.Loneliness
remained
as
an
ever-abiding
quality
.
There
were
moon-glimpses
and
sun-bursts
over
the
scenery
of
the
music
;
there
was
sweetness
,
and
a
vernal
touch
that
thrilled
the
listeners
as
with
the
breath
of
flowers
and
the
fragrance
of
earth
after
rain
,
but
always
,
behind
all
fancy
and
grace
and
tenderness
,
and
even
passion
,
lurked
that
spectral
loneliness
.
The
performer
would
cease
for
some
minutes
,
and
presently
begin
again
in
a
new
mood
.
The
music
was
always
characteristic
,
often
wild
and
strange
,
yet
essentially
sane
.
“
There
is
a
strong
Celtic
element
in
it
,
”
said
the
Professor
.
“
This
is
a
very
wonderful
gift
.
I
suppose
one
never
does
really
know
one
's
fellows
:
her
music
to-night
reveals
to
me
new
sides
of
Hadria
's
character
.
”
“
I
confess
they
alarm
me
,
”
said
Algitha
.
“
Truly
,
this
is
not
the
sort
of
power
that
can
be
safely
shut
up
and
stifled
.
It
is
the
sort
of
power
for
which
everything
ought
to
be
set
aside
.
That
is
my
impression
of
it
.
”
“
I
am
worried
about
Hadria
,
”
Algitha
said
.
“
I
know
her
better
than
most
people
,
and
I
know
how
hard
she
takes
things
and
what
explosive
force
that
musical
instinct
of
hers
has
.
Yet
,
it
is
impossible
,
as
things
are
,
for
her
to
give
it
real
utterance
.
She
can
only
open
the
furnace
door
now
and
then
.
”
The
Professor
shook
his
head
gravely
.
“
It
wo
n't
do
:
it
is
n't
safe
.
And
why
should
such
a
gift
be
lost
?
”
“
That
's
what
I
say
!
Yet
what
is
to
be
done
?
There
is
no
one
really
to
blame
.
As
for
Hubert
,
I
am
sorry
for
him
.
He
had
not
the
faintest
idea
of
Hadria
's
character
,
though
she
did
her
best
to
enlighten
him
.
It
is
hard
for
him
(
since
he
feels
it
so
)
and
it
is
desperate
for
her
.
You
are
such
an
old
friend
,
that
I
feel
I
may
speak
to
you
about
it
.
You
see
what
is
going
on
,
and
I
know
it
is
troubling
you
as
it
does
me
.
”
“
It
is
indeed
.
If
I
am
not
very
greatly
mistaken
,
here
is
real
musical
genius
of
the
first
order
,
going
to
waste
:
strong
forces
being
turned
in
upon
the
nature
,
to
its
own
destruction
;
and
,
as
you
say
,
it
seems
as
if
nothing
could
be
done
.
It
is
the
more
ironically
cruel
,
since
Hubert
is
himself
musical
.
”
“
Oh
,
yes
,
but
in
quite
a
different
way
.
His
fetish
is
good
taste
,
or
what
he
thinks
such
.
Hadria
's
compositions
set
his
teeth
on
edge
.
His
nature
is
conventional
through
and
through
.
He
fears
adverse
comment
more
than
any
earthly
thing
.
And
yet
the
individual
opinions
that
compose
the
general
‘talk’
that
he
so
dreads
,
are
nothing
to
him
.
He
despises
them
heartily
.
But
he
would
give
his
soul
(
and
particularly
Hadria
's
)
rather
than
incur
a
whisper
from
people
collectively
.
”
“
That
is
a
very
common
trait
.
If
we
feared
only
the
opinions
that
we
respect
,
our
fear
would
cover
but
a
small
area
.
”
The
music
stole
out
again
through
the
window
.
The
thoughts
of
the
listeners
were
busy
.
It
was
not
until
quite
lately
that
Professor
Fortescue
had
fully
realised
the
nature
of
Hadria
's
present
surroundings
.
It
had
taken
all
his
acuteness
and
his
sympathy
to
enable
him
to
perceive
the
number
and
strength
of
the
little
threads
that
hampered
her
spontaneity
.
As
she
said
,
they
were
made
of
heart-strings
.
A
vast
spider
's
web
seemed
to
spread
its
tender
cordage
round
each
household
,
for
the
crippling
of
every
winged
creature
within
its
radius
.
Fragments
of
torn
wings
attested
the
struggles
that
had
taken
place
among
the
treacherous
gossamer
.
“
And
the
maddening
thing
is
,
”
cried
Algitha
,
“
that
there
is
nobody
to
swear
at
.
Swearing
at
systems
and
ideas
,
as
Hadria
says
,
is
a
Barmecide
feast
to
one
's
vindictiveness
.
”
“
It
is
the
tyranny
of
affection
that
has
done
so
much
to
ruin
the
lives
of
women
,
”
the
Professor
observed
,
in
a
musing
tone
.
Then
after
a
pause
:
“
I
fear
your
poor
mother
has
never
got
over
your
little
revolt
,
Algitha
.
”
“
Never
,
I
am
sorry
to
say
.
If
I
had
married
and
settled
in
Hongkong
,
she
would
scarcely
have
minded
,
but
as
it
is
,
she
feels
deserted
.
Of
course
the
boys
are
away
from
home
more
than
I
am
,
yet
she
is
not
grieved
at
that
.
You
see
how
vast
these
claims
are
.
Nothing
less
than
one
's
entire
life
and
personality
will
suffice
.
”
“
Your
mother
feels
that
you
are
throwing
your
life
away
,
remember
.
But
truly
it
seems
,
sometimes
,
as
if
people
were
determined
to
turn
affection
into
a
curse
instead
of
a
blessing
!
”
“
I
never
think
of
it
in
any
other
light
,
”
Algitha
announced
serenely
.
The
Professor
laughed
.
“
Oh
,
there
are
exceptions
,
I
hope
,
”
he
said
.
“
Love
,
like
everything
else
that
is
great
,
is
very
,
very
rare
.
We
call
the
disposition
to
usurp
and
absorb
another
person
by
that
name
,
but
woe
betide
him
or
her
who
is
the
object
of
such
a
sentiment
.
Yet
happily
,
the
real
thing
is
to
be
found
now
and
again
.
And
from
that
arises
freedom
.
”
Hadria
was
playing
some
joyous
impromptu
,
which
seemed
to
express
the
very
spirit
of
Freedom
herself
.
“
I
think
Hadria
has
something
of
the
gipsy
in
her
,
”
said
Algitha
.
“
She
is
so
utterly
and
hopelessly
unfitted
to
be
the
wife
of
a
prim
,
measured
,
elegant
creature
like
Hubert
—
good
fellow
though
he
is
—
and
to
settle
down
for
life
at
Craddock
Dene
.
”
“
Yes
,
”
returned
the
Professor
,
“
it
has
occurred
to
me
,
more
than
once
,
that
there
must
be
a
drop
of
nomad
blood
somewhere
among
the
ancestry
.
”
“
Hadria
always
says
herself
,
that
she
is
a
vagabond
in
disguise
.
”
He
laughed
.
Then
,
as
he
drew
out
a
tobacco-pouch
from
his
pocket
and
proceeded
to
light
his
pipe
,
he
went
on
,
in
quiet
meditative
fashion
,
as
if
thinking
aloud
:
“
The
fact
of
the
matter
is
,
that
in
this
world
,
the
dead
weight
of
the
mass
bears
heavily
upon
the
exceptional
natures
.
It
comes
home
to
one
vividly
,
in
cases
like
this
.
The
stupidity
and
blindness
of
each
individual
goes
to
build
up
the
dead
wall
,
the
impassable
obstacle
,
for
some
other
spirit
.
The
burden
that
we
have
cast
upon
the
world
has
to
be
borne
by
our
fellow
man
or
woman
,
and
perhaps
is
doomed
to
crush
a
human
soul
.
