.He
also
wanted
to
know
who
had
left
the
front
gate
open
,
since
a
cow
had
strayed
in
from
the
road
,
and
was
spoiling
the
croquet
lawn
.
Then
he
said
rather
crossly
:
"
Margaret
,
you
wait
in
the
dry
.
I
'll
go
down
for
the
key
.
It
is
n't
a
hundred
yards
.
"
May
n't
I
come
too
?
"
"
No
;
I
shall
be
back
before
I
'm
gone
.
"
Then
the
car
turned
away
,
and
it
was
as
if
a
curtain
had
risen
.
For
the
second
time
that
day
she
saw
the
appearance
of
the
earth
.
There
were
the
greengage-trees
that
Helen
had
once
described
,
there
the
tennis
lawn
,
there
the
hedge
that
would
be
glorious
with
dog-roses
in
June
,
but
the
vision
now
was
of
black
and
palest
green
.
Down
by
the
dell-hole
more
vivid
colours
were
awakening
,
and
Lent
Lilies
stood
sentinel
on
its
margin
,
or
advanced
in
battalions
over
the
grass
.
Tulips
were
a
tray
of
jewels
.
She
could
not
see
the
wych-elm
tree
,
but
a
branch
of
the
celebrated
vine
,
studded
with
velvet
knobs
,
had
covered
the
porch
.
She
was
struck
by
the
fertility
of
the
soil
;
she
had
seldom
been
in
a
garden
where
the
flowers
looked
so
well
,
and
even
the
weeds
she
was
idly
plucking
out
of
the
porch
were
intensely
green
.
Why
had
poor
Mr.
Bryce
fled
from
all
this
beauty
?
For
she
had
already
decided
that
the
place
was
beautiful
.
"
Naughty
cow
!
Go
away
!
"
cried
Margaret
to
the
cow
,
but
without
indignation
.
Harder
came
the
rain
,
pouring
out
of
a
windless
sky
,
and
spattering
up
from
the
notice-boards
of
the
house-agents
,
which
lay
in
a
row
on
the
lawn
where
Charles
had
hurled
them
.
She
must
have
interviewed
Charles
in
another
world
—
where
one
did
have
interviews
.
How
Helen
would
revel
in
such
a
notion
!
Charles
dead
,
all
people
dead
,
nothing
alive
but
houses
and
gardens
.
The
obvious
dead
,
the
intangible
alive
,
and
—
no
connection
at
all
between
them
!
Margaret
smiled
.
Would
that
her
own
fancies
were
as
clear-cut
!
Would
that
she
could
deal
as
high-handedly
with
the
world
!
Smiling
and
sighing
,
she
laid
her
hand
upon
the
door
.
It
opened
.
The
house
was
not
locked
up
at
all
.
She
hesitated
.
Ought
she
to
wait
for
Henry
?
He
felt
strongly
about
property
,
and
might
prefer
to
show
her
over
himself
.
On
the
other
hand
,
he
had
told
her
to
keep
in
the
dry
,
and
the
porch
was
beginning
to
drip
.
So
she
went
in
,
and
the
drought
from
inside
slammed
the
door
behind
.
Desolation
greeted
her
.
Dirty
finger-prints
were
on
the
hall-windows
,
flue
and
rubbish
on
its
unwashed
boards
.
The
civilization
of
luggage
had
been
here
for
a
month
,
and
then
decamped
.
Dining-room
and
drawing
room
—
right
and
left
—
were
guessed
only
by
their
wall-papers
.
They
were
just
rooms
where
one
could
shelter
from
the
rain
.
Across
the
ceiling
of
each
ran
a
great
beam
.
The
dining-room
and
hall
revealed
theirs
openly
,
but
the
drawing-room
's
was
match-boarded
—
because
the
facts
of
life
must
be
concealed
from
ladies
?
Drawing-room
,
dining-room
,
and
hall
—
how
petty
the
names
sounded
!
Here
were
simply
three
rooms
where
children
could
play
and
friends
shelter
from
the
rain
.
Yes
,
and
they
were
beautiful
.
Then
she
opened
one
of
the
doors
opposite
—
there
were
two
—
and
exchanged
wall-papers
for
whitewash
.
It
was
the
servants
'
part
,
though
she
scarcely
realized
that
:
just
rooms
again
,
where
friends
might
shelter
.
The
garden
at
the
back
was
full
of
flowering
cherries
and
plums
.
Farther
on
were
hints
of
the
meadow
and
a
black
cliff
of
pines
.
Yes
,
the
meadow
was
beautiful
.
Penned
in
by
the
desolate
weather
,
she
recaptured
the
sense
of
space
which
the
motor
had
tried
to
rob
from
her
.
She
remembered
again
that
ten
square
miles
are
not
ten
times
as
wonderful
as
one
square
mile
,
that
a
thousand
square
miles
are
not
practically
the
same
as
heaven
.
The
phantom
of
bigness
,
which
London
encourages
,
was
laid
for
ever
when
she
paced
from
the
hall
at
Howards
End
to
its
kitchen
and
heard
the
rains
run
this
way
and
that
where
the
watershed
of
the
roof
divided
them
.
Now
Helen
came
to
her
mind
,
scrutinizing
half
Wessex
from
the
ridge
of
the
Purbeck
Downs
,
and
saying
:
"
You
will
have
to
lose
something
.
"
She
was
not
so
sure
.
For
instance
,
she
would
double
her
kingdom
by
opening
the
door
that
concealed
the
stairs
.
Now
she
thought
of
the
map
of
Africa
;
of
empires
;
of
her
father
;
of
the
two
supreme
nations
,
streams
of
whose
life
warmed
her
blood
,
but
,
mingling
,
had
cooled
her
brain
.
She
paced
back
into
the
hall
,
and
as
she
did
so
the
house
reverberated
.
"
Is
that
you
,
Henry
?
"
she
called
.
There
was
no
answer
,
but
the
house
reverberated
again
.
"
Henry
,
have
you
got
in
?
"
But
it
was
the
heart
of
the
house
beating
,
faintly
at
first
,
then
loudly
,
martially
.
It
dominated
the
rain
.
It
is
the
starved
imagination
,
not
the
well-nourished
,
that
is
afraid
.
Margaret
flung
open
the
door
to
the
stairs
.
A
noise
as
of
drums
seemed
to
deafen
her
.
A
woman
,
an
old
woman
,
was
descending
,
with
figure
erect
,
with
face
impassive
,
with
lips
that
parted
and
said
dryly
:
"
Oh
!
Well
,
I
took
you
for
Ruth
Wilcox
.
"
Margaret
stammered
:
"
I
—
Mrs.
Wilcox
—
I
?
"
"
In
fancy
,
of
course
—
in
fancy
.
You
had
her
way
of
walking
.
Good-day
.
"
And
the
old
woman
passed
out
into
the
rain
.
Chapter
24
"
It
gave
her
quite
a
turn
,
"
said
Mr.
Wilcox
,
when
retailing
the
incident
to
Dolly
at
tea-time
.
"
None
of
you
girls
have
any
nerves
,
really
.
Of
course
,
a
word
from
me
put
it
all
right
,
but
silly
old
Miss
Avery
—
she
frightened
you
,
did
n't
she
,
Margaret
?
There
you
stood
clutching
a
bunch
of
weeds
.
She
might
have
said
something
,
instead
of
coming
down
the
stairs
with
that
alarming
bonnet
on
.
I
passed
her
as
I
came
in
.
Enough
to
make
the
car
shy
.
I
believe
Miss
Avery
goes
in
for
being
a
character
;
some
old
maids
do
.
"
He
lit
a
cigarette
.
"
It
is
their
last
resource
.
Heaven
knows
what
she
was
doing
in
the
place
;
but
that
's
Bryce
's
business
,
not
mine
.
"
"
I
was
n't
as
foolish
as
you
suggest
,
"
said
Margaret
.
