Well,
hide
among
the
ruins
,
and
if
I
can
stop
them
,
I
will
.
"
He
thanked
her
.
Margaret
went
forward
,
smiling
socially
.
She
supposed
that
these
were
unpunctual
guests
,
who
would
have
to
be
content
with
vicarious
civility
,
since
Evie
and
Charles
were
gone
,
Henry
tired
,
and
the
others
in
their
rooms
.
She
assumed
the
airs
of
a
hostess
;
not
for
long
.
For
one
of
the
group
was
Helen
—
Helen
in
her
oldest
clothes
,
and
dominated
by
that
tense
,
wounding
excitement
that
had
made
her
a
terror
in
their
nursery
days
.
"
What
is
it
?
"
she
called
.
"
Oh
,
what
's
wrong
?
Is
Tibby
ill
?
"
Helen
spoke
to
her
two
companions
,
who
fell
back
.
Then
she
bore
forward
furiously
.
"
They
're
starving
!
"
she
shouted
.
"
I
found
them
starving
!
"
"
Who
?
Why
have
you
come
?
"
"
The
Basts
.
"
"
Oh
,
Helen
!
"
moaned
Margaret
.
"
Whatever
have
you
done
now
?
"
"
He
has
lost
his
place
.
He
has
been
turned
out
of
his
bank
.
Yes
,
he
's
done
for
.
We
upper
classes
have
ruined
him
,
and
I
suppose
you
'll
tell
me
it
's
the
battle
of
life
.
Starving
.
His
wife
is
ill.
Starving
.
She
fainted
in
the
train
.
"
"
Helen
,
are
you
mad
?
"
"
Perhaps
.
Yes
.
If
you
like
,
I
'm
mad
.
But
I
've
brought
them
.
I
'll
stand
injustice
no
longer
.
I
'll
show
up
the
wretchedness
that
lies
under
this
luxury
,
this
talk
of
impersonal
forces
,
this
cant
about
God
doing
what
we
're
too
slack
to
do
ourselves
.
"
"
Have
you
actually
brought
two
starving
people
from
London
to
Shropshire
,
Helen
?
"
Helen
was
checked
.
She
had
not
thought
of
this
,
and
her
hysteria
abated
.
"
There
was
a
restaurant
car
on
the
train
,
"
she
said
.
"
Do
n't
be
absurd
.
They
are
n't
starving
,
and
you
know
it
.
Now
,
begin
from
the
beginning
.
I
wo
n't
have
such
theatrical
nonsense
.
How
dare
you
!
Yes
,
how
dare
you
!
"
she
repeated
,
as
anger
filled
her
,
"
bursting
in
to
Evie
's
wedding
in
this
heartless
way
.
My
goodness
!
but
you
've
a
perverted
notion
of
philanthropy
.
Look
"
—
she
indicated
the
house
—
"
servants
,
people
out
of
the
windows
.
They
think
it
's
some
vulgar
scandal
,
and
I
must
explain
,
'
Oh
no
,
it
's
only
my
sister
screaming
,
and
only
two
hangers-on
of
ours
,
whom
she
has
brought
here
for
no
conceivable
reason
.
'
"
"
Kindly
take
back
that
word
'
hangers-on
,
'
"
said
Helen
,
ominously
calm
.
"
Very
well
,
"
conceded
Margaret
,
who
for
all
her
wrath
was
determined
to
avoid
a
real
quarrel
.
"
I
,
too
,
am
sorry
about
them
,
but
it
beats
me
why
you
've
brought
them
here
,
or
why
you
're
here
yourself
.
"
It
's
our
last
chance
of
seeing
Mr.
Wilcox
.
"
Margaret
moved
towards
the
house
at
this
.
She
was
determined
not
to
worry
Henry
.
"
He
's
going
to
Scotland
.
I
know
he
is
.
I
insist
on
seeing
him
.
"
"
Yes
,
tomorrow
.
"
"
I
knew
it
was
our
last
chance
.
"
"
How
do
you
do
,
Mr.
Bast
?
"
said
Margaret
,
trying
to
control
her
voice
.
"
This
is
an
odd
business
.
What
view
do
you
take
of
it
?
"
"
There
is
Mrs.
Bast
,
too
,
"
prompted
Helen
.
Jacky
also
shook
hands
.
She
,
like
her
husband
,
was
shy
,
and
,
furthermore
,
ill
,
and
furthermore
,
so
bestially
stupid
that
she
could
not
grasp
what
was
happening
.
She
only
knew
that
the
lady
had
swept
down
like
a
whirlwind
last
night
,
had
paid
the
rent
,
redeemed
the
furniture
,
provided
them
with
a
dinner
and
breakfast
,
and
ordered
them
to
meet
her
at
Paddington
next
morning
.
Leonard
had
feebly
protested
,
and
when
the
morning
came
,
had
suggested
that
they
should
n't
go
.
But
she
,
half
mesmerized
,
had
obeyed
.
The
lady
had
told
them
to
,
and
they
must
,
and
their
bed-sitting-room
had
accordingly
changed
into
Paddington
,
and
Paddington
into
a
railway
carriage
,
that
shook
,
and
grew
hot
,
and
grew
cold
,
and
vanished
entirely
,
and
reappeared
amid
torrents
of
expensive
scent
.
"
You
have
fainted
,
"
said
the
lady
in
an
awe-struck
voice
.
"
Perhaps
the
air
will
do
you
good
.
"
And
perhaps
it
had
,
for
here
she
was
,
feeling
rather
better
among
a
lot
of
flowers
.
"
I
'm
sure
I
do
n't
want
to
intrude
,
"
began
Leonard
,
in
answer
to
Margaret
's
question
.
"
But
you
have
been
so
kind
to
me
in
the
past
in
warning
me
about
the
Porphyrion
that
I
wondered
—
why
,
I
wondered
whether
—
"
"
Whether
we
could
get
him
back
into
the
Porphyrion
again
,
"
supplied
Helen
.
"
Meg
,
this
has
been
a
cheerful
business
.
A
bright
evening
's
work
that
was
on
Chelsea
Embankment
.
"
Margaret
shook
her
head
and
returned
to
Mr.
Bast
.
"
I
do
n't
understand
.
You
left
the
Porphyrion
because
we
suggested
it
was
a
bad
concern
,
did
n't
you
?
"
"
That
's
right
.
"
"
And
went
into
a
bank
instead
?
"
"
I
told
you
all
that
,
"
said
Helen
;
"
and
they
reduced
their
staff
after
he
had
been
in
a
month
,
and
now
he
's
penniless
,
and
I
consider
that
we
and
our
informant
are
directly
to
blame
.
"
"
I
hate
all
this
,
"
Leonard
muttered
.
"
I
hope
you
do
,
Mr.
Bast
.
But
it
's
no
good
mincing
matters
.
You
have
done
yourself
no
good
by
coming
here
.
If
you
intend
to
confront
Mr.
Wilcox
,
and
to
call
him
to
account
for
a
chance
remark
,
you
will
make
a
very
great
mistake
.
"
"
I
brought
them
.
I
did
it
all
,
"
cried
Helen
.
"
I
can
only
advise
you
to
go
at
once
.
My
sister
has
put
you
in
a
false
position
,
and
it
is
kindest
to
tell
you
so
.
It
's
too
late
to
get
to
town
,
but
you
'll
find
a
comfortable
hotel
in
Oniton
,
where
Mrs.
Bast
can
rest
,
and
I
hope
you
'll
be
my
guests
there
.
"
"
That
is
n't
what
I
want
,
Miss
Schlegel
,
"
said
Leonard
.