”
“
It
seems
to
me
that
most
people
are
engaged
in
that
crushing
industry
,
”
said
Algitha
with
a
shrug
.
“
Do
n't
I
know
their
bonnets
,
and
their
frock-coats
and
their
sneers
!
”
The
Professor
smiled
.
He
thought
that
most
of
us
were
apt
to
take
that
attitude
at
times
.
The
same
spirit
assumed
different
forms
.
“
While
we
are
sneering
at
our
fellow
mortal
,
and
assuring
him
loftily
that
he
can
certainly
prevail
,
if
only
he
is
strong
enough
,
it
may
be
our
particular
dulness
or
our
hardness
that
is
dragging
him
down
to
a
tragic
failure
,
before
our
eyes
.
”
The
sun
was
low
when
the
player
came
out
to
the
terrace
and
took
her
favourite
seat
on
the
parapet
.
The
gardens
were
steeped
in
profound
peace
.
One
could
hear
no
sound
for
miles
round
.
The
broad
country
made
itself
closely
felt
by
its
stirring
silence
.
The
stretches
of
fields
beyond
fields
,
the
woodlands
in
their
tender
green
,
the
long
,
long
sweep
of
the
quiet
land
,
formed
a
benign
circle
round
the
garden
,
and
led
the
sense
of
peace
out
and
out
to
the
horizon
,
where
the
liquid
light
of
the
sky
touched
the
hills
.
The
face
of
the
Professor
had
a
transparent
look
and
a
singular
beauty
of
expression
,
such
as
is
seen
on
the
faces
of
the
dead
,
or
on
the
faces
of
those
who
are
carried
beyond
themselves
by
some
generous
enthusiasm
.
They
watched
,
in
silence
,
the
changes
creeping
over
the
heavens
,
the
subtle
transmutations
of
tint
;
the
fairylands
of
cloud
,
growing
like
dreams
,
and
melting
in
golden
annihilation
;
the
more
delicate
and
exquisite
,
the
sooner
the
end
.
The
first
pale
hints
of
splendour
had
spread
,
till
the
whole
West
was
throbbing
with
the
radiance
.
But
it
was
short-lived
.
The
soul
of
the
light
,
with
its
vital
vibrating
quality
,
seemed
to
die
,
and
then
slowly
the
glow
faded
,
till
every
sparkle
was
gone
,
and
the
amphitheatre
of
the
sky
lay
cold
,
and
dusk
,
and
empty
.
It
was
not
till
the
last
gleam
had
melted
away
that
a
word
was
spoken
.
“
It
is
like
a
prophecy
,
”
said
Hadria
.
“
To-morrow
the
dawn
,
remember
.
”
Hadria
's
thoughts
ran
on
in
the
silence
.
The
dawn
?
Yes
;
but
all
that
lost
splendour
,
those
winged
islands
,
those
wild
ranges
of
mountain
where
the
dreams
dwell
;
to-morrow
's
dawn
brings
no
resurrection
for
them
.
Other
pageants
there
will
be
,
other
cloud-castles
,
but
never
again
just
those
.
Had
the
Professor
been
following
her
thoughts
?
“
Life
,
”
he
said
,
“
offers
her
gifts
as
the
Sibyl
her
books
;
they
grow
fewer
as
we
refuse
them
.
”
“
Ah
!
that
is
the
truth
that
clamours
in
my
brain
,
warning
and
pointing
to
an
empty
temple
,
like
the
deserted
sky
,
a
little
while
ahead
.
”
“
Be
warned
then
.
”
“
Ah
!
but
what
to
do
?
I
am
out
of
myself
now
with
the
spring
;
there
are
so
many
benign
influences
.
I
too
have
winged
islands
,
and
wild
ranges
where
the
dreams
dwell
;
life
is
a
fairy-tale
;
but
there
is
always
that
terror
of
the
departure
of
the
sun
.
”
“
Carpe
diem
.
”
Hadria
turned
a
startled
and
eager
face
towards
the
Professor
,
who
was
leaning
back
in
his
chair
,
thoughtfully
smoking
.
The
smoke
curled
away
serenely
through
the
calm
air
of
the
evening
.
“
You
have
a
great
gift
,
”
he
said
.
“
One
is
afraid
of
taking
a
thing
too
seriously
because
it
is
one
's
own
.
”
The
Professor
turned
almost
angrily
.
“
Good
heavens
,
what
does
it
matter
whose
it
is
?
There
may
be
a
sort
of
inverted
vanity
in
refusing
fair
play
to
a
power
,
on
that
ground
.
Alas
!
here
is
one
of
the
first
morbid
signs
of
the
evil
at
work
upon
you
.
If
you
had
been
wholesomely
moving
and
striving
in
the
right
direction
,
do
you
think
you
would
have
been
guilty
of
that
piece
of
egotism
?
”
“
Vanity
pursues
one
into
hidden
corners
of
the
mind
.
I
am
so
used
to
that
sort
of
spirit
among
women
.
Apparently
I
have
caught
the
infection
.
”
“
I
would
not
let
it
go
farther
,
”
advised
the
Professor
.
“
To
do
myself
justice
,
I
think
it
is
superficial
,
”
said
Hadria
with
a
laugh
.
“
I
would
dare
anything
,
any
thing
for
a
chance
of
freedom
,
for
—
,
”
she
broke
off
,
hesitating
.
“
I
remember
once
—
years
ago
,
when
I
was
quite
a
girl
—
seeing
a
young
ash-tree
that
had
got
jammed
into
a
chink
so
that
it
could
n't
grow
straight
,
or
spread
,
as
its
inner
soul
,
poor
stripling
,
evidently
inspired
it
to
grow
.
Outside
,
there
were
hundreds
of
upright
,
vigorous
,
healthful
young
trees
,
fulfilling
that
innate
idea
in
apparent
gladness
,
and
with
obvious
general
advantage
,
since
they
were
growing
into
sound
,
valuable
trees
,
straight
of
trunk
,
nobly
developed
.
I
felt
like
the
poor
sapling
in
the
cranny
,
that
had
just
the
same
natural
impetus
of
healthy
growth
as
all
the
others
,
but
was
forced
to
become
twisted
,
and
crooked
,
and
stunted
and
wretched
.
I
think
most
women
have
to
grow
in
a
cranny
.
It
is
generally
known
as
their
Sphere
.
”
Algitha
gave
an
approving
chuckle
.
“
I
noticed
,
”
Hadria
added
,
“
that
the
desperate
struggle
to
grow
of
that
young
tree
had
begun
to
loosen
the
masonry
of
the
edifice
that
cramped
it
.
There
was
a
great
dangerous-looking
crack
right
across
the
building
.
The
tree
was
not
saved
from
deformity
,
but
it
had
its
revenge
!
Some
day
that
noble
institution
would
come
down
by
the
run
.
”
“
Yes
.
Well
,
the
thing
to
do
is
to
get
out
of
it
,
”
said
the
Professor
.
“
You
really
advise
that
?
”
“
Advise
?
One
dare
not
advise
.
It
is
too
perilous
.
No
general
theories
will
hold
in
all
instances
.
”
“
Tell
me
,
”
said
Hadria
,
“
what
are
the
qualities
in
a
human
being
that
make
him
most
serviceable
,
or
least
harmful
?
”
“
What
qualities
?
”
Professor
Fortescue
watched
the
smoke
of
his
pipe
curling
away
,
as
if
he
expected
to
find
the
answer
in
its
coils
.
He
answered
slowly
,
and
with
an
air
of
reflection
.
“
Mental
integrity
,
and
mercy
.
A
resolute
following
of
reason
(
in
which
I
should
include
insight
)
to
its
conclusion
,
though
the
heavens
fall
,
and
an
unfailing
fellow-feeling
for
the
pain
and
struggle
and
heartache
and
sin
that
life
is
so
full
of
.
But
one
must
add
the
quality
of
imagination
.
Without
imagination
and
its
fruits
,
the
world
would
be
a
howling
wilderness
.