"
She
only
startled
me
,
for
the
house
had
been
silent
so
long
.
"
"
Did
you
take
her
for
a
spook
?
"
asked
Dolly
,
for
whom
"
spooks
"
and
"
going
to
church
"
summarized
the
unseen
.
"
Not
exactly
.
"
"
She
really
did
frighten
you
,
"
said
Henry
,
who
was
far
from
discouraging
timidity
in
females
.
"
Poor
Margaret
!
And
very
naturally
.
Uneducated
classes
are
so
stupid
.
"
"
Is
Miss
Avery
uneducated
classes
?
"
Margaret
asked
,
and
found
herself
looking
at
the
decoration
scheme
of
Dolly
's
drawing-room
.
"
She
's
just
one
of
the
crew
at
the
farm
.
People
like
that
always
assume
things
.
She
assumed
you
'd
know
who
she
was
.
She
left
all
the
Howards
End
keys
in
the
front
lobby
,
and
assumed
that
you
'd
seen
them
as
you
came
in
,
that
you
'd
lock
up
the
house
when
you
'd
done
,
and
would
bring
them
on
down
to
her
.
And
there
was
her
niece
hunting
for
them
down
at
the
farm
.
Lack
of
education
makes
people
very
casual
.
Hilton
was
full
of
women
like
Miss
Avery
once
.
"
"
I
should
n't
have
disliked
it
,
perhaps
.
"
"
Or
Miss
Avery
giving
me
a
wedding
present
,
"
said
Dolly
.
Which
was
illogical
but
interesting
.
Through
Dolly
,
Margaret
was
destined
to
learn
a
good
deal
.
"
But
Charles
said
I
must
try
not
to
mind
,
because
she
had
known
his
grandmother
.
"
"
As
usual
,
you
've
got
the
story
wrong
,
my
good
Dorothea
.
"
"
I
mean
great-grandmother
—
the
one
who
left
Mrs.
Wilcox
the
house
.
Were
n't
both
of
them
and
Miss
Avery
friends
when
Howards
End
,
too
,
was
a
farm
?
"
Her
father-in-law
blew
out
a
shaft
of
smoke
.
His
attitude
to
his
dead
wife
was
curious
.
He
would
allude
to
her
,
and
hear
her
discussed
,
but
never
mentioned
her
by
name
.
Nor
was
he
interested
in
the
dim
,
bucolic
past
.
Dolly
was
—
for
the
following
reason
.
"
Then
had
n't
Mrs.
Wilcox
a
brother
—
or
was
it
an
uncle
?
Anyhow
,
he
popped
the
question
,
and
Miss
Avery
,
she
said
'
No
.
'
Just
imagine
,
if
she
'd
said
'
Yes
,
'
she
would
have
been
Charles
's
aunt
.
(
Oh
,
I
say
,
—
that
's
rather
good
!
'
Charlie
's
Aunt
'
!
I
must
chaff
him
about
that
this
evening
.
)
And
the
man
went
out
and
was
killed
.
Yes
,
I
'm
certain
I
've
got
it
right
now
.
Tom
Howard
—
he
was
the
last
of
them
.
"
"
I
believe
so
,
"
said
Mr.
Wilcox
negligently
.
"
I
say
!
Howards
End
—
Howard
's
Ended
!
"
cried
Dolly
.
"
I
'm
rather
on
the
spot
this
evening
,
eh
?
"
"
I
wish
you
'd
ask
whether
Crane
's
ended
.
"
"
Oh
,
Mr.
Wilcox
,
how
can
you
?
"
"
Because
,
if
he
has
had
enough
tea
,
we
ought
to
go
.
—
Dolly
's
a
good
little
woman
,
"
he
continued
,
"
but
a
little
of
her
goes
a
long
way
.
I
could
n't
live
near
her
if
you
paid
me
.
"
Margaret
smiled
.
Though
presenting
a
firm
front
to
outsiders
,
no
Wilcox
could
live
near
,
or
near
the
possessions
of
,
any
other
Wilcox
.
They
had
the
colonial
spirit
,
and
were
always
making
for
some
spot
where
the
white
man
might
carry
his
burden
unobserved
.
Of
course
,
Howards
End
was
impossible
,
so
long
as
the
younger
couple
were
established
in
Hilton
.
His
objections
to
the
house
were
plain
as
daylight
now
.
Crane
had
had
enough
tea
,
and
was
sent
to
the
garage
,
where
their
car
had
been
trickling
muddy
water
over
Charles
's
.
The
downpour
had
surely
penetrated
the
Six
Hills
by
now
,
bringing
news
of
our
restless
civilization
.
"
Curious
mounds
,
"
said
,
Henry
,
"
but
in
with
you
now
;
another
time
.
"
He
had
to
be
up
in
London
by
seven
—
if
possible
,
by
six-thirty
.
Once
more
she
lost
the
sense
of
space
;
once
more
trees
,
houses
,
people
,
animals
,
hills
,
merged
and
heaved
into
one
dirtiness
,
and
she
was
at
Wickham
Place
.
Her
evening
was
pleasant
.
The
sense
of
flux
which
had
haunted
her
all
the
year
disappeared
for
a
time
.
She
forgot
the
luggage
and
the
motor-cars
,
and
the
hurrying
men
who
know
so
much
and
connect
so
little
.
She
recaptured
the
sense
of
space
,
which
is
the
basis
of
all
earthly
beauty
,
and
,
starting
from
Howards
End
,
she
attempted
to
realize
England
.
She
failed
—
visions
do
not
come
when
we
try
,
though
they
may
come
through
trying
.
But
an
unexpected
love
of
the
island
awoke
in
her
,
connecting
on
this
side
with
the
joys
of
the
flesh
,
on
that
with
the
inconceivable
.
Helen
and
her
father
had
known
this
love
,
poor
Leonard
Bast
was
groping
after
it
,
but
it
had
been
hidden
from
Margaret
till
this
afternoon
.
It
had
certainly
come
through
the
house
and
old
Miss
Avery
.
Through
them
:
the
notion
of
"
through
"
persisted
;
her
mind
trembled
towards
a
conclusion
which
only
the
unwise
have
put
into
words
.
Then
,
veering
back
into
warmth
,
it
dwelt
on
ruddy
bricks
,
flowering
plum-trees
,
and
all
the
tangible
joys
of
,
spring
.
Henry
,
after
allaying
her
agitation
,
had
taken
her
over
his
property
,
and
had
explained
to
her
the
use
and
dimensions
of
the
various
rooms
.
He
had
sketched
the
history
of
the
little
estate
.
"
It
is
so
unlucky
,
"
ran
the
monologue
,
"
that
money
was
n't
put
into
it
about
fifty
years
ago
.
Then
it
had
four
—
five-times
the
land
—
thirty
acres
at
least
.
One
could
have
made
something
out
of
it
then
—
a
small
park
,
or
at
all
events
shrubberies
,
and
rebuilt
the
house
farther
away
from
the
road
.
What
's
the
good
of
taking
it
in
hand
now
?
Nothing
but
the
meadow
left
,
and
even
that
was
heavily
mortgaged
when
I
first
had
to
do
with
things
—
yes
,
and
the
house
too
.
Oh
,
it
was
no
joke
.
"
She
saw
two
women
as
he
spoke
,
one
old
,
the
other
young
,
watching
their
inheritance
melt
away
.
She
saw
them
greet
him
as
a
deliverer
.
"
Mismanagement
did
it
—
besides
,
the
days
for
small
farms
are
over
.
It
does
n't
pay
—
except
with
intensive
cultivation
.
Small
holdings
,
back
to
the
land
—
ah
!
philanthropic
bunkum
.
Take
it
as
a
rule
that
nothing
pays
on
a
small
scale
.
Most
of
the
land
you
see
(
they
were
standing
at
an
upper
window
,
the
only
one
which
faced
west
)
belongs
to
the
people
at
the
Park
—
they
made
their
pile
over
copper
—
good
chaps
.