"
You
're
very
kind
,
and
no
doubt
it
's
a
false
position
,
but
you
make
me
miserable
.
I
seem
no
good
at
all
.
"
"
It
's
work
he
wants
,
"
interpreted
Helen
.
"
Ca
n't
you
see
?
"
Then
he
said
:
"
Jacky
,
let
's
go
.
We
're
more
bother
than
we
're
worth
.
We
're
costing
these
ladies
pounds
and
pounds
already
to
get
work
for
us
,
and
they
never
will
.
There
's
nothing
we
're
good
enough
to
do
.
"
"
We
would
like
to
find
you
work
,
"
said
Margaret
rather
conventionally
.
"
We
want
to
—
I
,
like
my
sister
.
You
're
only
down
in
your
luck
.
Go
to
the
hotel
,
have
a
good
night
's
rest
,
and
some
day
you
shall
pay
me
back
the
bill
,
if
you
prefer
it
.
"
But
Leonard
was
near
the
abyss
,
and
at
such
moments
men
see
clearly
.
"
You
do
n't
know
what
you
're
talking
about
,
"
he
said
.
"
I
shall
never
get
work
now
.
If
rich
people
fail
at
one
profession
,
they
can
try
another
.
Not
I
.
I
had
my
groove
,
and
I
've
got
out
of
it
.
I
could
do
one
particular
branch
of
insurance
in
one
particular
office
well
enough
to
command
a
salary
,
but
that
's
all
.
Poetry
's
nothing
,
Miss
Schlegel
.
One
's
thoughts
about
this
and
that
are
nothing
.
Your
money
,
too
,
is
nothing
,
if
you
'll
understand
me
.
I
mean
if
a
man
over
twenty
once
loses
his
own
particular
job
,
it
's
all
over
with
him
.
I
have
seen
it
happen
to
others
.
Their
friends
gave
them
money
for
a
little
,
but
in
the
end
they
fall
over
the
edge
.
It
's
no
good
.
It
's
the
whole
world
pulling
.
There
always
will
be
rich
and
poor
.
"
He
ceased
.
"
Wo
n't
you
have
something
to
eat
?
"
said
Margaret
.
"
I
do
n't
know
what
to
do
.
It
is
n't
my
house
,
and
though
Mr.
Wilcox
would
have
been
glad
to
see
you
at
any
other
time
—
as
I
say
,
I
do
n't
know
what
to
do
,
but
I
undertake
to
do
what
I
can
for
you
.
Helen
,
offer
them
something
.
Do
try
a
sandwich
,
Mrs.
Bast
.
"
They
moved
to
a
long
table
behind
which
a
servant
was
still
standing
.
Iced
cakes
,
sandwiches
innumerable
,
coffee
,
claret-cup
,
champagne
,
remained
almost
intact
:
their
overfed
guests
could
do
no
more
.
Leonard
refused
.
Jacky
thought
she
could
manage
a
little
.
Margaret
left
them
whispering
together
and
had
a
few
more
words
with
Helen
.
She
said
:
"
Helen
,
I
like
Mr.
Bast
.
I
agree
that
he
's
worth
helping
.
I
agree
that
we
are
directly
responsible
.
"
"
No
,
indirectly
.
Via
Mr.
Wilcox
.
"
"
Let
me
tell
you
once
for
all
that
if
you
take
up
that
attitude
,
I
'll
do
nothing
.
No
doubt
you
're
right
logically
,
and
are
entitled
to
say
a
great
many
scathing
things
about
Henry
.
Only
,
I
wo
n't
have
it
.
So
choose
.
Helen
looked
at
the
sunset
.
"
If
you
promise
to
take
them
quietly
to
the
George
,
I
will
speak
to
Henry
about
them
—
in
my
own
way
,
mind
;
there
is
to
be
none
of
this
absurd
screaming
about
justice
.
I
have
no
use
for
justice
.
If
it
was
only
a
question
of
money
,
we
could
do
it
ourselves
.
But
he
wants
work
,
and
that
we
ca
n't
give
him
,
but
possibly
Henry
can
.
"
"
It
's
his
duty
to
,
"
grumbled
Helen
.
"
Nor
am
I
concerned
with
duty
.
I
'm
concerned
with
the
characters
of
various
people
whom
we
know
,
and
how
,
things
being
as
they
are
,
things
may
be
made
a
little
better
.
Mr.
Wilcox
hates
being
asked
favours
:
all
business
men
do
.
But
I
am
going
to
ask
him
,
at
the
risk
of
a
rebuff
,
because
I
want
to
make
things
a
little
better
.
"
"
Very
well
.
I
promise
.
You
take
it
very
calmly
.
"
"
Take
them
off
to
the
George
,
then
,
and
I
'll
try
.
Poor
creatures
!
but
they
look
tried
.
"
As
they
parted
,
she
added
:
"
I
have
n't
nearly
done
with
you
,
though
,
Helen
.
You
have
been
most
self-indulgent
.
I
ca
n't
get
over
it
.
You
have
less
restraint
rather
than
more
as
you
grow
older
.
Think
it
over
and
alter
yourself
,
or
we
sha
n't
have
happy
lives
.
"
She
rejoined
Henry
.
Fortunately
he
had
been
sitting
down
:
these
physical
matters
were
important
.
"
Was
it
townees
?
"
he
asked
,
greeting
her
with
a
pleasant
smile
.
"
You
'll
never
believe
me
,
"
said
Margaret
,
sitting
down
beside
him
.
"
It
's
all
right
now
,
but
it
was
my
sister
.
"
"
Helen
here
?
"
he
cried
,
preparing
to
rise
.
"
But
she
refused
the
invitation
.
I
thought
she
despised
weddings
.
"
"
Do
n't
get
up
.
She
has
not
come
to
the
wedding
.
I
've
bundled
her
off
to
the
George
.
"
Inherently
hospitable
,
he
protested
.
"
No
;
she
has
two
of
her
protégés
with
her
,
and
must
keep
with
them
.
"
"
Let
'
em
all
come
.
"
"
My
dear
Henry
,
did
you
see
them
?
"
"
I
did
catch
sight
of
a
brown
bunch
of
a
woman
,
certainly
.
"
The
brown
bunch
was
Helen
,
but
did
you
catch
sight
of
a
sea-green
and
salmon
bunch
?
"
"
What
!
are
they
out
beanfeasting
?
"
"
No
;
business
.
They
wanted
to
see
me
,
and
later
on
I
want
to
talk
to
you
about
them
.
"
She
was
ashamed
of
her
own
diplomacy
.
In
dealing
with
a
Wilcox
,
how
tempting
it
was
to
lapse
from
comradeship
,
and
to
give
him
the
kind
of
woman
that
he
desired
!
Henry
took
the
hint
at
once
,
and
said
:
"
Why
later
on
?
Tell
me
now
.
No
time
like
the
present
.
"
"
Shall
I
?
"
"
If
it
is
n't
a
long
story
.
"
"
Oh
,
not
five
minutes
;
but
there
's
a
sting
at
the
end
of
it
,
for
I
want
you
to
find
the
man
some
work
in
your
office
.
"
"
What
are
his
qualifications
?
"
"
I
do
n't
know
.
He
's
a
clerk
.
"
"
How
old
?
"
"
Twenty-five
,
perhaps
.
"
"
What
's
his
name
?
"
"
Bast
,
"
said
Margaret
,
and
was
about
to
remind
him
that
they
had
met
at
Wickham
Place
,
but
stopped
herself
.
It
had
not
been
a
successful
meeting
.
"
Where
was
he
before
?
"
"
Dempster
's
Bank
.
"
"
Why
did
he
leave
?