”
“
I
wish
you
would
come
down
with
me
,
some
day
,
to
the
East
End
and
hold
out
the
hand
of
fellowship
to
some
of
the
sufferers
there
,
”
cried
Algitha
.
“
I
am
,
at
times
,
almost
in
despair
at
the
mass
of
evil
to
be
fought
against
,
but
somehow
you
always
make
me
feel
,
Professor
,
that
the
race
has
all
the
qualities
necessary
for
redemption
enfolded
within
itself
.
”
“
But
assuredly
it
has
!
”
cried
the
Professor
.
“
And
assuredly
those
redeeming
qualities
will
germinate
.
Otherwise
the
race
would
extinguish
itself
in
cruelty
and
corruption
.
Let
people
talk
as
they
please
about
the
struggle
for
existence
,
it
is
through
the
development
of
the
human
mind
and
the
widening
of
human
mercy
that
better
things
will
come
.
”
“
One
sees
,
now
and
then
,
in
a
flash
,
what
the
world
may
some
day
be
,
”
said
Hadria
.
“
The
vision
comes
,
perhaps
,
with
the
splendour
of
a
spring
morning
,
or
opens
,
scroll-like
,
in
a
flood
of
noble
music
.
It
sounds
unreal
,
yet
it
brings
a
sense
of
conviction
that
is
irresistible
.
”
“
I
think
it
was
Pythagoras
who
declared
that
the
woes
of
men
are
the
work
of
their
own
hands
,
”
said
the
Professor
.
“
So
are
their
joys
.
Nothing
ever
shakes
my
belief
that
what
the
mind
of
man
can
imagine
,
that
it
can
achieve
.
”
“
But
there
are
so
many
pulling
the
wrong
way
,
”
said
Algitha
sadly
.
“
Ah
,
one
man
may
be
miserable
through
the
deeds
of
others
;
the
race
can
only
be
miserable
through
its
own
.
”
After
a
pause
,
Algitha
put
a
question
:
How
far
was
it
justifiable
to
give
pain
to
others
in
following
one
's
own
idea
of
right
and
reasonable
?
How
far
might
one
attempt
to
live
a
life
of
intellectual
integrity
and
of
the
widest
mercy
that
one
's
nature
would
stretch
to
?
Professor
Fortescue
saw
no
limits
but
those
of
one
's
own
courage
and
ability
.
Algitha
pointed
out
that
in
most
lives
the
limit
occurred
much
sooner
.
If
“
others
”
—
those
tyrannical
and
absorbent
“
others
”
—
had
intricately
bound
up
their
notions
of
happiness
with
the
prevention
of
any
such
endeavour
,
and
if
those
notions
were
of
the
usual
negative
,
home-comfort-and-affection
order
,
narrowly
personal
,
fruitful
in
nothing
except
a
sort
of
sentimental
egotism
that
spread
over
a
whole
family
—
what
Hadria
called
an
egotism
à
douze
—
how
far
ought
these
ideas
to
be
respected
,
and
at
what
cost
?
Professor
Fortescue
was
unqualified
in
his
condemnation
of
the
sentiment
which
erected
sacrificial
altars
in
the
family
circle
.
He
spoke
scornfully
of
the
doctrine
of
renunciation
,
so
applied
,
and
held
the
victims
who
brought
their
gifts
of
power
and
liberty
more
culpable
than
those
who
demanded
them
,
since
the
duty
of
resistance
to
recognised
wrong
was
obvious
,
while
great
enlightenment
was
needed
to
teach
one
to
forego
an
unfair
privilege
or
power
that
all
the
world
concurred
in
pressing
upon
one
.
“
Then
you
think
a
person
—
even
a
feminine
person
—
justified
in
giving
pain
by
resisting
unjust
demands
?
”
“
I
certainly
think
that
all
attempts
to
usurp
another
person
's
life
on
the
plea
of
affection
should
be
stoutly
resisted
.
But
I
recognise
that
cases
must
often
occur
when
resistance
is
practically
impossible
.
”
“
One
ought
not
to
be
too
easily
melted
by
the
‘shrieks
of
a
near
relation
,
’
”
said
Hadria
.
“
Ah
,
I
have
a
good
mind
to
try
.
I
do
n't
fear
any
risk
for
myself
,
nor
any
work
;
the
stake
is
worth
it
.
I
do
n't
want
to
grow
cramped
and
crooked
,
like
my
poor
ash-tree
.
Perhaps
this
may
be
a
form
of
vanity
too
;
I
do
n't
know
,
I
was
going
to
say
I
do
n't
care
.
”
The
scent
of
young
leaves
and
of
flowers
came
up
,
soft
and
rich
from
the
garden
,
and
as
Hadria
leant
over
the
parapet
,
a
gust
of
passionate
conviction
of
power
swept
over
her
;
not
merely
of
her
own
personal
power
,
but
of
some
vast
,
flooding
,
beneficent
well-spring
from
which
her
own
was
fed
.
And
with
the
inrush
,
came
a
glimpse
as
of
heaven
itself
.
“
I
wonder
,
”
she
said
after
a
long
silence
,
“
why
it
is
that
when
we
know
for
dead
certain
,
we
call
it
faith
.
”
“
Because
,
I
suppose
,
our
certainty
is
certainty
only
for
ourselves
.
If
you
have
found
some
such
conviction
to
guide
you
in
this
wild
world
,
you
are
very
fortunate
.
We
need
all
our
courage
and
our
strength
—
”
“
And
just
a
little
more
,
”
Hadria
added
.
“
Yes
;
sometimes
just
a
little
more
,
to
save
us
from
its
worst
pitfalls
.
”
It
struck
both
Hadria
and
her
sister
that
the
Professor
was
looking
very
ill
and
worn
this
evening
.
“
You
are
always
giving
help
and
sympathy
to
others
,
and
you
never
get
any
yourself
!
”
Hadria
exclaimed
.
But
the
Professor
laughed
,
and
asserted
that
he
was
being
spoilt
at
Craddock
Dene
.
They
had
risen
,
and
were
strolling
down
the
yew
avenue
.
A
little
star
had
twinkled
out
.
“
I
am
very
glad
to
have
Professor
Fortescue
's
opinion
of
your
composition
,
Hadria
.
I
was
talking
to
him
about
you
,
and
he
quite
agrees
with
me
.
”
“
What
?
that
I
ought
to
—
?
”
“
That
you
ought
not
to
go
on
as
you
are
going
on
at
present
.
”
“
But
that
is
so
vague
.
”
“
I
suppose
you
have
long
ago
tried
all
the
devices
of
self-discipline
?
”
said
the
Professor
.
“
There
are
ways
,
of
course
,
of
arming
oneself
against
minor
difficulties
,
of
living
within
a
sort
of
citadel
.
Naturally
much
force
has
to
go
in
keeping
up
the
defences
,
but
it
is
better
than
having
none
to
keep
up
.
”
Hadria
gave
a
quiet
smile
.
“
There
is
not
a
method
,
mental
or
other
,
that
I
have
not
tried
,
and
tried
hard
.
If
it
had
not
been
for
the
sternest
self-discipline
,
my
mind
at
this
moment
,
would
be
so
honeycombed
with
small
pre-occupations
(
pleasant
and
otherwise
)
,
that
it
would
be
incapable
of
consecutive
ideas
of
any
kind
.
As
it
is
,
I
feel
a
miserable
number
of
holes
here
”
—
she
touched
her
brow
—
“
a
loss
of
absorbing
power
,
at
times
,
and
a
mental
slackness
that
is
really
alarming
.
What
remains
of
me
has
been
dragged
ashore
as
from
a
wreck
,
amidst
a
rush
of
wind
and
wave
.
But
just
now
,
thanks
greatly
to
your
sympathy
and
Algitha
's
,
I
seem
restored
to
myself
.
I
can
never
describe
the
rapture
of
that
sensation
to
one
who
has
never
felt
himself
sinking
down
and
down
into
darkness
,
to
a
dim
hell
,
where
the
doom
is
a
slow
decay
instead
of
the
fiery
pains
of
burning
.
