
and
it
accomplishes
nothing
,
as
you
say
.
”
“
My
dear
Hadria
,
you
alarm
me
!
”
cried
Lady
Engleton
,
laughing
.
“
You
must
really
be
very
ill
indeed
,
if
you
have
come
to
this
conclusion
!
”
In
looking
over
some
old
papers
and
books
,
one
afternoon
,
Hadria
came
upon
the
little
composition
called
Futility
,
which
a
mood
had
called
forth
at
Dunaghee
,
years
ago
.
She
had
almost
forgotten
about
it
,
and
in
trying
it
over
,
she
found
that
it
was
like
trying
over
the
work
of
some
other
person
.
It
expressed
with
great
exactness
the
feelings
that
overwhelmed
her
now
,
whenever
she
let
her
imagination
dwell
upon
the
lives
of
women
,
of
whatever
class
and
whatever
kind
.
Futility
!
The
mournful
composition
,
with
its
strange
modern
character
,
its
suggestion
of
striving
and
confusion
and
pain
,
expressed
as
only
music
could
express
,
the
yearning
and
the
sadness
that
burden
so
many
a
woman
's
heart
to-day
.
She
knew
that
the
music
was
good
,
and
that
now
she
could
compose
music
infinitely
better
.
The
sharpness
of
longing
for
her
lost
art
cut
through
her
.
She
half
turned
from
the
piano
and
then
went
back
,
as
a
moth
to
the
flame
.
How
was
this
eternal
tumult
to
be
stilled
?
Facts
were
definite
and
clear
,
there
was
no
room
for
doubt
or
for
hope
.
These
facts
then
had
to
be
dealt
with
.
How
did
other
women
deal
with
them
?
Not
so
much
better
than
she
did
,
after
all
,
as
it
appeared
when
one
was
allowed
to
see
beneath
the
amiable
surface
of
their
lives
.
They
were
all
spinning
round
and
round
,
in
a
dizzy
little
circle
,
all
whirling
and
toiling
and
troubling
,
to
no
purpose
.
Even
Lady
Engleton
,
who
appeared
so
bright
and
satisfied
,
had
her
secret
misery
which
spoilt
her
life
.
She
had
beauty
,
talent
,
wealth
,
everything
to
make
existence
pleasant
and
satisfactory
,
but
she
had
allowed
externals
and
unessentials
to
encroach
upon
it
,
to
govern
her
actions
,
to
usurp
the
place
of
her
best
powers
,
to
creep
into
her
motives
,
till
there
was
little
germ
and
heart
of
reality
left
,
and
she
was
beginning
to
feel
starved
and
aimless
in
the
midst
of
what
might
have
been
plenty
.
Lady
Engleton
had
turned
to
her
neighbour
at
the
Red
House
in
an
instinctive
search
for
sympathy
,
as
the
more
genuine
side
of
her
nature
began
to
cry
out
against
the
emptiness
of
her
graceful
and
ornate
existence
.
Hadria
was
startled
by
the
revelation
.
Hubert
had
always
held
up
Lady
Engleton
as
a
model
of
virtue
and
wisdom
,
and
perfect
contentment
.
Yet
she
too
,
it
turned
out
,
for
all
her
smiles
and
her
cheerfulness
,
was
busy
and
weary
with
futilities
.
She
too
,
like
the
fifty
daughters
of
Danaus
,
was
condemned
to
the
idiot
's
labour
of
eternally
drawing
water
in
sieves
from
fathomless
wells
.
CHAPTER
XLIX
.
ALGITHA
'S
marriage
took
place
almost
immediately
.
There
was
no
reason
for
delay
.
She
stayed
at
the
Cottage
,
and
was
married
at
Craddock
Church
,
on
one
of
the
loveliest
mornings
of
the
year
,
as
the
villagers
noticed
with
satisfaction
.
Both
sisters
had
become
favourites
in
the
neighbourhood
among
the
poorer
people
,
and
the
inhabitants
mustered
to
see
the
wedding
.
It
was
only
for
her
mother
's
sake
that
Algitha
had
consented
to
a
conventional
ceremony
.
She
said
that
she
and
Wilfrid
both
hated
the
whole
barbaric
show
.
They
submitted
only
because
there
was
no
help
for
it
.
Algitha
's
mother
would
have
broken
her
heart
if
they
had
been
bound
merely
by
the
legal
tie
,
as
she
and
Wilfrid
desired
.