"
he
asked
,
still
remembering
nothing
.
"
They
reduced
their
staff
.
"
"
All
right
;
I
'll
see
him
.
"
It
was
the
reward
of
her
tact
and
devotion
through
the
day
.
Now
she
understood
why
some
women
prefer
influence
to
rights
.
Mrs.
Plynlimmon
,
when
condemning
suffragettes
,
had
said
:
"
The
woman
who
ca
n't
influence
her
husband
to
vote
the
way
she
wants
ought
to
be
ashamed
of
herself
.
"
Margaret
had
winced
,
but
she
was
influencing
Henry
now
,
and
though
pleased
at
her
little
victory
,
she
knew
that
she
had
won
it
by
the
methods
of
the
harem
.
"
I
should
be
glad
if
you
took
him
,
"
she
said
,
"
but
I
do
n't
know
whether
he
's
qualified
.
"
"
I
'll
do
what
I
can
.
But
,
Margaret
,
this
must
n't
be
taken
as
a
precedent
.
"
"
No
,
of
course
—
of
course
—
"
"
I
ca
n't
fit
in
your
protégés
every
day
.
Business
would
suffer
.
"
"
I
can
promise
you
he
's
the
last
.
He
—
he
's
rather
a
special
case
.
"
"
Protégés
always
are
.
"
She
let
it
stand
at
that
.
He
rose
with
a
little
extra
touch
of
complacency
,
and
held
out
his
hand
to
help
her
up
.
How
wide
the
gulf
between
Henry
as
he
was
and
Henry
as
Helen
thought
he
ought
to
be
!
And
she
herself
—
hovering
as
usual
between
the
two
,
now
accepting
men
as
they
are
,
now
yearning
with
her
sister
for
Truth
.
Love
and
Truth
—
their
warfare
seems
eternal
.
Perhaps
the
whole
visible
world
rests
on
it
,
and
if
they
were
one
,
life
itself
,
like
the
spirits
when
Prospero
was
reconciled
to
his
brother
,
might
vanish
into
air
,
into
thin
air
.
"
Your
protégé
has
made
us
late
,
"
said
he
.
"
The
Fussells
will
just
be
starting
.
"
On
the
whole
she
sided
with
men
as
they
are
.
Henry
would
save
the
Basts
as
he
had
saved
Howards
End
,
while
Helen
and
her
friends
were
discussing
the
ethics
of
salvation
.
His
was
a
slap-dash
method
,
but
the
world
has
been
built
slap-dash
,
and
the
beauty
of
mountain
and
river
and
sunset
may
be
but
the
varnish
with
which
the
unskilled
artificer
hides
his
joins
.
Oniton
,
like
herself
,
was
imperfect
.
Its
apple-trees
were
stunted
,
its
castle
ruinous
.
It
,
too
,
had
suffered
in
the
border
warfare
between
the
Anglo
Saxon
and
the
Kelt
,
between
things
as
they
are
and
as
they
ought
to
be
.
Once
more
the
west
was
retreating
,
once
again
the
orderly
stars
were
dotting
the
eastern
sky
.
There
is
certainly
no
rest
for
us
on
the
earth
.
But
there
is
happiness
,
and
as
Margaret
descended
the
mound
on
her
lover
's
arm
,
she
felt
that
she
was
having
her
share
.
To
her
annoyance
,
Mrs.
Bast
was
still
in
the
garden
;
the
husband
and
Helen
had
left
her
there
to
finish
her
meal
while
they
went
to
engage
rooms
.
Margaret
found
this
woman
repellent
.
She
had
felt
,
when
shaking
her
hand
,
an
overpowering
shame
.
She
remembered
the
motive
of
her
call
at
Wickham
Place
,
and
smelt
again
odours
from
the
abyss
—
odours
the
more
disturbing
because
they
were
involuntary
.
For
there
was
no
malice
in
Jacky
.
There
she
sat
,
a
piece
of
cake
in
one
hand
,
an
empty
champagne
glass
in
the
other
,
doing
no
harm
to
anybody
.
"
She
's
overtired
,
"
Margaret
whispered
.
"
She
's
something
else
,
"
said
Henry
.
"
This
wo
n't
do
.
I
ca
n't
have
her
in
my
garden
in
this
state
.
"
"
Is
she
—
"
Margaret
hesitated
to
add
"
drunk
.
"
Now
that
she
was
going
to
marry
him
,
he
had
grown
particular
.
He
discountenanced
risqué
conversations
now
.
Henry
went
up
to
the
woman
.
She
raised
her
face
,
which
gleamed
in
the
twilight
like
a
puff-ball
.
"
Madam
,
you
will
be
more
comfortable
at
the
hotel
,
"
he
said
sharply
.
Jacky
replied
:
"
If
it
is
n't
Hen
!
"
"
Ne
crois
pas
que
le
mari
lui
ressemble
,
"
apologized
Margaret
.
"
Il
est
tout
à
fait
différent
.
"
"
Henry
!
"
she
repeated
,
quite
distinctly
.
Mr.
Wilcox
was
much
annoyed
.
"
I
ca
n't
congratulate
you
on
your
protégés
,
"
he
remarked
.
"
Hen
,
do
n't
go
.
You
do
love
me
,
dear
,
do
n't
you
?
"
"
Bless
us
,
what
a
person
!
"
sighed
Margaret
,
gathering
up
her
skirts
.
Jacky
pointed
with
her
cake
.
"
You
're
a
nice
boy
,
you
are
.
"
She
yawned
.
"
There
now
,
I
love
you
.
"
"
Henry
,
I
am
awfully
sorry
.
"
"
And
pray
why
?
"
he
asked
,
and
looked
at
her
so
sternly
that
she
feared
he
was
ill.
He
seemed
more
scandalized
than
the
facts
demanded
.
"
To
have
brought
this
down
on
you
.
"
"
Pray
do
n't
apologize
.
"
The
voice
continued
.
"
Why
does
she
call
you
'
Hen
'
?
"
said
Margaret
innocently
.
"
Has
she
ever
seen
you
before
?
"
"
Seen
Hen
before
!
"
said
Jacky
.
"
Who
has
n't
seen
Hen
?
He
's
serving
you
like
me
,
my
dear
.
These
boys
!
You
wait
—
Still
we
love
'
em
.
"
"
Are
you
now
satisfied
?
"
Henry
asked
.
Margaret
began
to
grow
frightened
.
"
I
do
n't
know
what
it
is
all
about
,
"
she
said
.
"
Let
's
come
in
.
"
But
he
thought
she
was
acting
.
He
thought
he
was
trapped
.
He
saw
his
whole
life
crumbling
.
"
Do
n't
you
indeed
?
"
he
said
bitingly
.
"
I
do
.
Allow
me
to
congratulate
you
on
the
success
of
your
plan
.
"
"
This
is
Helen
's
plan
,
not
mine
.
"
"
I
now
understand
your
interest
in
the
Basts
.
Very
well
thought
out
.
I
am
amused
at
your
caution
,
Margaret
.
You
are
quite
right
—
it
was
necessary
.
I
am
a
man
,
and
have
lived
a
man
's
past
.
I
have
the
honour
to
release
you
from
your
engagement
.
"
Still
she
could
not
understand
.
She
knew
of
life
's
seamy
side
as
a
theory
;
she
could
not
grasp
it
as
a
fact
.
More
words
from
Jacky
were
necessary
—
words
unequivocal
,
undenied
.
"
So
that
—
"
burst
from
her
,
and
she
went
indoors
.
She
stopped
herself
from
saying
more
.
"
So
what
?
"
asked
Colonel
Fussell
,
who
was
getting
ready
to
start
in
the
hall
.