”
“
This
is
all
wrong
,
wrong
!
”
cried
the
Professor
anxiously
.
“
Ah
!
but
I
feel
now
,
such
certainty
,
such
courage
.
It
seems
as
if
Fate
were
giving
me
one
more
chance
.
I
have
often
run
very
close
to
making
a
definite
decision
—
to
dare
everything
rather
than
await
this
fool
's
disaster
.
But
then
comes
that
everlasting
feminine
humility
,
sneaking
up
with
its
simper
:
‘Is
not
this
presumptuous
,
selfish
,
mistaken
,
wrong
?
What
business
have
you
,
one
out
of
so
many
,
to
break
roughly
through
the
delicate
web
that
has
been
spun
for
your
kindly
detention
?
’
Of
course
my
retort
is
:
‘What
business
have
they
to
spin
the
web
?
’
But
one
can
never
get
up
a
real
sense
of
injured
innocence
.
It
is
always
the
spiders
who
seem
injured
and
innocent
.
However
,
this
time
I
am
going
to
try
,
though
the
heavens
fall
!
”
A
figure
appeared
,
in
the
dusk
,
at
the
further
end
of
the
avenue
.
It
proved
to
be
Miss
Du
Prel
,
who
had
come
to
find
Hadria
.
Henriette
had
arrived
unexpectedly
by
the
late
afternoon
train
,
and
Valeria
had
volunteered
to
announce
her
arrival
to
her
sister-in-law
.
“
Ah
!
”
exclaimed
Hadria
,
“
heaven
helps
him
who
helps
himself
!
This
will
fit
in
neatly
with
my
plans
.
”
CHAPTER
XXX
.
VALERIA
DU
PREL
,
finding
that
Miss
Temperley
proposed
a
visit
of
some
length
,
returned
to
town
by
the
early
morning
train
.
“
Valeria
,
do
you
know
anyone
in
Paris
to
whom
you
could
give
me
a
letter
of
introduction
?
”
Hadria
asked
,
at
the
last
moment
,
when
there
was
just
time
to
write
the
letter
,
and
no
more
.
“
Are
you
going
to
Paris
?
”
Valeria
asked
,
startled
.
“
Please
write
the
letter
and
I
will
tell
you
some
day
what
I
want
it
for
.
”
“
Nothing
very
mad
,
I
hope
?
”
“
No
,
only
a
little
—
judiciously
mad
.
”
“
Well
,
there
is
Madame
Bertaux
,
in
the
Avenue
Kleber
,
but
her
you
know
already
.
Let
me
see
.
Oh
yes
,
Madame
Vauchelet
,
a
charming
woman
;
very
kind
and
very
fond
of
young
people
.
She
is
about
sixty
;
a
widow
;
her
husband
was
in
the
diplomatic
service
.
”
Valeria
made
these
hurried
comments
while
writing
the
letter
.
“
She
is
musical
too
,
and
will
introduce
you
,
perhaps
,
to
the
great
Joubert
,
and
others
of
that
set
.
You
will
like
her
,
I
am
sure
.
She
is
one
of
the
truly
good
people
of
this
world
.
If
you
really
are
going
to
Paris
,
I
shall
feel
happier
if
I
know
that
Madame
Vauchlelet
is
your
friend
.
”
Sophia
's
successor
announced
that
the
pony-cart
was
at
the
door
.
Miss
Du
Prel
looked
rather
anxiously
at
Hadria
and
her
sister-in-law
,
as
they
stood
on
the
steps
to
bid
her
good-bye
.
There
was
a
look
of
elation
mixed
with
devilry
,
in
Hadria
's
face
.
The
two
figures
turned
and
entered
the
house
together
,
as
the
pony-cart
passed
through
the
gate
.
Hadria
always
gave
Miss
Temperley
much
opportunity
for
the
employment
of
tact
,
finding
this
tact
more
elucidating
than
otherwise
to
the
designs
that
it
was
intended
to
conceal
;
it
affected
them
in
the
manner
of
a
magnifying-glass
.
About
a
couple
of
years
ago
,
the
death
of
her
mother
had
thrown
Henriette
on
her
own
resources
,
and
set
free
a
large
amount
of
energy
that
craved
a
legitimate
outlet
.
The
family
with
whom
she
was
now
living
in
London
,
not
being
related
to
her
,
offered
but
limited
opportunities
.
Henriette
's
eye
was
fixed
,
with
increasing
fondness
,
upon
the
Red
House
.
There
lay
the
callow
brood
marked
out
by
Nature
and
man
,
for
her
ministrations
.
With
infinite
adroitness
,
Miss
Temperley
questioned
her
sister-in-law
,
by
inference
and
suggestion
,
about
the
affairs
of
the
household
.
Hadria
evaded
the
attempt
,
but
rejoiced
,
for
reasons
of
her
own
,
that
it
was
made
.
She
began
to
find
the
occupation
diverting
,
and
characteristically
did
not
hesitate
to
allow
her
critic
to
form
most
alarming
conclusions
as
to
the
state
of
matters
at
the
Red
House
.
She
was
pensive
,
and
mild
,
and
a
little
surprised
when
Miss
Temperley
,
with
a
suppressed
gasp
,
urged
that
the
question
was
deeply
serious
.
It
amused
Hadria
to
reproduce
,
for
Henriette
's
benefit
,
the
theories
regarding
the
treatment
and
training
of
children
that
she
had
found
current
among
the
mothers
of
the
district
.
Madame
Bertaux
happened
to
call
during
the
afternoon
,
and
that
outspoken
lady
scoffed
openly
at
these
theories
,
declaring
that
women
made
idiots
of
themselves
on
behalf
of
their
children
,
whom
they
preposterously
ill-used
with
unflagging
devotion
.
“
The
moral
training
of
young
minds
is
such
a
problem
,
”
said
Henriette
,
after
the
visitor
had
left
,
“
it
must
cause
you
many
an
anxious
thought
.
”
Hadria
arranged
herself
comfortably
among
cushions
,
and
let
every
muscle
relax
.
“
The
boys
are
so
young
yet
,
”
she
said
drowsily
.
“
I
have
no
doubt
that
will
all
come
,
later
on
.
”
“
But
,
my
dear
Hadria
,
unless
they
are
trained
now
—
”
“
Oh
,
there
is
plenty
of
time
!
”
“
Do
you
mean
to
say
—
?
”
“
Only
what
other
people
say
.
Nothing
in
the
least
original
,
I
assure
you
.
I
see
the
folly
and
the
inconvenience
of
that
now
.
I
have
consulted
hoary
experience
.
I
have
sat
reverently
at
the
feet
of
old
nurses
.
I
have
talked
with
mothers
in
the
spirit
of
a
disciple
,
and
I
have
learnt
,
oh
,
so
much
!
”
“
Mothers
are
most
anxious
about
the
moral
training
of
their
little
ones
,
”
said
Henriette
,
in
some
bewilderment
.
“
Of
course
,
but
they
do
n't
worry
about
it
so
early
.
One
ca
n't
expect
accomplished
morality
from
poor
little
dots
of
five
and
six
.
The
charm
of
infancy
would
be
gone
.
”
Miss
Temperley
explained
,
remonstrated
.
Hadria
was
limp
,
docile
,
unemphatic
.
Perhaps
Henriette
was
right
,
she
did
n't
know
.
A
sense
of
honour
?
(
Hadria
suppressed
a
smile
.
)
Could
one
,
after
all
,
expect
of
six
what
one
did
not
always
get
at
six
and
twenty
?
Morals
altogether
seemed
a
good
deal
to
ask
of
irresponsible
youth
.
Henriette
could
not
overrate
the
importance
of
early
familiarity
with
the
difference
between
right
and
wrong
.
Certainly
it
was
important
,
but
Hadria
shrank
from
an
extreme
view
.
One
must
not
rush
into
it
without
careful
thought
.