“
Indeed
,
the
only
tie
that
we
respect
is
that
of
our
love
and
faith
.
If
that
failed
,
we
should
scorn
to
hold
one
another
in
unwilling
bondage
.
We
are
not
entirely
without
self-respect
.
”
The
couple
were
to
take
a
tour
in
Italy
,
where
they
hoped
to
meet
Valeria
and
Professor
Fortescue
.
Joseph
Fleming
was
married
,
almost
at
the
same
time
,
to
his
merry
Irish
girl
.
The
winter
came
suddenly
.
Some
terrific
gales
had
robbed
the
trees
of
their
lingering
yellow
leaves
,
and
the
bare
branches
already
shewed
their
exquisite
tracery
against
the
sky
.
Heavy
rain
followed
,
and
the
river
was
swollen
,
and
there
were
floods
that
made
the
whole
country
damp
,
and
rank
,
and
terribly
depressing
.
Mrs.
Fullerton
felt
the
influence
of
the
weather
,
and
complained
of
neuralgia
and
other
ailments
.
She
needed
watching
very
carefully
,
and
plenty
of
cheerful
companionship
.
This
was
hard
to
supply
.
In
struggling
to
belie
her
feelings
,
day
after
day
,
Hadria
feared
,
at
times
,
that
she
would
break
down
disastrously
.
She
was
frightened
at
the
strange
haunting
ideas
that
came
to
her
,
the
dread
and
nameless
horror
that
began
to
prey
upon
her
,
try
as
she
would
to
protect
herself
from
these
nerve-torments
,
which
she
could
trace
so
clearly
to
their
causes
.
If
only
,
instead
of
making
one
half
insane
and
stupid
,
the
strain
of
grief
would
but
kill
one
outright
,
and
be
done
with
it
!
Old
Dodge
was
a
good
friend
to
Hadria
,
at
this
time
.
He
saw
that
something
was
seriously
wrong
,
and
he
managed
to
convey
his
affectionate
concern
in
a
thousand
little
kindly
ways
that
brought
comfort
to
her
loneliness
,
and
often
filled
her
eyes
with
sudden
tears
.
Nor
was
he
the
only
friend
she
had
in
the
village
,
whose
sympathy
was
given
in
generous
measure
.
Hadria
had
been
able
to
be
of
use
,
at
the
time
of
the
disastrous
epidemic
which
had
carried
off
so
many
of
the
population
,
and
since
then
had
been
admitted
to
more
intimate
relationship
with
the
people
;
learning
their
troubles
and
their
joys
,
their
anxieties
,
and
the
strange
pathos
of
their
lives
.
She
learnt
,
at
this
time
,
the
quality
of
English
kindness
and
English
sympathy
,
which
Valeria
used
to
say
was
equalled
nowhere
in
the
world
.
Before
the
end
of
the
winter
,
Algitha
and
her
husband
returned
.
“
I
'm
real
glad
,
mum
,
that
I
be
,
”
said
Dodge
,
“
to
think
as
you
has
your
sister
with
you
again
.
There
ai
n't
nobody
like
one
's
kith
and
kin
,
wen
things
is
n't
quite
as
they
should
be
,
as
one
may
say
.
Miss
Fullerton
—
which
I
means
Mrs.
Burton
—
is
sure
to
do
you
a
sight
o
'
good
,
bless
'
er
.
”
Dodge
was
right
.
Algitha
's
healthy
nature
,
strengthened
by
happiness
and
success
,
was
of
infinite
help
to
Hadria
,
in
her
efforts
to
shake
off
the
symptoms
that
had
made
her
frightened
of
herself
.
She
did
not
know
what
tricks
exhausted
nerves
might
play
upon
her
,
or
what
tortures
they
had
in
store
for
her
.
Algitha
's
judgments
were
inclined
to
be
definite
and
clear-cut
to
the
point
of
hardness
.
She
did
not
know
the
meaning
of
over-wrought
nerves
,
nor
the
difficulties
of
a
nature
more
imaginative
than
her
own
.
She
had
found
her
will-power
sufficient
to
meet
all
the
emergencies
of
her
life
,
and
she
was
disposed
to
feel
a
little
contemptuous
,
especially
of
late
,
at
a
persistent
condition
of
difficulty
and
confusion
.
Her
impulse
was
to
attack
such
a
condition
and
bring
it
to
order
,
by
force
of
will
.