"
We
were
saying
—
Henry
and
I
were
just
having
the
fiercest
argument
,
my
point
being
—
"
Seizing
his
fur
coat
from
a
footman
,
she
offered
to
help
him
on
.
He
protested
,
and
there
was
a
playful
little
scene
.
"
No
,
let
me
do
that
,
"
said
Henry
,
following
.
"
Thanks
so
much
!
You
see
—
he
has
forgiven
me
!
"
The
Colonel
said
gallantly
:
"
I
do
n't
expect
there
's
much
to
forgive
.
He
got
into
the
car
.
The
ladies
followed
him
after
an
interval
.
Maids
,
courier
,
and
heavier
luggage
had
been
sent
on
earlier
by
the
branch
—
line
.
Still
chattering
,
still
thanking
their
host
and
patronizing
their
future
hostess
,
the
guests
were
home
away
.
Then
Margaret
continued
:
"
So
that
woman
has
been
your
mistress
?
"
"
You
put
it
with
your
usual
delicacy
,
"
he
replied
.
"
When
,
please
?
"
"
Why
?
"
"
When
,
please
?
"
"
Ten
years
ago
.
"
She
left
him
without
a
word
.
For
it
was
not
her
tragedy
:
it
was
Mrs.
Wilcox
's
.
Chapter
27
Helen
began
to
wonder
why
she
had
spent
a
matter
of
eight
pounds
in
making
some
people
ill
and
others
angry
.
Now
that
the
wave
of
excitement
was
ebbing
,
and
had
left
her
,
Mr.
Bast
,
and
Mrs.
Bast
stranded
for
the
night
in
a
Shropshire
hotel
,
she
asked
herself
what
forces
had
made
the
wave
flow
.
At
all
events
,
no
harm
was
done
.
Margaret
would
play
the
game
properly
now
,
and
though
Helen
disapproved
of
her
sister
's
methods
,
she
knew
that
the
Basts
would
benefit
by
them
in
the
long
run
.
"
Mr.
Wilcox
is
so
illogical
,
"
she
explained
to
Leonard
,
who
had
put
his
wife
to
bed
,
and
was
sitting
with
her
in
the
empty
coffee-room
.
"
If
we
told
him
it
was
his
duty
to
take
you
on
,
he
might
refuse
to
do
it
.
The
fact
is
,
he
is
n't
properly
educated
.
I
do
n't
want
to
set
you
against
him
,
but
you
'll
find
him
a
trial
.
"
"
I
can
never
thank
you
sufficiently
,
Miss
Schlegel
,
"
was
all
that
Leonard
felt
equal
to
.
"
I
believe
in
personal
responsibility
.
Do
n't
you
?
And
in
personal
everything
.
I
hate
—
I
suppose
I
ought
n't
to
say
that
—
but
the
Wilcoxes
are
on
the
wrong
tack
surely
.
Or
perhaps
it
is
n't
their
fault
.
Perhaps
the
little
thing
that
says
'
I
'
is
missing
out
of
the
middle
of
their
heads
,
and
then
it
's
a
waste
of
time
to
blame
them
.
There
's
a
nightmare
of
a
theory
that
says
a
special
race
is
being
born
which
will
rule
the
rest
of
us
in
the
future
just
because
it
lacks
the
little
thing
that
says
'
I
.
'
Had
you
heard
that
?
"
"
I
get
no
time
for
reading
.
"
"
Had
you
thought
it
,
then
?
That
there
are
two
kinds
of
people
—
our
kind
,
who
live
straight
from
the
middle
of
their
heads
,
and
the
other
kind
who
ca
n't
,
because
their
heads
have
no
middle
?
They
ca
n't
say
'
I
.
'
They
are
n't
in
fact
,
and
so
they
're
supermen
.
Pierpont
Morgan
has
never
said
'
I
'
in
his
life
.
"
Leonard
roused
himself
.
If
his
benefactress
wanted
intellectual
conversation
,
she
must
have
it
.
She
was
more
important
than
his
ruined
past
.
"
I
never
got
on
to
Nietzsche
,
"
he
said
.
"
But
I
always
understood
that
those
supermen
were
rather
what
you
may
call
egoists
.
"
"
Oh
,
no
,
that
's
wrong
,
"
replied
Helen
.
"
No
superman
ever
said
'
I
want
,
'
because
'
I
want
'
must
lead
to
the
question
,
'
Who
am
I
?
'
and
so
to
Pity
and
to
Justice
.
He
only
says
'
want
.
'
'
Want
Europe
,
'
if
he
's
Napoleon
;
'
want
wives
,
'
if
he
's
Bluebeard
;
'
want
Botticelli
,
'
if
he
's
Pierpont
Morgan
.
Never
the
'
I
'
;
and
if
you
could
pierce
through
him
,
you
'd
find
panic
and
emptiness
in
the
middle
.
"
Leonard
was
silent
for
a
moment
.
Then
he
said
:
"
May
I
take
it
,
Miss
Schlegel
,
that
you
and
I
are
both
the
sort
that
say
'
I
'
?
"
"
Of
course
.
"
"
And
your
sister
too
?
"
"
Of
course
,
"
repeated
Helen
,
a
little
sharply
.
She
was
annoyed
with
Margaret
,
but
did
not
want
her
discussed
.
"
All
presentable
people
say
'
I
.
'
"
"
But
Mr.
Wilcox
—
he
is
not
perhaps
—
"
"
I
do
n't
know
that
it
's
any
good
discussing
Mr.
Wilcox
either
.
"
"
Quite
so
,
quite
so
,
"
he
agreed
.
Helen
asked
herself
why
she
had
snubbed
him
.
Once
or
twice
during
the
day
she
had
encouraged
him
to
criticize
,
and
then
had
pulled
him
up
short
.
Was
she
afraid
of
him
presuming
?
If
so
,
it
was
disgusting
of
her
.
But
he
was
thinking
the
snub
quite
natural
.
Everything
she
did
was
natural
,
and
incapable
of
causing
offence
.
While
the
Miss
Schlegels
were
together
he
had
felt
them
scarcely
human
—
a
sort
of
admonitory
whirligig
.
But
a
Miss
Schlegel
alone
was
different
.
She
was
in
Helen
's
case
unmarried
,
in
Margaret
's
about
to
be
married
,
in
neither
case
an
echo
of
her
sister
.
A
light
had
fallen
at
last
into
this
rich
upper
world
,
and
he
saw
that
it
was
full
of
men
and
women
,
some
of
whom
were
more
friendly
to
him
than
others
.
Helen
had
become
"
his
"
Miss
Schlegel
,
who
scolded
him
and
corresponded
with
him
,
and
had
swept
down
yesterday
with
grateful
vehemence
.
Margaret
,
though
not
unkind
,
was
severe
and
remote
.
He
would
not
presume
to
help
her
,
for
instance
.
He
had
never
liked
her
,
and
began
to
think
that
his
original
impression
was
true
,
and
that
her
sister
did
not
like
her
either
.
Helen
was
certainly
lonely
.
She
,
who
gave
away
so
much
,
was
receiving
too
little
.
Leonard
was
pleased
to
think
that
he
could
spare
her
vexation
by
holding
his
tongue
and
concealing
what
he
knew
about
Mr.
Wilcox
.
Jacky
had
announced
her
discovery
when
he
fetched
her
from
the
lawn
.
After
the
first
shock
,
he
did
not
mind
for
himself
.
By
now
he
had
no
illusions
about
his
wife
,
and
this
was
only
one
new
stain
on
the
face
of
a
love
that
had
never
been
pure
.