“
But
meanwhile
the
children
are
growing
up
!
”
cried
Henriette
,
in
despair
.
Hadria
had
not
found
that
experienced
mothers
laid
much
stress
on
that
fact
.
Besides
,
there
was
considerable
difficulty
in
the
matter
.
Henriette
did
not
see
it
.
The
difference
between
right
and
wrong
could
easily
be
taught
to
a
child
.
Perhaps
so
,
but
it
seemed
to
be
thought
expedient
to
defer
the
lesson
till
the
distant
future
;
at
least
,
if
one
might
judge
from
the
literature
especially
designed
for
growing
minds
,
wherein
clever
villainy
was
exalted
,
and
deeds
of
ferocious
cruelty
and
revenge
occurred
as
a
daily
commonplace
among
heroes
.
The
same
policy
was
indicated
by
the
practice
of
allowing
children
to
become
familiar
with
the
sight
of
slaughter
,
and
of
violence
of
every
kind
towards
animals
,
from
earliest
infancy
.
Hadria
concluded
from
all
this
,
that
it
was
thought
wise
to
postpone
the
moral
training
of
the
young
till
a
more
convenient
season
.
Henriette
looked
at
her
sister-in-law
,
with
a
sad
and
baffled
mien
.
Hadria
's
expression
was
solemn
,
and
as
much
like
that
of
Mrs.
Walker
as
she
could
make
it
,
without
descending
to
obvious
caricature
.
“
Do
you
think
it
quite
wise
,
Henriette
,
to
run
dead
against
the
customs
of
ages
?
Do
you
think
it
safe
to
ignore
the
opinion
of
countless
generations
of
those
who
were
older
and
wiser
than
ourselves
?
”
“
Dear
me
,
how
you
have
changed
!
”
cried
Miss
Temperley
.
“
Advancing
years
;
the
sobering
effects
of
experience
,
”
Hadria
explained
.
She
was
grieved
to
find
Henriette
at
variance
with
those
who
had
practical
knowledge
of
education
.
As
the
child
grew
up
,
one
could
easily
explain
to
him
that
the
ideas
and
impressions
that
he
might
have
acquired
,
in
early
years
,
were
mostly
wrong
,
and
had
to
be
reversed
.
That
was
quite
simple
.
Besides
,
unless
he
were
a
born
idiot
of
criminal
tendencies
,
he
was
bound
to
find
it
out
for
himself
.
“
But
,
my
dear
Hadria
,
it
is
just
the
early
years
that
are
the
impressionable
years
.
Nothing
can
quite
erase
those
first
impressions
.
”
“
Oh
,
do
you
think
so
?
”
said
Hadria
mildly
.
“
Yes
,
indeed
,
I
think
so
,
”
cried
Henriette
,
losing
her
temper
.
“
Oh
,
well
of
course
you
may
be
right
.
”
Hadria
had
brought
out
a
piece
of
embroidery
(
about
ten
years
old
)
,
and
was
working
peacefully
.
On
questions
of
hygiene
,
she
was
equally
troublesome
.
She
had
taken
hints
,
she
said
,
from
mothers
of
large
families
.
Henriette
laid
stress
upon
fresh
air
,
even
in
the
house
.
Hadria
believed
in
fresh
air
;
but
was
it
not
going
a
little
far
to
have
it
in
the
house
?
Henriette
shook
her
head
.
Fresh
air
was
always
necessary
.
In
moderation
,
perhaps
,
Hadria
admitted
.
But
the
utmost
care
was
called
for
,
to
avoid
taking
cold
.
She
laid
great
stress
upon
that
.
Children
were
naturally
so
susceptible
.
In
all
the
nurseries
that
she
had
visited
,
where
every
possible
precaution
was
taken
against
draughts
,
the
children
were
incessantly
taking
cold
.
“
Perhaps
the
precautions
made
them
delicate
,
”
Henriette
suggested
.
But
this
paradox
Hadria
could
not
entertain
.
“
Take
care
of
the
colds
,
and
the
fresh
air
will
take
care
of
itself
,
”
was
her
general
maxim
.
“
But
,
my
dear
Hadria
,
do
you
mean
to
tell
me
that
the
people
about
here
are
so
benighted
as
really
not
to
understand
the
importance
to
the
system
of
a
constant
supply
of
pure
air
?
”
Hadria
puckered
up
her
brow
,
as
if
in
thought
.
“
Well
,
”
she
said
,
“
several
mothers
have
mentioned
it
,
but
they
take
more
interest
in
fluid
magnesia
and
tonics
.
”
Henriette
looked
dispirited
.
At
any
rate
,
there
was
no
reason
why
Hadria
should
not
be
more
enlightened
than
her
neighbours
,
on
these
points
.
Hadria
shook
her
head
deprecatingly
.
She
hoped
Henriette
would
not
mind
if
she
quoted
the
opinion
of
old
Mr.
Jordan
,
whose
language
was
sometimes
a
little
strong
.
He
said
that
he
did
n't
believe
all
that
“
damned
nonsense
about
fresh
air
and
drains
!
”
Henriette
coughed
.
“
It
is
certainly
not
safe
to
trust
entirely
to
nurses
,
however
devoted
and
experienced
,
”
she
insisted
.
Hadria
shrugged
her
shoulders
.
If
the
nurse
did
constitutionally
enjoy
a
certain
stuffiness
in
her
nurseries
—
well
the
children
were
out
half
the
day
,
and
it
could
n't
do
them
much
harm
.
(
Hadria
bent
low
over
her
embroidery
.
)
The
night
?
“
Oh
!
then
one
must
,
of
course
,
expect
to
be
a
little
stuffy
.
”
“
But
,
”
cried
Miss
Temperley
,
almost
hopeless
,
“
impure
air
breathed
,
night
after
night
,
is
an
incessant
drain
on
the
strength
,
even
if
each
time
it
only
does
a
little
harm
.
”
Hadria
smiled
over
her
silken
arabesques
.
“
Oh
,
nobody
ever
objects
to
things
that
only
do
a
little
harm
.
”
There
was
a
moment
of
silence
.
Henriette
thought
that
Hadria
must
indeed
have
changed
very
much
during
the
last
years
.
Well
,
of
course
,
when
very
young
,
Hadria
said
,
one
had
extravagant
notions
:
one
imagined
all
sorts
of
wild
things
about
the
purposes
of
the
human
brain
:
not
till
later
did
one
realize
that
the
average
brain
was
merely
an
instrument
of
adjustment
,
a
sort
of
spirit-level
which
enabled
its
owner
to
keep
accurately
in
line
with
other
people
.
Henriette
ought
to
rejoice
that
Hadria
had
thus
come
to
bow
to
the
superiority
of
the
collective
wisdom
.
But
Henriette
had
her
doubts
.
Hadria
carefully
selected
a
shade
of
silk
,
went
to
the
light
to
reassure
herself
of
its
correctness
,
and
returned
to
her
easy
chair
by
the
fire
.
Henriette
resumed
her
knitting
.
She
was
making
stockings
for
her
nephews
.
“
Henriette
,
do
n't
you
think
it
would
be
rather
a
good
plan
if
you
were
to
come
and
live
here
and
manage
affairs
—
morals
,
manners
,
hygiene
,
and
everything
?
”
Henriette
's
needles
stopped
abruptly
,
and
a
wave
of
colour
came
into
her
face
,
and
a
gleam
of
sudden
joy
to
her
eyes
.
“
My
dear
,
what
do
you
mean
?
”
“
Hubert
,
of
course
,
would
be
only
too
delighted
to
have
you
here
,
and
I
want
to
go
away
.
”
“
For
heaven
's
sake
—
”
“
Not
exactly
for
heaven
's
sake
.
For
my
own
sake
,
I
suppose
:
frankly
selfish
.
It
is
,
perhaps
,
the
particular
form
that
my
selfishness
takes
—
an
unfortunately
conspicuous
form
.