Avery
's
Farm
,
Sishe
's
—
what
they
call
the
Common
,
where
you
see
that
ruined
oak
—
one
after
the
other
fell
in
,
and
so
did
this
,
as
near
as
is
no
matter
.
"
But
Henry
had
saved
it
;
without
fine
feelings
or
deep
insight
,
but
he
had
saved
it
,
and
she
loved
him
for
the
deed
.
"
When
I
had
more
control
I
did
what
I
could
:
sold
off
the
two
and
a
half
animals
,
and
the
mangy
pony
,
and
the
superannuated
tools
;
pulled
down
the
outhouses
;
drained
;
thinned
out
I
do
n't
know
how
many
guelder-roses
and
elder-trees
;
and
inside
the
house
I
turned
the
old
kitchen
into
a
hall
,
and
made
a
kitchen
behind
where
the
dairy
was
.
Garage
and
so
on
came
later
.
But
one
could
still
tell
it
's
been
an
old
farm
.
And
yet
it
is
n't
the
place
that
would
fetch
one
of
your
artistic
crew
.
"
No
,
it
was
n't
;
and
if
he
did
not
quite
understand
it
,
the
artistic
crew
would
still
less
:
it
was
English
,
and
the
wych-elm
that
she
saw
from
the
window
was
an
English
tree
.
No
report
had
prepared
her
for
its
peculiar
glory
.
It
was
neither
warrior
,
nor
lover
,
nor
god
;
in
none
of
these
roles
do
the
English
excel
.
It
was
a
comrade
,
bending
over
the
house
,
strength
and
adventure
in
its
roots
,
but
in
its
utmost
fingers
tenderness
,
and
the
girth
,
that
a
dozen
men
could
not
have
spanned
,
became
in
the
end
evanescent
,
till
pale
bud
clusters
seemed
to
float
in
the
air
.
It
was
a
comrade
.
House
and
tree
transcended
any
similes
of
sex
.
Margaret
thought
of
them
now
,
and
was
to
think
of
them
through
many
a
windy
night
and
London
day
,
but
to
compare
either
to
man
,
to
woman
,
always
dwarfed
the
vision
.
Yet
they
kept
within
limits
of
the
human
.
Their
message
was
not
of
eternity
,
but
of
hope
on
this
side
of
the
grave
.
As
she
stood
in
the
one
,
gazing
at
the
other
,
truer
relationship
had
gleamed
.
Another
touch
,
and
the
account
of
her
day
is
finished
.
They
entered
the
garden
for
a
minute
,
and
to
Mr.
Wilcox
's
surprise
she
was
right
.
Teeth
,
pigs
'
teeth
,
could
be
seen
in
the
bark
of
the
wych-elm
tree
—
just
the
white
tips
of
them
showing
.
"
Extraordinary
!
"
he
cried
.
"
Who
told
you
?
"
"
I
heard
of
it
one
winter
in
London
,
"
was
her
answer
,
for
she
,
too
,
avoided
mentioning
Mrs.
Wilcox
by
name
.
Chapter
25
Evie
heard
of
her
father
's
engagement
when
she
was
in
for
a
tennis
tournament
,
and
her
play
went
simply
to
pot
.
That
she
should
marry
and
leave
him
had
seemed
natural
enough
;
that
he
,
left
alone
,
should
do
the
same
was
deceitful
;
and
now
Charles
and
Dolly
said
that
it
was
all
her
fault
.
"
But
I
never
dreamt
of
such
a
thing
,
"
she
grumbled
.
"
Dad
took
me
to
call
now
and
then
,
and
made
me
ask
her
to
Simpson
's
.
Well
,
I
'm
altogether
off
Dad
.
"
It
was
also
an
insult
to
their
mother
's
memory
;
there
they
were
agreed
,
and
Evie
had
the
idea
of
returning
Mrs.
Wilcox
's
lace
and
jewellery
"
as
a
protest
.
"
Against
what
it
would
protest
she
was
not
clear
;
but
being
only
eighteen
,
the
idea
of
renunciation
appealed
to
her
,
the
more
as
she
did
not
care
for
jewellery
or
lace
.
Dolly
then
suggested
that
she
and
Uncle
Percy
should
pretend
to
break
off
their
engagement
,
and
then
perhaps
Mr.
Wilcox
would
quarrel
with
Miss
Schlegel
,
and
break
off
his
;
or
Paul
might
be
cabled
for
.
But
at
this
point
Charles
told
them
not
to
talk
nonsense
.
So
Evie
settled
to
marry
as
soon
as
possible
;
it
was
no
good
hanging
about
with
these
Schlegels
eyeing
her
.
The
date
of
her
wedding
was
consequently
put
forward
from
September
to
August
,
and
in
the
intoxication
of
presents
she
recovered
much
of
her
good-humour
.
Margaret
found
that
she
was
expected
to
figure
at
this
function
,
and
to
figure
largely
;
it
would
be
such
an
opportunity
,
said
Henry
,
for
her
to
get
to
know
his
set
.
Sir
James
Bidder
would
be
there
,
and
all
the
Cahills
and
the
Fussells
,
and
his
sister-in-law
,
Mrs.
Warrington
Wilcox
,
had
fortunately
got
back
from
her
tour
round
the
world
.
Henry
she
loved
,
but
his
set
promised
to
be
another
matter
.
He
had
not
the
knack
of
surrounding
himself
with
nice
people
—
indeed
,
for
a
man
of
ability
and
virtue
his
choice
had
been
singularly
unfortunate
;
he
had
no
guiding
principle
beyond
a
certain
preference
for
mediocrity
;
he
was
content
to
settle
one
of
the
greatest
things
in
life
haphazard
,
and
so
,
while
his
investments
went
right
,
his
friends
generally
went
wrong
.
She
would
be
told
,
"
Oh
,
So-and-so
's
a
good
sort
—
a
thundering
good
sort
,
"
and
find
,
on
meeting
him
,
that
he
was
a
brute
or
a
bore
.
If
Henry
had
shown
real
affection
,
she
would
have
understood
,
for
affection
explains
everything
.
But
he
seemed
without
sentiment
.
The
"
thundering
good
sort
"
might
at
any
moment
become
"
a
fellow
for
whom
I
never
did
have
much
use
,
and
have
less
now
,
"
and
be
shaken
off
cheerily
into
oblivion
.
Margaret
had
done
the
same
as
a
schoolgirl
.
Now
she
never
forgot
anyone
for
whom
she
had
once
cared
;
she
connected
,
though
the
connection
might
be
bitter
,
and
she
hoped
that
some
day
Henry
would
do
the
same
.
Evie
was
not
to
be
married
from
Ducie
Street
.
She
had
a
fancy
for
something
rural
,
and
,
besides
,
no
one
would
be
in
London
then
,
so
she
left
her
boxes
for
a
few
weeks
at
Oniton
Grange
,
and
her
banns
were
duly
published
in
the
parish
church
,
and
for
a
couple
of
days
the
little
town
,
dreaming
between
the
ruddy
hills
,
was
roused
by
the
clang
of
our
civilization
,
and
drew
up
by
the
roadside
to
let
the
motors
pass
.
Oniton
had
been
a
discovery
of
Mr.
Wilcox
's
—
a
discovery
of
which
he
was
not
altogether
proud
.
It
was
up
towards
the
Welsh
border
,
and
so
difficult
of
access
that
he
had
concluded
it
must
be
something
special
.
A
ruined
castle
stood
in
the
grounds
.
But
having
got
there
,
what
was
one
to
do
?
The
shooting
was
bad
,
the
fishing
indifferent
,
and
women-folk
reported
the
scenery
as
nothing
much
.
The
place
turned
out
to
be
in
the
wrong
part
of
Shropshire
,
damn
it
,
and
though
he
never
damned
his
own
property
aloud
,
he
was
only
waiting
to
get
it
off
his
hands
,
and
then
to
let
fly
.