To
keep
perfection
perfect
,
that
should
be
his
ideal
,
if
the
future
gave
him
time
to
have
ideals
.
Helen
,
and
Margaret
for
Helen
's
sake
,
must
not
know
.
Helen
disconcerted
him
by
fuming
the
conversation
to
his
wife
.
"
Mrs.
Bast
—
does
she
ever
say
'
I
'
?
"
she
asked
,
half
mischievously
,
and
then
,
"
Is
she
very
tired
?
"
"
It
's
better
she
stops
in
her
room
,
"
said
Leonard
.
"
Shall
I
sit
up
with
her
?
"
"
No
,
thank
you
;
she
does
not
need
company
.
"
"
Mr.
Bast
,
what
kind
of
woman
is
your
wife
?
"
Leonard
blushed
up
to
his
eyes
.
"
You
ought
to
know
my
ways
by
now
.
Does
that
question
offend
you
?
"
"
No
,
oh
no
,
Miss
Schlegel
,
no.
"
"
Because
I
love
honesty
.
Do
n't
pretend
your
marriage
has
been
a
happy
one
.
You
and
she
can
have
nothing
in
common
.
"
He
did
not
deny
it
,
but
said
shyly
:
"
I
suppose
that
's
pretty
obvious
;
but
Jacky
never
meant
to
do
anybody
any
harm
.
When
things
went
wrong
,
or
I
heard
things
,
I
used
to
think
it
was
her
fault
,
but
,
looking
back
,
it
's
more
mine
.
I
need
n't
have
married
her
,
but
as
I
have
I
must
stick
to
her
and
keep
her
.
"
"
How
long
have
you
been
married
?
"
"
Nearly
three
years
.
"
"
What
did
your
people
say
?
"
"
They
will
not
have
anything
to
do
with
us
.
They
had
a
sort
of
family
council
when
they
heard
I
was
married
,
and
cut
us
off
altogether
.
"
Helen
began
to
pace
up
and
down
the
room
.
"
My
good
boy
,
what
a
mess
!
"
she
said
gently
.
"
Who
are
your
people
?
"
He
could
answer
this
.
His
parents
,
who
were
dead
,
had
been
in
trade
;
his
sisters
had
married
commercial
travellers
;
his
brother
was
a
lay-reader
.
"
And
your
grandparents
?
"
Leonard
told
her
a
secret
that
he
had
held
shameful
up
to
now
.
"
They
were
just
nothing
at
all
,
"
he
said
,
"
—
agricultural
labourers
and
that
sort
.
"
"
So
!
From
which
part
?
"
"
Lincolnshire
mostly
,
but
my
mother
's
father
—
he
,
oddly
enough
,
came
from
these
parts
round
here
.
"
"
From
this
very
Shropshire
.
Yes
,
that
is
odd
.
My
mother
's
people
were
Lancashire
.
But
why
do
your
brother
and
your
sisters
object
to
Mrs.
Bast
?
"
"
Oh
,
I
do
n't
know
.
"
"
Excuse
me
,
you
do
know
.
I
am
not
a
baby
.
I
can
bear
anything
you
tell
me
,
and
the
more
you
tell
the
more
I
shall
be
able
to
help
.
Have
they
heard
anything
against
her
?
"
He
was
silent
.
"
I
think
I
have
guessed
now
,
"
said
Helen
very
gravely
.
"
I
do
n't
think
so
,
Miss
Schlegel
;
I
hope
not
.
"
"
We
must
be
honest
,
even
over
these
things
.
I
have
guessed
.
I
am
frightfully
,
dreadfully
sorry
,
but
it
does
not
make
the
least
difference
to
me
.
I
shall
feel
just
the
same
to
both
of
you
.
I
blame
,
not
your
wife
for
these
things
,
but
men
.
"
Leonard
left
it
at
that
—
so
long
as
she
did
not
guess
the
man
.
She
stood
at
the
window
and
slowly
pulled
up
the
blinds
.
The
hotel
looked
over
a
dark
square
.
The
mists
had
begun
.
When
she
turned
back
to
him
her
eyes
were
shining
.
"
Do
n't
you
worry
,
"
he
pleaded
.
"
I
ca
n't
bear
that
.
We
shall
be
all
right
if
I
get
work
.
If
I
could
only
get
work
—
something
regular
to
do
.
Then
it
would
n't
be
so
bad
again
.
I
do
n't
trouble
after
books
as
I
used
.
I
can
imagine
that
with
regular
work
we
should
settle
down
again
.
It
stops
one
thinking
.
"
"
Settle
down
to
what
?
"
"
Oh
,
just
settle
down
.
"
"
And
that
's
to
be
life
!
"
said
Helen
,
with
a
catch
in
her
throat
.
"
How
can
you
,
with
all
the
beautiful
things
to
see
and
do
—
with
music
—
with
walking
at
night
—
"
"
Walking
is
well
enough
when
a
man
's
in
work
,
"
he
answered
.
"
Oh
,
I
did
talk
a
lot
of
nonsense
once
,
but
there
's
nothing
like
a
bailiff
in
the
house
to
drive
it
out
of
you
.
When
I
saw
him
fingering
my
Ruskins
and
Stevensons
,
I
seemed
to
see
life
straight
real
,
and
it
is
n't
a
pretty
sight
.
My
books
are
back
again
,
thanks
to
you
,
but
they
'll
never
be
the
same
to
me
again
,
and
I
sha
n't
ever
again
think
night
in
the
woods
is
wonderful
.
"
"
Why
not
?
"
asked
Helen
,
throwing
up
the
window
.
"
Because
I
see
one
must
have
money
.
"
"
Well
,
you
're
wrong
.
"
"
I
wish
I
was
wrong
,
but
—
the
clergyman
—
he
has
money
of
his
own
,
or
else
he
's
paid
;
the
poet
or
the
musician
—
just
the
same
;
the
tramp
—
he
's
no
different
.
The
tramp
goes
to
the
workhouse
in
the
end
,
and
is
paid
for
with
other
people
's
money
.
Miss
Schlegel
,
the
real
thing
's
money
and
all
the
rest
is
a
dream
.
"
"
You
're
still
wrong
.
You
've
forgotten
Death
.
"
Leonard
could
not
understand
.
"
If
we
lived
for
ever
what
you
say
would
be
true
.
But
we
have
to
die
,
we
have
to
leave
life
presently
.
Injustice
and
greed
would
be
the
real
thing
if
we
lived
for
ever
.
As
it
is
,
we
must
hold
to
other
things
,
because
Death
is
coming
.
I
love
Death
—
not
morbidly
,
but
because
He
explains
.
He
shows
me
the
emptiness
of
Money
.
Death
and
Money
are
the
eternal
foes
.
Not
Death
and
Life
.
Never
mind
what
lies
behind
Death
,
Mr.
Bast
,
but
be
sure
that
the
poet
and
the
musician
and
the
tramp
will
be
happier
in
it
than
the
man
who
has
never
learnt
to
say
,
'
I
am
I
.
'
"
"
I
wonder
.
"
"
We
are
all
in
a
mist
—
I
know
but
I
can
help
you
this
far
—
men
like
the
Wilcoxes
are
deeper
in
the
mist
than
any
.
Sane
,
sound
Englishmen
!
building
up
empires
,
levelling
all
the
world
into
what
they
call
common
sense
.
But
mention
Death
to
them
and
they
're
offended
,
because
Death
's
really
Imperial
,
and
He
cries
out
against
them
for
ever
.
"
"
I
am
as
afraid
of
Death
as
any
one
.
"
"
But
not
of
the
idea
of
Death
.
"
"
But
what
is
the
difference
?