So
many
of
us
can
have
a
nice
cosy
pocket
edition
that
does
n't
show
.
However
,
that
's
not
the
point
.
I
know
you
would
be
happier
doing
this
than
anything
else
,
and
that
you
would
do
it
perfectly
.
You
have
the
kind
of
talent
,
if
I
may
say
so
,
that
makes
an
admirable
ruler
.
When
it
has
a
large
political
field
we
call
it
‘administrative
ability’
;
when
it
has
a
small
domestic
one
,
we
speak
of
it
as
‘good
housekeeping.’
It
is
a
precious
quality
,
wherever
it
appears
.
You
have
no
scope
for
it
at
present
.
”
Henriette
was
bewildered
,
horrified
,
yet
secretly
thrilled
with
joy
on
her
own
account
.
Was
there
a
quarrel
?
Had
any
cloud
come
over
the
happiness
of
the
home
?
Hadria
laughed
and
assured
her
to
the
contrary
.
But
where
was
she
going
,
and
for
how
long
?
What
did
she
intend
to
do
?
Did
Hubert
approve
?
And
could
she
bear
to
be
away
from
her
children
?
Hadria
thought
this
was
all
beside
the
point
,
especially
as
the
boys
were
shortly
going
to
school
.
The
question
was
,
whether
Henriette
would
take
the
charge
.
Certainly
,
if
Hadria
came
to
any
such
mad
decision
,
but
that
,
Henriette
hoped
,
might
be
averted
.
What
would
people
say
?
Further
discussion
was
checked
by
a
call
from
Mrs.
Walker
,
whom
Hadria
had
the
audacity
to
consult
on
questions
of
education
and
hygiene
,
leading
her
,
by
dexterous
generalship
,
almost
over
the
same
ground
that
she
had
traversed
herself
,
inducing
the
unconscious
lady
to
repeat
,
with
amazing
accuracy
,
Hadria
's
own
reproduction
of
local
views
.
“
Now
am
I
without
authority
in
my
ideas
?
”
she
asked
,
after
Mrs.
Walker
had
departed
.
Henriette
had
to
admit
that
she
had
at
least
one
supporter
.
“
But
I
believe
,
”
she
added
,
“
that
your
practice
is
better
than
your
preaching
.
”
“
It
seems
to
be
an
ordinance
of
Nature
,
”
said
Hadria
,
“
that
these
things
shall
never
correspond
.
”
CHAPTER
XXXI
.
HADRIA
said
nothing
more
about
her
project
,
and
when
Henriette
alluded
to
it
,
answered
that
it
was
still
unfurnished
with
detail
.
She
merely
wished
to
know
,
for
certain
,
Henriette
's
views
.
She
admitted
that
there
had
been
some
conversation
on
the
subject
between
Hubert
and
herself
,
but
would
give
no
particulars
.
Henriette
had
to
draw
her
own
conclusions
from
Hadria
's
haggard
looks
,
and
the
suppressed
excitement
of
her
manner
.
Henriette
always
made
a
point
of
being
present
when
Professor
Fortescue
called
,
as
she
did
not
approve
of
his
frequent
visits
.
She
noticed
that
he
gave
a
slight
start
when
Hadria
entered
.
In
a
few
days
,
she
had
grown
perceptibly
thinner
.
Her
manner
was
restless
.
A
day
or
two
of
rain
had
prevented
the
usual
walks
.
When
it
cleared
up
again
,
the
season
had
taken
a
stride
.
Still
more
glorious
was
the
array
of
tree
and
flower
,
and
their
indescribable
freshness
suggested
the
idea
that
they
were
bathed
in
the
mysterious
elixir
of
life
,
and
that
if
one
touched
them
,
eternal
youth
would
be
the
reward
.
Professor
Theobald
gazed
at
Hadria
with
startled
and
enquiring
eyes
,
when
they
met
again
.
“
You
look
tired
,
”
he
said
.
“
I
am
,
rather
.
The
spring
is
always
a
little
trying
.
”
Especially
this
spring
,
I
find
.
”
The
gardens
of
the
Priory
were
now
at
the
very
perfection
of
their
beauty
.
The
supreme
moment
had
come
of
flowing
wealth
of
foliage
and
delicate
splendour
of
blossom
,
yet
the
paleness
of
green
and
tenderness
of
texture
were
still
there
.
Professor
Theobald
said
suddenly
,
that
Hadria
looked
as
if
she
were
turning
over
some
project
very
anxiously
in
her
mind
—
a
project
on
which
much
depended
.
“
You
are
very
penetrating
,
”
she
replied
,
after
a
moment
's
hesitation
,
“
that
is
exactly
what
I
am
doing
.
When
I
was
a
girl
,
my
brothers
and
sisters
and
I
used
to
discuss
the
question
of
the
sovereignty
of
the
will
.
Most
of
us
believed
in
it
devoutly
.
We
regarded
circumstance
as
an
annoying
trifle
,
that
no
person
who
respected
himself
would
allow
to
stand
in
his
way
.
I
want
to
try
that
theory
and
see
what
comes
of
it
.
”
“
You
alarm
me
,
Mrs.
Temperley
.
”
“
Yes
,
people
always
do
seem
to
get
alarmed
when
one
attempts
to
put
their
favourite
theories
in
practice
.
”
“
But
really
—
for
a
woman
—
”
“
The
sovereignty
of
the
will
is
a
dangerous
doctrine
?
”
“
Well
,
as
things
are
;
a
young
woman
,
a
beautiful
woman
.
”
“
You
recall
an
interesting
memory
,
”
she
said
.
“
Ah
,
that
is
unkind
.
”
Her
smile
checked
him
.
“
When
you
fall
into
a
mocking
humour
,
you
are
quite
impracticable
.
”
“
I
merely
smiled
,
”
she
said
,
“
sweetly
,
as
I
thought
.
”
“
It
is
really
cruel
;
I
have
not
had
a
word
with
you
for
days
,
and
the
universe
has
become
a
wilderness
.
”
“
A
pleasant
wilderness
,
”
she
observed
,
looking
round
.
“
Nature
is
a
delightful
background
,
but
a
poor
subject
.
”
“
Do
you
think
so
?
I
often
fancy
one
's
general
outlook
would
be
nicer
,
if
one
had
an
indistinct
human
background
and
a
clear
foreground
of
unspoiled
Nature
.
But
that
may
be
a
jaundiced
view
.
”
Hadria
went
off
to
meet
Lady
Engleton
,
who
was
coming
down
the
avenue
with
Madame
Bertaux
.
Professor
Theobald
instinctively
began
to
follow
and
then
stopped
,
reddening
,
as
he
met
the
glance
of
Miss
Temperley
.
He
flung
himself
into
conversation
with
her
,
and
became
especially
animated
when
he
was
passing
Hadria
,
who
did
not
appear
to
notice
him
.
As
both
Professors
were
to
leave
Craddock
Dene
at
the
end
of
the
week
,
this
was
the
last
meeting
in
the
Priory
gardens
.
Miss
Temperley
found
Professor
Theobald
entertaining
,
but
at
times
a
little
incoherent
.
“
Why
,
there
is
Miss
Du
Prel
!
”
exclaimed
Henriette
.
“
What
an
erratic
person
she
is
.
She
went
to
London
the
day
before
yesterday
,
and
now
she
turns
up
suddenly
without
a
word
of
warning
.
”
This
confirmed
Professor
Theobald
's
suspicions
that
something
serious
was
going
on
at
the
Red
House
.
Valeria
explained
her
return
to
Hadria
,
by
saying
that
she
had
felt
so
nervous
about
what
the
latter
might
be
going
to
attempt
,
that
she
had
come
back
to
see
if
she
could
be
of
help
,
or
able
to
ward
off
any
rash
adventure
.
There
was
a
pleasant
open
space
among
the
shrubberies
,
where
several
seats
had
been
placed
to
command
a
dainty
view
of
the
garden
and
lawns
,
with
the
house
in
the
distance
,
and
here
the
party
gradually
converged
,
in
desultory
fashion
,
coming
up
and
strolling
off
again
,
as
the
fancy
inspired
them
.