Evie
's
marriage
was
its
last
appearance
in
public
.
As
soon
as
a
tenant
was
found
,
it
became
a
house
for
which
he
never
had
had
much
use
,
and
had
less
now
,
and
,
like
Howards
End
,
faded
into
Limbo
.
But
on
Margaret
Oniton
was
destined
to
make
a
lasting
impression
.
She
regarded
it
as
her
future
home
,
and
was
anxious
to
start
straight
with
the
clergy
,
etc.
,
and
,
if
possible
,
to
see
something
of
the
local
life
.
It
was
a
market-town
—
as
tiny
a
one
as
England
possesses
—
and
had
for
ages
served
that
lonely
valley
,
and
guarded
our
marches
against
the
Kelt
.
In
spite
of
the
occasion
,
in
spite
of
the
numbing
hilarity
that
greeted
her
as
soon
as
she
got
into
the
reserved
saloon
at
Paddington
,
her
senses
were
awake
and
watching
,
and
though
Oniton
was
to
prove
one
of
her
innumerable
false
starts
,
she
never
forgot
it
,
nor
the
things
that
happened
there
.
The
London
party
only
numbered
eight
—
the
Fussells
,
father
and
son
,
two
Anglo-Indian
ladies
named
Mrs.
Plynlimmon
and
Lady
Edser
,
Mrs.
Warrington
Wilcox
and
her
daughter
,
and
lastly
,
the
little
girl
,
very
smart
and
quiet
,
who
figures
at
so
many
weddings
,
and
who
kept
a
watchful
eye
on
Margaret
,
the
bride-elect
,
Dolly
was
absent
—
a
domestic
event
detained
her
at
Hilton
;
Paul
had
cabled
a
humorous
message
;
Charles
was
to
meet
them
with
a
trio
of
motors
at
Shrewsbury
.
Helen
had
refused
her
invitation
;
Tibby
had
never
answered
his
.
The
management
was
excellent
,
as
was
to
be
expected
with
anything
that
Henry
undertook
;
one
was
conscious
of
his
sensible
and
generous
brain
in
the
background
.
They
were
his
guests
as
soon
as
they
reached
the
train
;
a
special
label
for
their
luggage
;
a
courier
;
a
special
lunch
;
they
had
only
to
look
pleasant
and
,
where
possible
,
pretty
.
Margaret
thought
with
dismay
of
her
own
nuptials
—
presumably
under
the
management
of
Tibby
.
"
Mr.
Theobald
Schlegel
and
Miss
Helen
Schlegel
request
the
pleasure
of
Mrs.
Plynlimmon
's
company
on
the
occasion
of
the
marriage
of
their
sister
Margaret
.
"
The
formula
was
incredible
,
but
it
must
soon
be
printed
and
sent
,
and
though
Wickham
Place
need
not
compete
with
Oniton
,
it
must
feed
its
guests
properly
,
and
provide
them
with
sufficient
chairs
.
Her
wedding
would
either
be
ramshackly
or
bourgeois
—
she
hoped
the
latter
.
Such
an
affair
as
the
present
,
staged
with
a
deftness
that
was
almost
beautiful
,
lay
beyond
her
powers
and
those
of
her
friends
.
The
low
rich
purr
of
a
Great
Western
express
is
not
the
worst
background
for
conversation
,
and
the
journey
passed
pleasantly
enough
.
Nothing
could
have
exceeded
the
kindness
of
the
two
men
.
They
raised
windows
for
some
ladies
,
and
lowered
them
for
others
,
they
rang
the
bell
for
the
servant
,
they
identified
the
colleges
as
the
train
slipped
past
Oxford
,
they
caught
books
or
bag-purses
in
the
act
of
tumbling
on
to
the
floor
.
Yet
there
was
nothing
finicky
about
their
politeness
:
it
had
the
Public
School
touch
,
and
,
though
sedulous
,
was
virile
.
More
battles
than
Waterloo
have
been
won
on
our
playing-fields
,
and
Margaret
bowed
to
a
charm
of
which
she
did
not
wholly
approve
,
and
said
nothing
when
the
Oxford
colleges
were
identified
wrongly
.
"
Male
and
female
created
He
them
"
;
the
journey
to
Shrewsbury
confirmed
this
questionable
statement
,
and
the
long
glass
saloon
,
that
moved
so
easily
and
felt
so
comfortable
,
became
a
forcing-house
for
the
idea
of
sex
.
At
Shrewsbury
came
fresh
air
.
Margaret
was
all
for
sight-seeing
,
and
while
the
others
were
finishing
their
tea
at
the
Raven
,
she
annexed
a
motor
and
hurried
over
the
astonishing
city
.
Her
chauffeur
was
not
the
faithful
Crane
,
but
an
Italian
,
who
dearly
loved
making
her
late
.
Charles
,
watch
in
hand
,
though
with
a
level
brow
,
was
standing
in
front
of
the
hotel
when
they
returned
.
It
was
perfectly
all
right
,
he
told
her
;
she
was
by
no
means
the
last
.
And
then
he
dived
into
the
coffee-room
,
and
she
heard
him
say
,
"
For
God
's
sake
,
hurry
the
women
up
;
we
shall
never
be
off
,
"
and
Albert
Fussell
reply
,
"
Not
I
;
I
've
done
my
share
,
"
and
Colonel
Fussell
opine
that
the
ladies
were
getting
themselves
up
to
kill
.
Presently
Myra
(
Mrs.
Warrington
's
daughter
)
appeared
,
and
as
she
was
his
cousin
,
Charles
blew
her
up
a
little
:
she
had
been
changing
her
smart
traveling
hat
for
a
smart
motor
hat
.
Then
Mrs.
Warrington
herself
,
leading
the
quiet
child
;
the
two
Anglo-Indian
ladies
were
always
last
.
Maids
,
courier
,
heavy
luggage
,
had
already
gone
on
by
a
branch-line
to
a
station
nearer
Oniton
,
but
there
were
five
hat-boxes
and
four
dressing-bags
to
be
packed
,
and
five
dust-cloaks
to
be
put
on
,
and
to
be
put
off
at
the
last
moment
,
because
Charles
declared
them
not
necessary
.
The
men
presided
over
everything
with
unfailing
good-humour
.
By
half-past
five
the
party
was
ready
,
and
went
out
of
Shrewsbury
by
the
Welsh
Bridge
.
Shropshire
had
not
the
reticence
of
Hertfordshire
.
Though
robbed
of
half
its
magic
by
swift
movement
,
it
still
conveyed
the
sense
of
hills
.
They
were
nearing
the
buttresses
that
force
the
Severn
eastern
and
make
it
an
English
stream
,
and
the
sun
,
sinking
over
the
Sentinels
of
Wales
,
was
straight
in
their
eyes
.
Having
picked
up
another
guest
,
they
turned
southward
,
avoiding
the
greater
mountains
,
but
conscious
of
an
occasional
summit
,
rounded
and
mild
,
whose
colouring
differed
in
quality
from
that
of
the
lower
earth
,
and
whose
contours
altered
more
slowly
.
Quiet
mysteries
were
in
progress
behind
those
tossing
horizons
:
the
West
,
as
ever
,
was
retreating
with
some
secret
which
may
not
be
worth
the
discovery
,
but
which
no
practical
man
will
ever
discover
.
They
spoke
of
Tariff
Reform
.
Mrs.
Warrington
was
just
back
from
the
Colonies
.
Like
many
other
critics
of
Empire
,
her
mouth
had
been
stopped
with
food
,
and
she
could
only
exclaim
at
the
hospitality
with
which
she
had
been
received
,
and
warn
the
Mother
Country
against
trifling
with
young
Titans
.
"
They
threaten
to
cut
the
painter
,
"
she
cried
,
"
and
where
shall
we
be
then
?