"
"
Infinite
difference
,
"
said
Helen
,
more
gravely
than
before
.
Leonard
looked
at
her
wondering
,
and
had
the
sense
of
great
things
sweeping
out
of
the
shrouded
night
.
But
he
could
not
receive
them
,
because
his
heart
was
still
full
of
little
things
.
As
the
lost
umbrella
had
spoilt
the
concert
at
Queen
's
Hall
,
so
the
lost
situation
was
obscuring
the
diviner
harmonies
now
.
Death
,
Life
and
Materialism
were
fine
words
,
but
would
Mr.
Wilcox
take
him
on
as
a
clerk
?
Talk
as
one
would
,
Mr.
Wilcox
was
king
of
this
world
,
the
superman
,
with
his
own
morality
,
whose
head
remained
in
the
clouds
.
"
I
must
be
stupid
,
"
he
said
apologetically
.
While
to
Helen
the
paradox
became
clearer
and
clearer
.
"
Death
destroys
a
man
:
the
idea
of
Death
saves
him
.
"
Behind
the
coffins
and
the
skeletons
that
stay
the
vulgar
mind
lies
something
so
immense
that
all
that
is
great
in
us
responds
to
it
.
Men
of
the
world
may
recoil
from
the
charnel-house
that
they
will
one
day
enter
,
but
Love
knows
better
.
Death
is
his
foe
,
but
his
peer
,
and
in
their
age-long
struggle
the
thews
of
Love
have
been
strengthened
,
and
his
vision
cleared
,
until
there
is
no
one
who
can
stand
against
him
.
"
So
never
give
in
,
"
continued
the
girl
,
and
restated
again
and
again
the
vague
yet
convincing
plea
that
the
Invisible
lodges
against
the
Visible
.
Her
excitement
grew
as
she
tried
to
cut
the
rope
that
fastened
Leonard
to
the
earth
.
Woven
of
bitter
experience
,
it
resisted
her
.
Presently
the
waitress
entered
and
gave
her
a
letter
from
Margaret
.
Another
note
,
addressed
to
Leonard
,
was
inside
.
They
read
them
,
listening
to
the
murmurings
of
the
river
.
Chapter
28
For
many
hours
Margaret
did
nothing
;
then
she
controlled
herself
,
and
wrote
some
letters
.
She
was
too
bruised
to
speak
to
Henry
;
she
could
pity
him
,
and
even
determine
to
marry
him
,
but
as
yet
all
lay
too
deep
in
her
heart
for
speech
.
On
the
surface
the
sense
of
his
degradation
was
too
strong
.
She
could
not
command
voice
or
look
,
and
the
gentle
words
that
she
forced
out
through
her
pen
seemed
to
proceed
from
some
other
person
.
"
My
dearest
boy
,
"
she
began
,
"
this
is
not
to
part
us
.
It
is
everything
or
nothing
,
and
I
mean
it
to
be
nothing
.
It
happened
long
before
we
ever
met
,
and
even
if
it
had
happened
since
,
I
should
be
writing
the
same
,
I
hope
.
I
do
understand
.
"
But
she
crossed
out
"
I
do
understand
"
;
it
struck
a
false
note
.
Henry
could
not
bear
to
be
understood
.
She
also
crossed
out
,
"
It
is
everything
or
nothing
.
"
Henry
would
resent
so
strong
a
grasp
of
the
situation
.
She
must
not
comment
;
comment
is
unfeminine
.
"
I
think
that
'll
about
do
,
"
she
thought
.
Then
the
sense
of
his
degradation
choked
her
.
Was
he
worth
all
this
bother
?
To
have
yielded
to
a
woman
of
that
sort
was
everything
,
yes
,
it
was
,
and
she
could
not
be
his
wife
.
She
tried
to
translate
his
temptation
into
her
own
language
,
and
her
brain
reeled
.
Men
must
be
different
,
even
to
want
to
yield
to
such
a
temptation
.
Her
belief
in
comradeship
was
stifled
,
and
she
saw
life
as
from
that
glass
saloon
on
the
Great
Western
,
which
sheltered
male
and
female
alike
from
the
fresh
air
.
Are
the
sexes
really
races
,
each
with
its
own
code
of
morality
,
and
their
mutual
love
a
mere
device
of
Nature
to
keep
things
going
?
Strip
human
intercourse
of
the
proprieties
,
and
is
it
reduced
to
this
?
Her
judgment
told
her
no.
She
knew
that
out
of
Nature
's
device
we
have
built
a
magic
that
will
win
us
immortality
.
Far
more
mysterious
than
the
call
of
sex
to
sex
is
the
tenderness
that
we
throw
into
that
call
;
far
wider
is
the
gulf
between
us
and
the
farmyard
than
between
the
farm-yard
and
the
garbage
that
nourishes
it
.
We
are
evolving
,
in
ways
that
Science
cannot
measure
,
to
ends
that
Theology
dares
not
contemplate
.
"
Men
did
produce
one
jewel
,
"
the
gods
will
say
,
and
,
saying
,
will
give
us
immortality
.
Margaret
knew
all
this
,
but
for
the
moment
she
could
not
feel
it
,
and
transformed
the
marriage
of
Evie
and
Mr.
Cahill
into
a
carnival
of
fools
,
and
her
own
marriage
—
too
miserable
to
think
of
that
,
she
tore
up
the
letter
,
and
then
wrote
another
:
Dear
Mr.
Bast
,
I
have
spoken
to
Mr.
Wilcox
about
you
,
as
I
promised
,
and
am
sorry
to
say
that
he
has
no
vacancy
for
you
.
Yours
truly
,
M
.
J
.
Schlegel
She
enclosed
this
in
a
note
to
Helen
,
over
which
she
took
less
trouble
than
she
might
have
done
;
but
her
head
was
aching
,
and
she
could
not
stop
to
pick
her
words
:
Dear
Helen
,
Give
him
this
.
The
Basts
are
no
good
.
Henry
found
the
woman
drunk
on
the
lawn
.
I
am
having
a
room
got
ready
for
you
here
,
and
will
you
please
come
round
at
once
on
getting
this
?
The
Basts
are
not
at
all
the
type
we
should
trouble
about
.
I
may
go
round
to
them
myself
in
the
morning
,
and
do
anything
that
is
fair
.
M
In
writing
this
,
Margaret
felt
that
she
was
being
practical
.
Something
might
be
arranged
for
the
Basts
later
on
,
but
they
must
be
silenced
for
the
moment
.
She
hoped
to
avoid
a
conversation
between
the
woman
and
Helen
.
She
rang
the
bell
for
a
servant
,
but
no
one
answered
it
;
Mr.
Wilcox
and
the
Warringtons
were
gone
to
bed
,
and
the
kitchen
was
abandoned
to
Saturnalia
.
Consequently
she
went
over
to
the
George
herself
.
She
did
not
enter
the
hotel
,
for
discussion
would
have
been
perilous
,
and
,
saying
that
the
letter
was
important
,
she
gave
it
to
the
waitress
.
As
she
recrossed
the
square
she
saw
Helen
and
Mr.
Bast
looking
out
of
the
window
of
the
coffee-room
,
and
feared
she
was
already
too
late
.
Her
task
was
not
yet
over
;
she
ought
to
tell
Henry
what
she
had
done
.
This
came
easily
,
for
she
saw
him
in
the
hall
.
The
night
wind
had
been
rattling
the
pictures
against
the
wall
,
and
the
noise
had
disturbed
him
.
"
Who
's
there
?
"
he
called
,
quite
the
householder
.
Margaret
walked
in
and
past
him
.
"
I
have
asked
Helen
to
sleep
,
"
she
said
.