Cigars
were
lighted
,
and
a
sense
of
sociability
and
enjoyment
suffused
itself
,
like
a
perfume
,
among
the
group
.
Lady
Engleton
was
delighted
to
see
Miss
Du
Prel
again
.
She
did
so
want
to
continue
the
hot
discussion
they
were
having
at
the
Red
House
that
afternoon
,
when
Mr.
Temperley
would
be
so
horridly
logical
.
He
smiled
and
twisted
his
moustache
.
“
We
were
interrupted
by
some
caller
,
and
had
to
leave
the
argument
at
a
most
exciting
moment
.
”
“
An
eternally
interesting
subject
!
”
said
Temperley
;
“
what
woman
is
,
what
she
is
not
.
”
“
My
dread
is
that
presently
,
the
need
for
dissimulation
being
over
,
all
the
delightful
mystery
will
have
vanished
,
”
said
Professor
Theobald
.
“
I
should
tire
,
in
a
day
,
of
a
woman
I
could
understand
.
”
“
You
tempt
one
to
enquire
the
length
of
the
reign
of
a
satisfactory
enigma
,
”
cried
Lady
Engleton
.
“
Precisely
the
length
of
her
ability
to
mystify
me
,
”
he
replied
.
“
Your
future
wife
ought
to
be
given
a
hint
.
”
“
Oh
!
a
wife
,
in
no
case
,
could
hold
me
:
the
mere
fact
that
it
was
my
duty
to
adore
her
,
would
be
chilling
.
And
when
added
to
that
,
I
knew
that
she
had
placed
it
among
the
list
of
her
obligations
to
adore
me
—
well
,
that
would
be
the
climax
of
disenchantment
.
”
Hubert
commended
his
wisdom
in
not
marrying
.
“
The
only
person
I
could
conceivably
marry
would
be
my
cook
;
in
that
case
there
would
be
no
romance
to
spoil
,
no
vision
to
destroy
.
”
“
I
fear
this
is
a
cloak
for
a
poor
opinion
of
our
sex
,
Professor
.
”
“
On
the
contrary
.
I
admire
your
sex
too
much
to
think
of
subjecting
them
to
such
an
ordeal
.
I
could
not
endure
to
regard
a
woman
I
had
once
admired
,
as
a
matter
of
course
,
a
commonplace
in
my
existence
.
”
Henriette
plunged
headlong
into
the
fray
,
in
opposition
to
the
Professor
's
heresy
.
The
conversation
became
general
.
Professor
Theobald
fell
out
of
it
.
He
was
furtively
watching
Hadria
,
whose
eyes
were
strangely
bright
.
She
was
sitting
on
the
arm
of
a
seat
,
listening
to
the
talk
,
with
a
little
smile
on
her
lips
.
Her
hand
clasped
the
back
of
the
seat
rigidly
,
as
if
she
were
holding
something
down
.
The
qualities
and
defects
of
the
female
character
were
frankly
canvassed
,
each
view
being
held
with
fervour
,
but
expressed
with
urbanity
.
Women
were
always
so
and
so
;
women
were
absolutely
never
so
and
so
:
women
felt
,
without
exception
,
thus
and
thus
;
on
the
contrary
,
they
were
entirely
devoid
of
such
sentiments
.
A
large
experience
and
wide
observation
always
supported
each
opinion
,
and
eminent
authorities
swarmed
to
the
standard
.
“
I
do
think
that
women
want
breadth
of
view
,
”
said
Lady
Engleton
.
“
They
sometimes
want
accuracy
of
statement
,
”
observed
Professor
Theobald
,
with
a
possible
second
meaning
in
his
words
.
“
It
seems
to
me
they
lack
concentration
.
They
are
too
versatile
,
”
was
Hubert
's
comment
.
“
They
want
a
sense
of
honour
,
”
was
asserted
.
“
And
a
sense
of
humour
,
”
some
one
added
.
“
They
want
a
feeling
of
public
duty
.
”
“
They
want
a
spice
of
the
Devil
!
”
exclaimed
Hadria
.
There
was
a
laugh
.
Hubert
thought
this
was
a
lack
not
likely
to
be
felt
for
very
long
.
It
was
under
rapid
process
of
cultivation
.
“
Why
,
it
is
a
commonplace
,
that
if
a
woman
is
bad
,
she
is
always
very
bad
,
”
cried
Lady
Engleton
.
“
A
new
and
intoxicating
experience
,
”
said
Professor
Fortescue
.
“
I
sympathize
.
”
“
New
?
”
his
colleague
murmured
,
with
a
faint
chuckle
.
“
You
distress
me
,
”
said
Henriette
.
Professor
Fortescue
held
that
woman
's
“
goodness
”
had
done
as
much
harm
in
the
world
as
men
's
badness
.
The
one
was
merely
the
obverse
of
the
other
.
“
This
is
strange
teaching
!
”
cried
Lady
Engleton
.
The
Professor
reminded
her
that
truth
was
always
stranger
than
fiction
.
“
To
the
best
men
,
”
observed
Valeria
,
“
women
show
all
their
meanest
qualities
.
It
is
the
fatality
of
their
training
.
”
Professor
Theobald
had
noted
the
same
trait
in
other
subject
races
.
“
Pray
,
do
n't
call
us
a
subject
race
!
”
remonstrated
Lady
Engleton
.
“
Ah
,
yes
,
the
truth
,
”
cried
Hadria
,
“
we
starve
for
the
truth
.
”
“
You
are
courageous
,
Mrs.
Temperley
.
”
“
Like
the
Lady
of
Shallott
,
I
am
sick
of
shadows
.
”
“
The
bare
truth
,
on
this
subject
,
is
hard
for
a
woman
to
face
.
”
“
It
is
harder
,
in
the
long
run
,
to
waltz
eternally
round
it
with
averted
eyes
.
”
“
But
,
dear
me
,
why
is
the
truth
about
ourselves
hard
to
face
?
”
demanded
Valeria
.
“
I
am
placed
between
the
horns
of
a
dilemma
:
one
lady
clamours
for
the
bare
truth
:
another
forbids
me
to
say
anything
unpleasing
.
”
“
I
withdraw
my
objection
,
”
Valeria
offered
.
“
The
ungracious
task
shall
not
be
forced
upon
unwilling
chivalry
,
”
said
Hadria
.
“
If
our
conditions
have
been
evil
,
some
scars
must
be
left
and
may
as
well
be
confessed
.
Among
the
faults
of
women
,
I
should
place
a
tendency
to
trade
upon
and
abuse
real
chivalry
and
generosity
when
they
meet
them
:
a
survival
perhaps
from
the
Stone
Age
,
when
the
fittest
to
bully
were
the
surviving
elect
of
society
.
”
Hadria
's
eyes
sparkled
with
suppressed
excitement
.
“
Freedom
alone
teaches
us
to
meet
generosity
,
generously
,
”
said
Professor
Fortescue
;
“
you
ca
n't
get
the
perpendicular
virtues
out
of
any
but
the
really
free-born
.
”
“
Then
do
you
describe
women
's
virtues
as
horizontal
?
”
enquired
Miss
Du
Prel
,
half
resentfully
.
“
In
so
far
as
they
follow
the
prevailing
models
.
Women
's
love
,
friendship
,
duty
,
the
conduct
of
life
as
a
whole
,
speaking
very
roughly
,
has
been
lacking
in
the
quality
that
I
call
perpendicular
;
a
quality
implying
something
more
than
upright
.
”
“
You
seem
to
value
but
lightly
the
woman
's
acknowledged
readiness
for
self-sacrifice
,
”
said
Lady
Engleton
.
“
That
,
I
suppose
,
is
only
a
despised
horizontal
virtue
.
”
“
Very
frequently
.
”
“
Because
it
is
generally
more
or
less
abject
,
”
Hadria
put
in
.