Miss
Schlegel
,
you
'll
undertake
to
keep
Henry
sound
about
Tariff
Reform
?
It
is
our
last
hope
.
"
Margaret
playfully
confessed
herself
on
the
other
side
,
and
they
began
to
quote
from
their
respective
hand-books
while
the
motor
carried
them
deep
into
the
hills
.
Curious
these
were
,
rather
than
impressive
,
for
their
outlines
lacked
beauty
,
and
the
pink
fields
—
on
their
summits
suggested
the
handkerchiefs
of
a
giant
spread
out
to
dry
.
An
occasional
outcrop
of
rock
,
an
occasional
wood
,
an
occasional
"
forest
,
"
treeless
and
brown
,
all
hinted
at
wildness
to
follow
,
but
the
main
colour
was
an
agricultural
green
.
The
air
grew
cooler
;
they
had
surmounted
the
last
gradient
,
and
Oniton
lay
below
them
with
its
church
,
its
radiating
houses
,
its
castle
,
its
river-girt
peninsula
.
Close
to
the
castle
was
a
grey
mansion
,
unintellectual
but
kindly
,
stretching
with
its
grounds
across
the
peninsula
's
neck
—
the
sort
of
mansion
that
was
built
all
over
England
in
the
beginning
of
the
last
century
,
while
architecture
was
still
an
expression
of
the
national
character
.
That
was
the
Grange
,
remarked
Albert
,
over
his
shoulder
,
and
then
he
jammed
the
brake
on
,
and
the
motor
slowed
down
and
stopped
.
"
I
'm
sorry
,
"
said
he
,
turning
round
.
"
Do
you
mind
getting
out
—
by
the
door
on
the
right
?
Steady
on
!
"
"
What
's
happened
?
"
asked
Mrs.
Warrington
.
Then
the
car
behind
them
drew
up
,
and
the
voice
of
Charles
was
heard
saying
:
"
Get
out
the
women
at
once
.
"
There
was
a
concourse
of
males
,
and
Margaret
and
her
companions
were
hustled
out
and
received
into
the
second
car
.
What
had
happened
?
As
it
started
off
again
,
the
door
of
a
cottage
opened
,
and
a
girl
screamed
wildly
at
them
.
"
What
is
it
?
"
the
ladies
cried
.
Charles
drove
them
a
hundred
yards
without
speaking
.
Then
he
said
:
"
It
's
all
right
.
Your
car
just
touched
a
dog
.
"
"
But
stop
!
"
cried
Margaret
,
horrified
.
"
It
did
n't
hurt
him
.
"
"
Did
n't
really
hurt
him
?
"
asked
Myra
.
"
No.
"
"
Do
please
stop
!
"
said
Margaret
,
leaning
forward
.
She
was
standing
up
in
the
car
,
the
other
occupants
holding
her
knees
to
steady
her
.
"
I
want
to
go
back
,
please
.
"
Charles
took
no
notice
.
"
We
've
left
Mr.
Fussell
behind
,
"
said
another
;
"
and
Angelo
,
and
Crane
.
"
"
Yes
,
but
no
woman
.
"
"
I
expect
a
little
of
"
—
Mrs
.
Warrington
scratched
her
palm
—
"
will
be
more
to
the
point
than
one
of
us
!
"
"
The
insurance
company
sees
to
that
,
"
remarked
Charles
,
"
and
Albert
will
do
the
talking
.
"
"
I
want
to
go
back
,
though
,
I
say
!
"
repeated
Margaret
,
getting
angry
.
Charles
took
no
notice
.
The
motor
,
loaded
with
refugees
,
continued
to
travel
very
slowly
down
the
hill
.
"
The
men
are
there
,
"
chorused
the
others
.
"
Men
will
see
to
it
.
"
"
The
men
ca
n't
see
to
it
.
Oh
,
this
is
ridiculous
!
Charles
,
I
ask
you
to
stop
.
"
"
Stopping
's
no
good
,
"
drawled
Charles
.
"
Is
n't
it
?
"
said
Margaret
,
and
jumped
straight
out
of
the
car
.
She
fell
on
her
knees
,
cut
her
gloves
,
shook
her
hat
over
her
ear
.
Cries
of
alarm
followed
her
.
"
You
've
hurt
yourself
,
"
exclaimed
Charles
,
jumping
after
her
.
"
Of
course
I
've
hurt
myself
!
"
she
retorted
.
"
May
I
ask
what
—
"
"
There
's
nothing
to
ask
,
"
said
Margaret
.
"
Your
hand
's
bleeding
.
"
"
I
know
.
"
"
I
'm
in
for
a
frightful
row
from
the
pater
.
"
"
You
should
have
thought
of
that
sooner
,
Charles
.
"
Charles
had
never
been
in
such
a
position
before
.
It
was
a
woman
in
revolt
who
was
hobbling
away
from
him
,
and
the
sight
was
too
strange
to
leave
any
room
for
anger
.
He
recovered
himself
when
the
others
caught
them
up
:
their
sort
he
understood
.
He
commanded
them
to
go
back
.
Albert
Fussell
was
seen
walking
towards
them
.
"
It
's
all
right
!
"
he
called
.
"
It
was
n't
a
dog
,
it
was
a
cat
.
"
"
There
!
"
exclaimed
Charles
triumphantly
.
"
It
's
only
a
rotten
cat
.
"
Got
room
in
your
car
for
a
little
un
?
I
cut
as
soon
as
I
saw
it
was
n't
a
dog
;
the
chauffeurs
are
tackling
the
girl
.
"
But
Margaret
walked
forward
steadily
.
Why
should
the
chauffeurs
tackle
the
girl
?
Ladies
sheltering
behind
men
,
men
sheltering
behind
servants
—
the
whole
system
's
wrong
,
and
she
must
challenge
it
.
"
Miss
Schlegel
!
'
Pon
my
word
,
you
've
hurt
your
hand
.
"
"
I
'm
just
going
to
see
,
"
said
Margaret
.
"
Do
n't
you
wait
,
Mr.
Fussell
.
"
The
second
motor
came
round
the
corner
.
"
lt
is
all
right
,
madam
,
"
said
Crane
in
his
turn
.
He
had
taken
to
calling
her
madam
.
"
What
's
all
right
?
The
cat
?
"
"
Yes
,
madam
.
The
girl
will
receive
compensation
for
it
.
"
"
She
was
a
very
ruda
girla
,
"
said
Angelo
from
the
third
motor
thoughtfully
.
"
Would
n't
you
have
been
rude
?
"
The
Italian
spread
out
his
hands
,
implying
that
he
had
not
thought
of
rudeness
,
but
would
produce
it
if
it
pleased
her
.
The
situation
became
absurd
.
The
gentlemen
were
again
buzzing
round
Miss
Schlegel
with
offers
of
assistance
,
and
Lady
Edser
began
to
bind
up
her
hand
.
She
yielded
,
apologizing
slightly
,
and
was
led
back
to
the
car
,
and
soon
the
landscape
resumed
its
motion
,
the
lonely
cottage
disappeared
,
the
castle
swelled
on
its
cushion
of
turf
,
and
they
had
arrived
.
No
doubt
she
had
disgraced
herself
.
But
she
felt
their
whole
journey
from
London
had
been
unreal
.
They
had
no
part
with
the
earth
and
its
emotions
.
They
were
dust
,
and
a
stink
,
and
cosmopolitan
chatter
,
and
the
girl
whose
cat
had
been
killed
had
lived
more
deeply
than
they
.
"
Oh
,
Henry
,
"
she
exclaimed
,
"
I
have
been
so
naughty
,
"
for
she
had
decided
to
take
up
this
line
.
"
We
ran
over
a
cat
.
Charles
told
me
not
to
jump
out
,
but
I
would
,
and
look
!
"
She
held
out
her
bandaged
hand
.
"
Your
poor
Meg
went
such
a
flop
.
"
Mr.
Wilcox
looked
bewildered
.