"
She
is
best
here
;
so
do
n't
lock
the
front-door
.
"
"
I
thought
someone
had
got
in
,
"
said
Henry
.
"
At
the
same
time
I
told
the
man
that
we
could
do
nothing
for
him
.
I
do
n't
know
about
later
,
but
now
the
Basts
must
clearly
go
.
"
"
Did
you
say
that
your
sister
is
sleeping
here
,
after
all
?
"
"
Probably
.
"
"
Is
she
to
be
shown
up
to
your
room
?
"
"
I
have
naturally
nothing
to
say
to
her
;
I
am
going
to
bed
.
Will
you
tell
the
servants
about
Helen
?
Could
someone
go
to
carry
her
bag
?
"
He
tapped
a
little
gong
,
which
had
been
bought
to
summon
the
servants
.
"
You
must
make
more
noise
than
that
if
you
want
them
to
hear
.
"
Henry
opened
a
door
,
and
down
the
corridor
came
shouts
of
laughter
.
"
Far
too
much
screaming
there
,
"
he
said
,
and
strode
towards
it
.
Margaret
went
upstairs
,
uncertain
whether
to
be
glad
that
they
had
met
,
or
sorry
.
They
had
behaved
as
if
nothing
had
happened
,
and
her
deepest
instincts
told
her
that
this
was
wrong
.
For
his
own
sake
,
some
explanation
was
due
.
And
yet
—
what
could
an
explanation
tell
her
?
A
date
,
a
place
,
a
few
details
,
which
she
could
imagine
all
too
clearly
.
Now
that
the
first
shock
was
over
,
she
saw
that
there
was
every
reason
to
premise
a
Mrs.
Bast
.
Henry
's
inner
life
had
long
laid
open
to
her
—
his
intellectual
confusion
,
his
obtuseness
to
personal
influence
,
his
strong
but
furtive
passions
.
Should
she
refuse
him
because
his
outer
life
corresponded
?
Perhaps
.
Perhaps
,
if
the
dishonour
had
been
done
to
her
,
but
it
was
done
long
before
her
day
.
She
struggled
against
the
feeling
.
She
told
herself
that
Mrs.
Wilcox
's
wrong
was
her
own
.
But
she
was
not
a
bargain
theorist
.
As
she
undressed
,
her
anger
,
her
regard
for
the
dead
,
her
desire
for
a
scene
,
all
grew
weak
.
Henry
must
have
it
as
he
liked
,
for
she
loved
him
,
and
some
day
she
would
use
her
love
to
make
him
a
better
man
.
Pity
was
at
the
bottom
of
her
actions
all
through
this
crisis
.
Pity
,
if
one
may
generalize
,
is
at
the
bottom
of
woman
.
When
men
like
us
,
it
is
for
our
better
qualities
,
and
however
tender
their
liking
,
we
dare
not
be
unworthy
of
it
,
or
they
will
quietly
let
us
go
.
But
unworthiness
stimulates
woman
.
It
brings
out
her
deeper
nature
,
for
good
or
for
evil
.
Here
was
the
core
of
the
question
.
Henry
must
be
forgiven
,
and
made
better
by
love
;
nothing
else
mattered
.
Mrs.
Wilcox
,
that
unquiet
yet
kindly
ghost
,
must
be
left
to
her
own
wrong
.
To
her
everything
was
in
proportion
now
,
and
she
,
too
,
would
pity
the
man
who
was
blundering
up
and
down
their
lives
.
Had
Mrs.
Wilcox
known
of
his
trespass
?
An
interesting
question
,
but
Margaret
fell
asleep
,
tethered
by
affection
,
and
lulled
by
the
murmurs
of
the
river
that
descended
all
the
night
from
Wales
.
She
felt
herself
at
one
with
her
future
home
,
colouring
it
and
coloured
by
it
,
and
awoke
to
see
,
for
the
second
time
,
Oniton
Castle
conquering
the
morning
mists
.
Chapter
29
"
Henry
dear
—
"
was
her
greeting
.
He
had
finished
his
breakfast
,
and
was
beginning
the
Times
.
His
sister-in-law
was
packing
.
She
knelt
by
him
and
took
the
paper
from
him
,
feeling
that
it
was
unusually
heavy
and
thick
.
Then
,
putting
her
face
where
it
had
been
,
she
looked
up
in
his
eyes
.
"
Henry
dear
,
look
at
me
.
No
,
I
wo
n't
have
you
shirking
.
Look
at
me
.
There
.
That
's
all
.
"
"
You
're
referring
to
last
evening
,
"
he
said
huskily
.
"
I
have
released
you
from
your
engagement
.
I
could
find
excuses
,
but
I
wo
n't
.
No
,
I
wo
n't
.
A
thousand
times
no.
I
'm
a
bad
lot
,
and
must
be
left
at
that
.
"
Expelled
from
his
old
fortress
,
Mr.
Wilcox
was
building
a
new
one
.
He
could
no
longer
appear
respectable
to
her
,
so
he
defended
himself
instead
in
a
lurid
past
.
It
was
not
true
repentance
.
"
Leave
it
where
you
will
,
boy
.
It
's
not
going
to
trouble
us
:
I
know
what
I
'm
talking
about
,
and
it
will
make
no
difference
.
"
"
No
difference
?
"
he
inquired
.
"
No
difference
,
when
you
find
that
I
am
not
the
fellow
you
thought
?
"
He
was
annoyed
with
Miss
Schlegel
here
.
He
would
have
preferred
her
to
be
prostrated
by
the
blow
,
or
even
to
rage
.
Against
the
tide
of
his
sin
flowed
the
feeling
that
she
was
not
altogether
womanly
.
Her
eyes
gazed
too
straight
;
they
had
read
books
that
are
suitable
for
men
only
.
And
though
he
had
dreaded
a
scene
,
and
though
she
had
determined
against
one
,
there
was
a
scene
,
all
the
same
.
It
was
somehow
imperative
.
"
I
am
unworthy
of
you
,
"
he
began
.
"
Had
I
been
worthy
,
I
should
not
have
released
you
from
your
engagement
.
I
know
what
I
am
talking
about
.
I
ca
n't
bear
to
talk
of
such
things
.
We
had
better
leave
it
.
"
She
kissed
his
hand
.
He
jerked
it
from
her
,
and
,
rising
to
his
feet
,
went
on
:
"
You
,
with
your
sheltered
life
,
and
refined
pursuits
,
and
friends
,
and
books
,
you
and
your
sister
,
and
women
like
you
—
I
say
,
how
can
you
guess
the
temptations
that
lie
round
a
man
?
"
"
It
is
difficult
for
us
,
"
said
Margaret
;
"
but
if
we
are
worth
marrying
,
we
do
guess
.
"
"
Cut
off
from
decent
society
and
family
ties
,
what
do
you
suppose
happens
to
thousands
of
young
fellows
overseas
?
Isolated
.
No
one
near
.
I
know
by
bitter
experience
,
and
yet
you
say
it
makes
'
no
difference
.
'
"
"
Not
to
me
.
"
He
laughed
bitterly
.
Margaret
went
to
the
side-board
and
helped
herself
to
one
of
the
breakfast
dishes
.
Being
the
last
down
,
she
turned
out
the
spirit-lamp
that
kept
them
warm
.
She
was
tender
,
but
grave
.
She
knew
that
Henry
was
not
so
much
confessing
his
soul
as
pointing
out
the
gulf
between
the
male
soul
and
the
female
,
and
she
did
not
desire
to
hear
him
on
this
point
.
"
Did
Helen
come
?
"
she
asked
.
He
shook
his
head
.