“
The
sacrifice
is
made
because
the
woman
is
a
woman
.
It
is
the
obeisance
of
sex
;
the
acknowledgment
of
servility
;
not
a
simple
desire
of
service
.
”
“
The
adorable
creature
is
not
always
precisely
obeisant
,
”
observed
Theobald
.
“
No
;
as
I
say
,
she
may
be
capricious
and
cruel
enough
to
those
who
treat
her
justly
and
generously
”
(
Hadria
's
eyes
instinctively
turned
towards
the
distant
Priory
,
and
Valeria
's
followed
them
)
;
“
but
ask
her
to
sacrifice
herself
for
nothing
;
ask
her
to
cherish
the
selfishness
of
some
bully
or
fool
;
assure
her
that
it
is
her
duty
to
waste
her
youth
,
lose
her
health
,
and
stultify
her
mind
,
for
the
sake
of
somebody
's
whim
,
or
somebody
's
fears
,
or
somebody
's
absurdity
,
then
she
needs
no
persuasion
.
She
goes
to
the
stake
smiling
.
She
swears
the
flames
are
comfortably
warm
,
no
more
.
Are
they
diminishing
her
in
size
?
Oh
no
—
not
at
all
—
besides
she
was
rather
large
,
for
a
woman
.
She
smiles
encouragement
to
the
other
chained
figures
,
at
the
other
stakes
.
Her
reward
?
The
sense
of
exalted
worth
,
of
humility
;
the
belief
that
she
has
been
sublimely
virtuous
,
while
the
others
whom
she
serves
have
been
—
well
the
less
said
about
them
the
better
.
She
has
done
her
duty
,
and
sent
half
a
dozen
souls
to
hell
!
”
Henriette
uttered
a
little
cry
.
“
Where
one
expects
to
meet
her
!
”
Hadria
added
.
Professor
Theobald
was
chuckling
gleefully
.
Lady
Engleton
laughed
.
“
Then
,
Mrs.
Temperley
,
you
do
feel
rather
wicked
yourself
,
although
you
do
n't
admire
our
nice
,
well-behaved
,
average
woman
.
”
“
Oh
,
the
mere
opposite
of
an
error
is
n't
always
truth
,
”
said
Hadria
.
“
The
weather
has
run
to
your
head
!
”
cried
Henriette
.
Hadria
's
eyes
kindled
.
“
Yes
,
it
is
like
wine
;
clear
,
intoxicating
sparkling
wine
,
and
its
fumes
are
mounting
!
Why
does
civilisation
never
provide
for
these
moments
?
”
“
What
would
you
have
?
A
modified
feast
of
Dionysius
?
”
“
Why
not
?
The
whole
earth
joins
in
the
festival
and
sings
,
except
mankind
.
Some
frolic
of
music
and
a
stirring
dance
!
—
But
ah
!
I
suppose
,
in
this
tamed
England
of
ours
,
we
should
feel
it
artificial
;
we
should
fear
to
let
ourselves
go
.
But
in
Greece
—
if
we
could
fancy
ourselves
there
,
shorn
of
our
little
local
personalities
—
in
some
classic
grove
,
on
sunlit
slopes
,
all
bubbling
with
the
re-birth
of
flowers
and
alive
with
the
light
,
the
broad
all-flooding
light
of
Greece
that
her
children
dreaded
to
leave
more
than
any
other
earthly
thing
,
when
death
threatened
—
could
one
not
imagine
the
loveliness
of
some
garlanded
dance
,
and
fancy
the
naiads
,
and
the
dryads
,
and
all
the
hosts
of
Pan
gambolling
at
one
's
heels
?
”
“
Really
,
Mrs.
Temperley
,
you
were
not
born
for
an
English
village
.
I
should
like
Mrs.
Walker
to
hear
you
!
”
“
Mrs.
Walker
knows
better
than
to
listen
to
me
.
She
too
hides
somewhere
,
deep
down
,
a
poor
fettered
thing
that
would
gladly
join
the
revel
,
if
it
dared
.
We
all
do
.
”
Lady
Engleton
dwelt
joyously
on
the
image
of
Mrs.
Walker
,
cavorting
,
garlanded
,
on
a
Greek
slope
,
with
the
nymphs
and
water-sprites
for
familiar
company
.
Lady
Engleton
had
risen
laughing
,
and
proposed
a
stroll
to
Hadria
.
Henriette
,
who
did
not
like
the
tone
the
conversation
was
taking
,
desired
to
join
them
.
“
I
never
quite
know
how
far
you
are
serious
,
and
how
far
you
are
just
amusing
yourself
,
Hadria
,
”
said
Lady
Engleton
.
“
Our
talking
of
Greece
reminds
me
of
some
remark
you
made
the
other
day
,
about
Helen
.
You
seemed
to
me
almost
to
sympathize
with
her
.
”
Hadria
's
eyes
seemed
to
be
looking
across
miles
of
sea
to
the
sunny
Grecian
land
.
“
If
a
slave
breaks
his
chains
and
runs
,
I
am
always
glad
,
”
she
said
.
“
I
was
talking
about
Helen
.
”
“
So
was
I
.
If
a
Spartan
wife
throws
off
her
bondage
and
defies
the
laws
that
insult
her
,
I
am
still
more
glad
.
”
“
But
not
if
she
sins
?
”
Henriette
coughed
,
warningly
.
“
Yes
;
if
she
sins
.
”
“
Oh
,
Hadria
,
”
remonstrated
Henriette
,
in
despair
.
“
I
do
n't
see
that
it
follows
that
Helen
did
sin
,
however
;
one
does
not
know
much
about
her
sentiments
.
She
revolted
against
the
tyranny
that
held
her
shut
in
,
enslaved
,
body
and
soul
,
in
that
wonderful
Greek
world
of
hers
.
I
am
charmed
to
think
that
she
gave
her
countrymen
so
much
trouble
to
assert
her
husband
's
right
of
ownership
.
It
was
at
his
door
that
the
siege
of
Troy
ought
to
be
laid
.
I
only
wish
elopements
always
caused
as
much
commotion
!
”
Lady
Engleton
laughed
,
and
Miss
Temperley
tried
to
catch
Hadria
's
eye
.
“
Well
,
that
is
a
strange
idea
!
And
do
you
really
think
Helen
did
not
sin
?
Seriously
now
.
”
“
I
do
n't
know
.
There
is
no
evidence
on
that
point
.
”
Lady
Engleton
laughed
again
.
“
You
do
amuse
me
.
Assuming
that
Helen
did
not
sin
,
I
suppose
you
would
(
if
only
for
the
sake
of
paradox
)
accuse
the
virtuous
Greek
matrons
—
who
sat
at
home
,
and
wove
,
and
span
,
and
bore
children
—
of
sinning
against
the
State
!
”
“
Certainly
,
”
said
Hadria
,
undismayed
.
“
It
was
they
who
insidiously
prepared
the
doom
for
their
country
,
as
they
wove
and
span
and
bore
children
,
with
stupid
docility
.
As
surely
as
an
enemy
might
undermine
the
foundations
of
a
city
till
it
fell
in
with
a
crash
,
so
surely
they
brought
ruin
upon
Greece
.
”
“
Oh
,
Hadria
,
you
are
quite
beside
yourself
to-day
!
”
cried
Henriette
.
“
A
love
of
paradox
will
lead
you
far
!
”
said
Lady
Engleton
.
“
We
have
always
been
taught
to
think
a
nation
sound
and
safe
whose
women
were
docile
and
domestic
.
”
“
What
nation
,
under
those
conditions
,
has
ever
failed
to
fall
in
with
a
mighty
crash
,
like
my
undermined
city
?
Greece
herself
could
not
hold
out
.
Ah
,
yes
;
we
have
our
revenge
!
a
sweet
,
sweet
revenge
!
”
Lady
Engleton
was
looking
much
amused
and
a
little
dismayed
,
when
she
and
her
companions
rejoined
the
party
.
“
I