In
evening
dress
,
he
was
standing
to
welcome
his
guests
in
the
hall
.
"
Thinking
it
was
a
dog
,
"
added
Mrs.
Warrington
.
"
Ah
,
a
dog
's
a
companion
!
"
said
Colonel
Fussell
.
"
A
dog
'll
remember
you
.
"
"
Have
you
hurt
yourself
,
Margaret
?
"
"
Not
to
speak
about
;
and
it
's
my
left
hand
.
"
"
Well
,
hurry
up
and
change
.
"
She
obeyed
,
as
did
the
others
.
Mr.
Wilcox
then
turned
to
his
son
.
"
Now
,
Charles
,
what
's
happened
?
"
Charles
was
absolutely
honest
.
He
described
what
he
believed
to
have
happened
.
Albert
had
flattened
out
a
cat
,
and
Miss
Schlegel
had
lost
her
nerve
,
as
any
woman
might
.
She
had
been
got
safely
into
the
other
car
,
but
when
it
was
in
motion
had
leapt
out
—
again
,
in
spite
of
all
that
they
could
say
.
After
walking
a
little
on
the
road
,
she
had
calmed
down
and
had
said
that
she
was
sorry
.
His
father
accepted
this
explanation
,
and
neither
knew
that
Margaret
had
artfully
prepared
the
way
for
it
.
It
fitted
in
too
well
with
their
view
of
feminine
nature
.
In
the
smoking-room
,
after
dinner
,
the
Colonel
put
forward
the
view
that
Miss
Schlegel
had
jumped
it
out
of
devilry
.
Well
he
remembered
as
a
young
man
,
in
the
harbour
of
Gibraltar
once
,
how
a
girl
—
a
handsome
girl
,
too
—
had
jumped
overboard
for
a
bet
.
He
could
see
her
now
,
and
all
the
lads
overboard
after
her
.
But
Charles
and
Mr.
Wilcox
agreed
it
was
much
more
probably
nerves
in
Miss
Schlegel
's
case
.
Charles
was
depressed
.
That
woman
had
a
tongue
.
She
would
bring
worse
disgrace
on
his
father
before
she
had
done
with
them
.
He
strolled
out
on
to
the
castle
mound
to
think
the
matter
over
.
The
evening
was
exquisite
.
On
three
sides
of
him
a
little
river
whispered
,
full
of
messages
from
the
west
;
above
his
head
the
ruins
made
patterns
against
the
sky
.
He
carefully
reviewed
their
dealings
with
this
family
,
until
he
fitted
Helen
,
and
Margaret
,
and
Aunt
Juley
into
an
orderly
conspiracy
.
Paternity
had
made
him
suspicious
.
He
had
two
children
to
look
after
,
and
more
coming
,
and
day
by
day
they
seemed
less
likely
to
grow
up
rich
men
.
"
It
is
all
very
well
,
"
he
reflected
,
"
the
pater
saying
that
he
will
be
just
to
all
,
but
one
ca
n't
be
just
indefinitely
.
Money
is
n't
elastic
.
What
's
to
happen
if
Evie
has
a
family
?
And
,
come
to
that
,
so
may
the
pater
.
There
'll
not
be
enough
to
go
round
,
for
there
's
none
coming
in
,
either
through
Dolly
or
Percy
.
It
's
damnable
!
"
He
looked
enviously
at
the
Grange
,
whose
windows
poured
light
and
laughter
.
First
and
last
,
this
wedding
would
cost
a
pretty
penny
.
Two
ladies
were
strolling
up
and
down
the
garden
terrace
,
and
as
the
syllables
"
Imperialism
"
were
wafted
to
his
ears
,
he
guessed
that
one
of
them
was
his
aunt
.
She
might
have
helped
him
,
if
she
too
had
not
had
a
family
to
provide
for
.
"
Every
one
for
himself
,
"
he
repeated
—
a
maxim
which
had
cheered
him
in
the
past
,
but
which
rang
grimly
enough
among
the
ruins
of
Oniton
.
He
lacked
his
father
's
ability
in
business
,
and
so
had
an
ever
higher
regard
for
money
;
unless
he
could
inherit
plenty
,
he
feared
to
leave
his
children
poor
.
As
he
sat
thinking
,
one
of
the
ladies
left
the
terrace
and
walked
into
the
meadow
;
he
recognized
her
as
Margaret
by
the
white
bandage
that
gleamed
on
her
arm
,
and
put
out
his
cigar
,
lest
the
gleam
should
betray
him
.
She
climbed
up
the
mound
in
zigzags
,
and
at
times
stooped
down
,
as
if
she
was
stroking
the
turf
.
It
sounds
absolutely
incredible
,
but
for
a
moment
Charles
thought
that
she
was
in
love
with
him
,
and
had
come
out
to
tempt
him
.
Charles
believed
in
temptresses
,
who
are
indeed
the
strong
man
's
necessary
complement
,
and
having
no
sense
of
humour
,
he
could
not
purge
himself
of
the
thought
by
a
smile
.
Margaret
,
who
was
engaged
to
his
father
,
and
his
sister
's
wedding-guest
,
kept
on
her
way
without
noticing
him
,
and
he
admitted
that
he
had
wronged
her
on
this
point
.
But
what
was
she
doing
?
Why
was
she
stumbling
about
amongst
the
rubble
and
catching
her
dress
in
brambles
and
burrs
?
As
she
edged
round
the
keep
,
she
must
have
got
to
leeward
and
smelt
his
cigar-smoke
,
for
she
exclaimed
,
"
Hullo
!
Who
's
that
?
"
Charles
made
no
answer
.
"
Saxon
or
Kelt
?
"
she
continued
,
laughing
in
the
darkness
.
"
But
it
does
n't
matter
.
Whichever
you
are
,
you
will
have
to
listen
to
me
.
I
love
this
place
.
I
love
Shropshire
.
I
hate
London
.
I
am
glad
that
this
will
be
my
home
.
Ah
,
dear
"
—
she
was
now
moving
back
towards
the
house
—
"
what
a
comfort
to
have
arrived
!
"
"
That
woman
means
mischief
,
"
thought
Charles
,
and
compressed
his
lips
.
In
a
few
minutes
he
followed
her
indoors
,
as
the
ground
was
getting
damp
.
Mists
were
rising
from
the
river
,
and
presently
it
became
invisible
,
though
it
whispered
more
loudly
.
There
had
been
a
heavy
downpour
in
the
Welsh
hills
.
Chapter
26
Next
morning
a
fine
mist
covered
the
peninsula
.
The
weather
promised
well
,
and
the
outline
of
the
castle
mound
grew
clearer
each
moment
that
Margaret
watched
it
.
Presently
she
saw
the
keep
,
and
the
sun
painted
the
rubble
gold
,
and
charged
the
white
sky
with
blue
.
The
shadow
of
the
house
gathered
itself
together
and
fell
over
the
garden
.
A
cat
looked
up
at
her
window
and
mewed
.
Lastly
the
river
appeared
,
still
holding
the
mists
between
its
banks
and
its
overhanging
alders
,
and
only
visible
as
far
as
a
hill
,
which
cut
off
its
upper
reaches
.
Margaret
was
fascinated
by
Oniton
.
She
had
said
that
she
loved
it
,
but
it
was
rather
its
romantic
tension
that
held
her
.
The
rounded
Druids
of
whom
she
had
caught
glimpses
in
her
drive
,
the
rivers
hurrying
down
from
them
to
England
,
the
carelessly
modelled
masses
of
the
lower
hills
,
thrilled
her
with
poetry
.
The
house
was
insignificant
,
but
the
prospect
from
it
would
be
an
eternal
joy
,
and
she
thought
of
all
the
friends
she
would
have
to
stop
in
it
,
and
of
the
conversion
of
Henry
himself
to
a
rural
life
.
Society
,
too
,
promised
favourably
.