"
But
that
wo
n't
do
at
all
,
at
all
!
We
do
n't
want
her
gossiping
with
Mrs.
Bast
.
"
"
Good
God
!
no
!
"
he
exclaimed
,
suddenly
natural
.
Then
he
caught
himself
up
.
"
Let
them
gossip
.
My
game
's
up
,
though
I
thank
you
for
your
unselfishness
—
little
as
my
thanks
are
worth
.
"
"
Did
n't
she
send
me
a
message
or
anything
?
"
"
I
heard
of
none
.
"
"
Would
you
ring
the
bell
,
please
?
"
"
What
to
do
?
"
"
Why
,
to
inquire
.
"
He
swaggered
up
to
it
tragically
,
and
sounded
a
peal
.
Margaret
poured
herself
out
some
coffee
.
The
butler
came
,
and
said
that
Miss
Schlegel
had
slept
at
the
George
,
so
far
as
he
had
heard
.
Should
he
go
round
to
the
George
?
"
I
'll
go
,
thank
you
,
"
said
Margaret
,
and
dismissed
him
.
"
It
is
no
good
,
"
said
Henry
.
"
Those
things
leak
out
;
you
cannot
stop
a
story
once
it
has
started
.
I
have
known
cases
of
other
men
—
I
despised
them
once
,
I
thought
that
I
'm
different
,
I
shall
never
be
tempted
.
Oh
,
Margaret
—
"
He
came
and
sat
down
near
her
,
improvising
emotion
.
She
could
not
bear
to
listen
to
him
.
"
We
fellows
all
come
to
grief
once
in
our
time
.
Will
you
believe
that
?
There
are
moments
when
the
strongest
man
—
'
Let
him
who
standeth
,
take
heed
lest
he
fall
.
'
That
's
true
,
is
n't
it
?
If
you
knew
all
,
you
would
excuse
me
.
I
was
far
from
good
influences
—
far
even
from
England
.
I
was
very
,
very
lonely
,
and
longed
for
a
woman
's
voice
.
That
's
enough
.
I
have
told
you
too
much
already
for
you
to
forgive
me
now
.
"
"
Yes
,
that
's
enough
,
dear
.
"
"
I
have
"
—
he
lowered
his
voice
—
"
I
have
been
through
hell
.
"
Gravely
she
considered
this
claim
.
Had
he
?
Had
he
suffered
tortures
of
remorse
,
or
had
it
been
,
"
There
!
that
's
over
.
Now
for
respectable
life
again
"
?
The
latter
,
if
she
read
him
rightly
.
A
man
who
has
been
through
hell
does
not
boast
of
his
virility
.
He
is
humble
and
hides
it
,
if
,
indeed
,
it
still
exists
.
Only
in
legend
does
the
sinner
come
forth
penitent
,
but
terrible
,
to
conquer
pure
woman
by
his
resistless
power
.
Henry
was
anxious
to
be
terrible
,
but
had
not
got
it
in
him
.
He
was
a
good
average
Englishman
,
who
had
slipped
.
The
really
culpable
point
—
his
faithlessness
to
Mrs.
Wilcox
—
never
seemed
to
strike
him
.
She
longed
to
mention
Mrs.
Wilcox
.
And
bit
by
bit
the
story
was
told
her
.
It
was
a
very
simple
story
.
Ten
years
ago
was
the
time
,
a
garrison
town
in
Cyprus
the
place
.
Now
and
then
he
asked
her
whether
she
could
possibly
forgive
him
,
and
she
answered
,
"
I
have
already
forgiven
you
,
Henry
.
"
She
chose
her
words
carefully
,
and
so
saved
him
from
panic
.
She
played
the
girl
,
until
he
could
rebuild
his
fortress
and
hide
his
soul
from
the
world
.
When
the
butler
came
to
clear
away
,
Henry
was
in
a
very
different
mood
—
asked
the
fellow
what
he
was
in
such
a
hurry
for
,
complained
of
the
noise
last
night
in
the
servants
'
hall
.
Margaret
looked
intently
at
the
butler
.
He
,
as
a
handsome
young
man
,
was
faintly
attractive
to
her
as
a
woman
—
an
attraction
so
faint
as
scarcely
to
be
perceptible
,
yet
the
skies
would
have
fallen
if
she
had
mentioned
it
to
Henry
.
On
her
return
from
the
George
the
building
operations
were
complete
,
and
the
old
Henry
fronted
her
,
competent
,
cynical
,
and
kind
.
He
had
made
a
clean
breast
,
had
been
forgiven
,
and
the
great
thing
now
was
to
forget
his
failure
,
and
to
send
it
the
way
of
other
unsuccessful
investments
.
Jacky
rejoined
Howards
End
and
Ducie
Street
,
and
the
vermilion
motor-car
,
and
the
Argentine
Hard
Dollars
,
and
all
the
things
and
people
for
whom
he
had
never
had
much
use
and
had
less
now
.
Their
memory
hampered
him
.
He
could
scarcely
attend
to
Margaret
who
brought
back
disquieting
news
from
the
George
.
Helen
and
her
clients
had
gone
.
"
Well
,
let
them
go
—
the
man
and
his
wife
,
I
mean
,
for
the
more
we
see
of
your
sister
the
better
.
"
"
But
they
have
gone
separately
—
Helen
very
early
,
the
Basts
just
before
I
arrived
.
They
have
left
no
message
.
They
have
answered
neither
of
my
notes
.
I
do
n't
like
to
think
what
it
all
means
.
"
"
What
did
you
say
in
the
notes
?
"
"
I
told
you
last
night
.
"
"
Oh
—
ah
—
yes
!
Dear
,
would
you
like
one
turn
in
the
garden
?
"
Margaret
took
his
arm
.
The
beautiful
weather
soothed
her
.
But
the
wheels
of
Evie
's
wedding
were
still
at
work
,
tossing
the
guests
outwards
as
deftly
as
they
had
drawn
them
in
,
and
she
could
not
be
with
him
long
.
It
had
been
arranged
that
they
should
motor
to
Shrewsbury
,
whence
he
would
go
north
,
and
she
back
to
London
with
the
Warringtons
.
For
a
fraction
of
time
she
was
happy
.
Then
her
brain
recommenced
.
"
I
am
afraid
there
has
been
gossiping
of
some
kind
at
the
George
.
Helen
would
not
have
left
unless
she
had
heard
something
.
I
mismanaged
that
.
It
is
wretched
.
I
ought
to
—
have
parted
her
from
that
woman
at
once
.
"
Margaret
!
"
he
exclaimed
,
loosing
her
arm
impressively
.
"
Yes
—
yes
,
Henry
?
"
"
I
am
far
from
a
saint
—
in
fact
,
the
reverse
—
but
you
have
taken
me
,
for
better
or
worse
.
Bygones
must
be
bygones
.
You
have
promised
to
forgive
me
.
Margaret
,
a
promise
is
a
promise
.
Never
mention
that
woman
again
.
"
"
Except
for
some
practical
reason
—
never
.
"
"
Practical
!
You
practical
!
"
"
Yes
,
I
'm
practical
,
"
she
murmured
,
stooping
over
the
mowing-machine
and
playing
with
the
grass
which
trickled
through
her
fingers
like
sand
.
He
had
silenced
her
,
but
her
fears
made
him
uneasy
.
Not
for
the
first
time
,
he
was
threatened
with
blackmail
.
He
was
rich
and
supposed
to
be
moral
;
the
Basts
knew
that
he
was
not
,
and
might
find
it
profitable
to
hint
as
much
.
"
At
all
events
,
you
must
n't
worry
,
"
he
said
.