The
active
temperament
is
almost
bound
to
misunderstand
the
imaginative
or
artistic
spirit
and
its
difficulties
.
A
real
cul
de
sac
was
to
Algitha
almost
unthinkable
.
There
must
be
some
means
of
finding
one
's
way
out
.
Hadria
's
present
attitude
amazed
and
irritated
her
.
She
objected
to
her
regular
church-going
,
as
dishonest
.
Was
she
not
,
for
the
sake
of
peace
and
quietness
,
professing
that
which
she
did
not
believe
?
And
how
was
it
that
she
was
growing
more
into
favour
with
the
Jordans
and
Walkers
and
all
the
narrow
,
wooden-headed
people
?
Surely
an
ominous
sign
.
After
the
long
self-suppression
,
the
long
playing
of
a
fatiguing
rôle
,
Hadria
felt
an
unspeakable
relief
in
Algitha
's
presence
.
To
her
,
at
least
,
she
need
not
assume
a
false
cheerfulness
.
Algitha
noticed
,
with
anxiety
,
the
change
that
was
coming
over
her
sister
,
the
spirit
of
tired
acquiescence
,
the
insidious
creeping
in
of
a
slightly
cynical
view
of
things
,
in
place
of
the
brave
,
believing
,
imaginative
outlook
that
she
had
once
held
towards
life
.
This
cynicism
was
more
or
less
superficial
however
,
as
Algitha
found
when
they
had
a
long
and
intimate
conversation
,
one
evening
in
Hadria
's
room
,
by
her
fire
;
but
it
was
painful
to
Algitha
to
hear
the
hopeless
tones
of
her
sister
's
voice
,
now
that
she
was
speaking
simply
and
sincerely
,
without
bitterness
,
but
without
what
is
usually
called
resignation
.
“
No
;
I
do
n't
think
it
is
all
for
the
best
,
”
said
Hadria
.
“
I
think
,
as
far
as
my
influence
goes
,
it
is
all
for
the
worst
.
What
fatal
argument
my
life
will
give
to
those
who
are
seeking
reasons
to
hold
our
sex
in
the
old
bondage
!
My
struggles
,
my
failure
,
will
add
to
the
staggering
weight
that
we
all
stumble
under
.
I
have
hindered
more
—
that
is
the
bitter
thing
—
by
having
tried
and
failed
,
than
if
I
had
never
tried
at
all
.
Mrs.
Walker
,
Mrs.
Gordon
herself
,
has
given
less
arguments
to
the
oppressors
than
I
.
”
“
But
why
?
But
how
?
”
cried
Algitha
incredulously
.
“
Because
no
one
can
point
to
them
,
as
they
will
to
me
,
and
say
,
‘See
,
what
a
ghastly
failure
!
See
how
feeble
after
all
,
are
these
pretentious
women
of
the
new
order
,
who
begin
by
denying
the
sufficiency
of
the
life
assigned
them
,
by
common
consent
,
and
end
by
failing
in
that
and
in
the
other
which
they
aspire
to
.
What
has
become
of
all
the
talent
and
all
the
theories
and
resolves
?
’
And
so
the
next
girl
who
dares
to
have
ambitions
,
and
dares
to
scorn
the
rôle
of
adventuress
that
society
allots
to
her
,
will
have
the
harder
fate
because
of
my
attempt
.
Now
nothing
in
the
whole
world
,
”
cried
Hadria
,
her
voice
losing
the
even
tones
in
which
she
had
been
speaking
,
“
nothing
in
the
whole
world
will
ever
persuade
me
that
that
is
all
for
the
best
!
”
“
I
never
said
it
was
,
but
when
a
thing
has
to
be
,
why
not
make
the
best
of
it
?
”
“
And
so
persuade
people
that
all
is
well
,
when
all
is
not
well
!
That
's
exactly
what
women
always
do
and
always
have
done
,
and
plume
themselves
upon
it
.
And
so
this
ridiculous
farce
is
kept
up
,
because
these
wretched
women
go
smiling
about
the
world
,
hugging
their
stupid
resignation
to
their
hearts
,
and
pampering
up
their
sickly
virtue
,
at
the
expense
of
their
sex
.
Hang
their
virtue
!
”
Algitha
laughed
.
“
It
is
somewhat
self-regarding
certainly
,
in
spite
of
the
incessant
renunciation
and