The
rector
of
the
parish
had
dined
with
them
last
night
,
and
she
found
that
he
was
a
friend
of
her
father
's
,
and
so
knew
what
to
find
in
her
.
She
liked
him
.
He
would
introduce
her
to
the
town
.
While
,
on
her
other
side
,
Sir
James
Bidder
sat
,
repeating
that
she
only
had
to
give
the
word
,
and
he
would
whip
up
the
county
families
for
twenty
miles
round
.
Whether
Sir
James
,
who
was
Garden
Seeds
,
had
promised
what
he
could
perform
,
she
doubted
,
but
so
long
as
Henry
mistook
them
for
the
county
families
when
they
did
call
,
she
was
content
.
Charles
and
Albert
Fussell
now
crossed
the
lawn
.
They
were
going
for
a
morning
dip
,
and
a
servant
followed
them
with
their
bathing-dresses
.
She
had
meant
to
take
a
stroll
herself
before
breakfast
,
but
saw
that
the
day
was
still
sacred
to
men
,
and
amused
herself
by
watching
their
contretemps
.
In
the
first
place
the
key
of
the
bathing-shed
could
not
be
found
.
Charles
stood
by
the
riverside
with
folded
hands
,
tragical
,
while
the
servant
shouted
,
and
was
misunderstood
by
another
servant
in
the
garden
.
Then
came
a
difficulty
about
a
spring-board
,
and
soon
three
people
were
running
backwards
and
forwards
over
the
meadow
,
with
orders
and
counter
orders
and
recriminations
and
apologies
.
If
Margaret
wanted
to
jump
from
a
motor-car
,
she
jumped
;
if
Tibby
thought
paddling
would
benefit
his
ankles
,
he
paddled
;
if
a
clerk
desired
adventure
,
he
took
a
walk
in
the
dark
.
But
these
athletes
seemed
paralysed
.
They
could
not
bathe
without
their
appliances
,
though
the
morning
sun
was
calling
and
the
last
mists
were
rising
from
the
dimpling
stream
.
Had
they
found
the
life
of
the
body
after
all
?
Could
not
the
men
whom
they
despised
as
milksops
beat
them
,
even
on
their
own
ground
?
She
thought
of
the
bathing
arrangements
as
they
should
be
in
her
day
—
no
worrying
of
servants
,
no
appliances
,
beyond
good
sense
.
Her
reflections
were
disturbed
by
the
quiet
child
,
who
had
come
out
to
speak
to
the
cat
,
but
was
now
watching
her
watch
the
men
.
She
called
,
"
Good-morning
,
dear
,
"
a
little
sharply
.
Her
voice
spread
consternation
.
Charles
looked
round
,
and
though
completely
attired
in
indigo
blue
,
vanished
into
the
shed
,
and
was
seen
no
more
.
"
Miss
Wilcox
is
up
—
"
the
child
whispered
,
and
then
became
unintelligible
.
"
What
's
that
?
"
It
sounded
like
,
"
—
cut-yoke
—
sack
back
—
"
"
I
ca
n't
hear
.
"
"
—
On
the
bed
—
tissue-paper
—
"
Gathering
that
the
wedding-dress
was
on
view
,
and
that
a
visit
would
be
seemly
,
she
went
to
Evie
's
room
.
All
was
hilarity
here
.
Evie
,
in
a
petticoat
,
was
dancing
with
one
of
the
Anglo-Indian
ladies
,
while
the
other
was
adoring
yards
of
white
satin
.
They
screamed
,
they
laughed
,
they
sang
,
and
the
dog
barked
.
Margaret
screamed
a
little
too
,
but
without
conviction
.
She
could
not
feel
that
a
wedding
was
so
funny
.
Perhaps
something
was
missing
in
her
equipment
.
Evie
gasped
:
"
Dolly
is
a
rotter
not
to
be
here
!
Oh
,
we
would
rag
just
then
!
"
Then
Margaret
went
down
to
breakfast
.
Henry
was
already
installed
;
he
ate
slowly
and
spoke
little
,
and
was
,
in
Margaret
's
eyes
,
the
only
member
of
their
party
who
dodged
emotion
successfully
.
She
could
not
suppose
him
indifferent
either
to
the
loss
of
his
daughter
or
to
the
presence
of
his
future
wife
.
Yet
he
dwelt
intact
,
only
issuing
orders
occasionally
—
orders
that
promoted
the
comfort
of
his
guests
.
He
inquired
after
her
hand
;
he
set
her
to
pour
out
the
coffee
and
Mrs.
Warrington
to
pour
out
the
tea
.
When
Evie
came
down
there
was
a
moment
's
awkwardness
,
and
both
ladies
rose
to
vacate
their
places
.
"
Burton
,
"
called
Henry
,
"
serve
tea
and
coffee
from
the
side-board
!
"
It
was
n't
genuine
tact
,
but
it
was
tact
,
of
a
sort
—
the
sort
that
is
as
useful
as
the
genuine
,
and
saves
even
more
situations
at
Board
meetings
.
Henry
treated
a
marriage
like
a
funeral
,
item
by
item
,
never
raising
his
eyes
to
the
whole
,
and
"
Death
,
where
is
thy
sting
?
Love
,
where
is
thy
victory
?
"
one
would
exclaim
at
the
close
.
After
breakfast
she
claimed
a
few
words
with
him
.
It
was
always
best
to
approach
him
formally
.
She
asked
for
the
interview
,
because
he
was
going
on
to
shoot
grouse
tomorrow
,
and
she
was
returning
to
Helen
in
town
.
"
Certainly
,
dear
,
"
said
he
.
"
Of
course
,
I
have
the
time
.
What
do
you
want
?
"
"
Nothing
.
"
"
I
was
afraid
something
had
gone
wrong
.
"
"
No
;
I
have
nothing
to
say
,
but
you
may
talk
.
"
Glancing
at
his
watch
,
he
talked
of
the
nasty
curve
at
the
lych-gate
.
She
heard
him
with
interest
.
Her
surface
could
always
respond
to
his
without
contempt
,
though
all
her
deeper
being
might
be
yearning
to
help
him
.
She
had
abandoned
any
plan
of
action
.
Love
is
the
best
,
and
the
more
she
let
herself
love
him
,
the
more
chance
was
there
that
he
would
set
his
soul
in
order
.
Such
a
moment
as
this
,
when
they
sat
under
fair
weather
by
the
walks
of
their
future
home
,
was
so
sweet
to
her
that
its
sweetness
would
surely
pierce
to
him
.
Each
lift
of
his
eyes
,
each
parting
of
the
thatched
lip
from
the
clean-shaven
,
must
prelude
the
tenderness
that
kills
the
Monk
and
the
Beast
at
a
single
blow
.
Disappointed
a
hundred
times
,
she
still
hoped
.
She
loved
him
with
too
clear
a
vision
to
fear
his
cloudiness
.
Whether
he
droned
trivialities
,
as
today
,
or
sprang
kisses
on
her
in
the
twilight
,
she
could
pardon
him
,
she
could
respond
.
"
If
there
is
this
nasty
curve
,
"
she
suggested
,
"
could
n't
we
walk
to
the
church
?
Not
,
of
course
,
you
and
Evie
;
but
the
rest
of
us
might
very
well
go
on
first
,
and
that
would
mean
fewer
carriages
.
"
"
One
ca
n't
have
ladies
walking
through
the
Market
Square
.
The
Fussells
would
n't
like
it
;
they
were
awfully
particular
at
Charles
's
wedding
.
My
—
she
—
one
of
our
party
was
anxious
to
walk
,
and
certainly
the
church
was
just
round
the
corner
,
and
I
should
n't
have
minded
;
but
the
Colonel
made
a
great
point
of
it
.
"
"
You
men
should
n't
be
so
chivalrous
,
"
said
Margaret
thoughtfully
.
"
Why
not
?
"
She
knew
why
not
,
but
said
that
she
did
not
know
.
He
then
announced
that
,
unless
she
had
anything
special
to
say
,
he
must
visit
the
wine-cellar
,
and
they
went
off
together
in
search
of
Burton
.
Though
clumsy
and
a
little
inconvenient
,
Oniton
was
a
genuine
country
house
.
They
clattered
down
flagged
passages
,
looking
into
room
after
room
,
and
scaring
unknown
maids
from
the
performance
of
obscure
duties
.
The
wedding-breakfast
must
be
in
readiness
when
they
came
back
from
church
,
and
tea
would
be
served
in
the
garden
.
The
sight
of
so
many
agitated
and
serious
people
made
Margaret
smile
,
but
she
reflected
that
they
were
paid
to
be
serious
,
and
enjoyed
being
agitated
.
Here
were
the
lower
wheels
of
the
machine
that
was
tossing
Evie
up
into
nuptial
glory
.
A
little
boy
blocked
their
way
with
pig-tails
.
His
mind
could
not
grasp
their
greatness
,
and
he
said
:
"
By
your
leave
;
let
me
pass
,
please
.
"
Henry
asked
him
where
Burton
was
.
But
the
servants
were
so
new
that
they
did
not
know
one
another
's
names
.
In
the
still-room
sat
the
band
,
who
had
stipulated
for
champagne
as
part
of
their
fee
,
and
who
were
already
drinking
beer
.
Scents
of
Araby
came
from
the
kitchen
,
mingled
with
cries
.
Margaret
knew
what
had
happened
there
,
for
it
happened
at
Wickham
Place
.
One
of
the
wedding
dishes
had
boiled
over
,
and
the
cook
was
throwing
cedar-shavings
to
hide
the
smell
.
At
last
they
came
upon
the
butler
.
Henry
gave
him
the
keys
,
and
handed
Margaret
down
the
cellar-stairs
.
Two
doors
were
unlocked
.
She
,
who
kept
all
her
wine
at
the
bottom
of
the
linen-cupboard
,
was
astonished
at
the
sight
.
"
We
shall
never
get
through
it
!
"
she
cried
,
and
the
two
men
were
suddenly
drawn
into
brotherhood
,
and
exchanged
smiles
.
She
felt
as
if
she
had
again
jumped
out
of
the
car
while
it
was
moving
.
Certainly
Oniton
would
take
some
digesting
.
It
would
be
no
small
business
to
remain
herself
,
and
yet
to
assimilate
such
an
establishment
.
She
must
remain
herself
,
for
his
sake
as
well
as
her
own
,
since
a
shadowy
wife
degrades
the
husband
whom
she
accompanies
;
and
she
must
assimilate
for
reasons
of
common
honesty
,
since
she
had
no
right
to
marry
a
man
and
make
him
uncomfortable
.
Her
only
ally
was
the
power
of
Home
.
The
loss
of
Wickham
Place
had
taught
her
more
than
its
possession
.
Howards
End
had
repeated
the
lesson
.
She
was
determined
to
create
new
sanctities
among
these
hills
.
After
visiting
the
wine-cellar
,
she
dressed
,
and
then
came
the
wedding
,
which
seemed
a
small
affair
when
compared
with
the
preparations
for
it
.
Everything
went
like
one
o'clock
.
Mr.
Cahill
materialized
out
of
space
,
and
was
waiting
for
his
bride
at
the
church
door
.
No
one
dropped
the
ring
or
mispronounced
the
responses
,
or
trod
on
Evie
's
train
,
or
cried
.
In
a
few
minutes
—
the
clergymen
performed
their
duty
,
the
register
was
signed
,
and
they
were
back
in
their
carriages
,
negotiating
the
dangerous
curve
by
the
lych-gate
.
Margaret
was
convinced
that
they
had
not
been
married
at
all
,
and
that
the
Norman
church
had
been
intent
all
the
time
on
other
business
.
There
were
more
documents
to
sign
at
the
house
,
and
the
breakfast
to
eat
,
and
then
a
few
more
people
dropped
in
for
the
garden
party
.
There
had
been
a
great
many
refusals
,
and
after
all
it
was
not
a
very
big
affair
—
not
as
big
as
Margaret
's
would
be
.
She
noted
the
dishes
and
the
strips
of
red
carpet
,
that
outwardly
she
might
give
Henry
what
was
proper
.
But
inwardly
she
hoped
for
something
better
than
this
blend
of
Sunday
church
and
fox-hunting
.
If
only
someone
had
been
upset
!
But
this
wedding
had
gone
off
so
particularly
well
—
"
quite
like
a
Durbar
"
in
the
opinion
of
Lady
Edser
,
and
she
thoroughly
agreed
with
her
.
So
the
wasted
day
lumbered
forward
,
the
bride
and
bridegroom
drove
off
,
yelling
with
laughter
,
and
for
the
second
time
the
sun
retreated
towards
the
hills
of
Wales
.
Henry
,
who
was
more
tired
than
he
owned
,
came
up
to
her
in
the
castle
meadow
,
and
,
in
tones
of
unusual
softness
,
said
that
he
was
pleased
.
Everything
had
gone
off
so
well
.
She
felt
that
he
was
praising
her
,
too
,
and
blushed
;
certainly
she
had
done
all
she
could
with
his
intractable
friends
,
and
had
made
a
special
point
of
kowtowing
to
the
men
.
They
were
breaking
camp
this
evening
:
only
the
Warringtons
and
quiet
child
would
stay
the
night
,
and
the
others
were
already
moving
towards
the
house
to
finish
their
packing
.
"
I
think
it
did
go
off
well
,
"
she
agreed
.
"
Since
I
had
to
jump
out
of
the
motor
,
I
'm
thankful
I
lighted
on
my
left
hand
.
I
am
so
very
glad
about
it
,
Henry
dear
;
I
only
hope
that
the
guests
at
ours
may
be
half
as
comfortable
.
You
must
all
remember
that
we
have
no
practical
person
among
us
,
except
my
aunt
,
and
she
is
not
used
to
entertainments
on
a
large
scale
.
"
"
I
know
,
"
he
said
gravely
.
"
Under
the
circumstances
,
it
would
be
better
to
put
everything
into
the
hands
of
Harrod
's
or
Whiteley
's
,
or
even
to
go
to
some
hotel
.
"
"
You
desire
a
hotel
?
"
"
Yes
,
because
—
well
,
I
must
n't
interfere
with
you
.
No
doubt
you
want
to
be
married
from
your
old
home
.
"
"
My
old
home
's
falling
into
pieces
,
Henry
.
I
only
want
my
new
.
Is
n't
it
a
perfect
evening
—
"
"
The
Alexandrina
is
n't
bad
—
"
"
The
Alexandrina
,
"
she
echoed
,
more
occupied
with
the
threads
of
smoke
that
were
issuing
from
their
chimneys
,
and
ruling
the
sunlit
slopes
with
parallels
of
grey
.
"
It
's
off
Curzon
Street
.
"
"
Is
it
?
Let
's
be
married
from
off
Curzon
Street
.
"
Then
she
turned
westward
,
to
gaze
at
the
swirling
gold
.
Just
where
the
river
rounded
the
hill
the
sun
caught
it
.
Fairyland
must
lie
above
the
bend
,
and
its
precious
liquid
was
pouring
towards
them
past
Charles
's
bathing-shed
.
She
gazed
so
long
that
her
eyes
were
dazzled
,
and
when
they
moved
back
to
the
house
,
she
could
not
recognize
the
faces
of
people
who
were
coming
out
of
it
.
A
parlour-maid
was
preceding
them
.
"
Who
are
those
people
?
"
she
asked
.
"
They
're
callers
!
"
exclaimed
Henry
.
"
It
's
too
late
for
callers
.
"
"
Perhaps
they
're
town
people
who
want
to
see
the
wedding
presents
.
"
"
I
'm
not
at
home
yet
to
townees
.
"
"
