"This
is
a
man
's
business
.
"
He
thought
intently
.
"
On
no
account
mention
it
to
anybody
.
"
Margaret
flushed
at
advice
so
elementary
,
but
he
was
really
paving
the
way
for
a
lie
.
If
necessary
he
would
deny
that
he
had
ever
known
Mrs.
Bast
,
and
prosecute
her
for
libel
.
Perhaps
he
never
had
known
her
.
Here
was
Margaret
,
who
behaved
as
if
he
had
not
.
There
the
house
.
Round
them
were
half
a
dozen
gardeners
,
clearing
up
after
his
daughter
's
wedding
.
All
was
so
solid
and
spruce
,
that
the
past
flew
up
out
of
sight
like
a
spring-blind
,
leaving
only
the
last
five
minutes
unrolled
.
Glancing
at
these
,
he
saw
that
the
car
would
be
round
during
the
next
five
,
and
plunged
into
action
.
Gongs
were
tapped
,
orders
issued
,
Margaret
was
sent
to
dress
,
and
the
housemaid
to
sweep
up
the
long
trickle
of
grass
that
she
had
left
across
the
hall
.
As
is
Man
to
the
Universe
,
so
was
the
mind
of
Mr.
Wilcox
to
the
minds
of
some
men
—
a
concentrated
light
upon
a
tiny
spot
,
a
little
Ten
Minutes
moving
self-contained
through
its
appointed
years
.
No
Pagan
he
,
who
lives
for
the
Now
,
and
may
be
wiser
than
all
philosophers
.
He
lived
for
the
five
minutes
that
have
past
,
and
the
five
to
come
;
he
had
the
business
mind
.
How
did
he
stand
now
,
as
his
motor
slipped
out
of
Oniton
and
breasted
the
great
round
hills
?
Margaret
had
heard
a
certain
rumour
,
but
was
all
right
.
She
had
forgiven
him
,
God
bless
her
,
and
he
felt
the
manlier
for
it
.
Charles
and
Evie
had
not
heard
it
,
and
never
must
hear
.
No
more
must
Paul
.
Over
his
children
he
felt
great
tenderness
,
which
he
did
not
try
to
track
to
a
cause
:
Mrs.
Wilcox
was
too
far
back
in
his
life
.
He
did
not
connect
her
with
the
sudden
aching
love
that
he
felt
for
Evie
.
Poor
little
Evie
!
he
trusted
that
Cahill
would
make
her
a
decent
husband
.
And
Margaret
?
How
did
she
stand
?
She
had
several
minor
worries
.
Clearly
her
sister
had
heard
something
.
She
dreaded
meeting
her
in
town
.
And
she
was
anxious
about
Leonard
,
for
whom
they
certainly
were
responsible
.
Nor
ought
Mrs.
Bast
to
starve
.
But
the
main
situation
had
not
altered
.
She
still
loved
Henry
.
His
actions
,
not
his
disposition
,
had
disappointed
her
,
and
she
could
bear
that
.
And
she
loved
her
future
home
.
Standing
up
in
the
car
,
just
where
she
had
leapt
from
it
two
days
before
,
she
gazed
back
with
deep
emotion
upon
Oniton
.
Besides
the
Grange
and
the
Castle
keep
,
she
could
now
pick
out
the
church
and
the
black-and-white
gables
of
the
George
.
There
was
the
bridge
,
and
the
river
nibbling
its
green
peninsula
.
She
could
even
see
the
bathing-shed
,
but
while
she
was
looking
for
Charles
's
new
springboard
,
the
forehead
of
the
hill
rose
up
and
hid
the
whole
scene
.
She
never
saw
it
again
.
Day
and
night
the
river
flows
down
into
England
,
day
after
day
the
sun
retreats
into
the
Welsh
mountains
,
and
the
tower
chimes
,
"
See
the
Conquering
Hero
.
"
But
the
Wilcoxes
have
no
part
in
the
place
,
nor
in
any
place
.
It
is
not
their
names
that
recur
in
the
parish
register
.
It
is
not
their
ghosts
that
sigh
among
the
alders
at
evening
.
They
have
swept
into
the
valley
and
swept
out
of
it
,
leaving
a
little
dust
and
a
little
money
behind
.
Chapter
30
Tibby
was
now
approaching
his
last
year
at
Oxford
.
He
had
moved
out
of
college
,
and
was
contemplating
the
Universe
,
or
such
portions
of
it
as
concerned
him
,
from
his
comfortable
lodgings
in
Long
Wall
.
He
was
not
concerned
with
much
.
When
a
young
man
is
untroubled
by
passions
and
sincerely
indifferent
to
public
opinion
,
his
outlook
is
necessarily
limited
.
Tibby
neither
wished
to
strengthen
the
position
of
the
rich
nor
to
improve
that
of
the
poor
,
and
so
was
well
content
to
watch
the
elms
nodding
behind
the
mildly
embattled
parapets
of
Magdalen
.
There
are
worse
lives
.
Though
selfish
,
he
was
never
cruel
;
though
affected
in
manner
,
he
never
posed
.
Like
Margaret
,
he
disdained
the
heroic
equipment
,
and
it
was
only
after
many
visits
that
men
discovered
Schlegel
to
possess
a
character
and
a
brain
.
He
had
done
well
in
Mods
,
much
to
the
surprise
of
those
who
attended
lectures
and
took
proper
exercise
,
and
was
now
glancing
disdainfully
at
Chinese
in
case
he
should
some
day
consent
to
qualify
as
a
Student
Interpreter
.
To
him
thus
employed
Helen
entered
.
A
telegram
had
preceded
her
.
He
noticed
,
in
a
distant
way
,
that
his
sister
had
altered
.
As
a
rule
he
found
her
too
pronounced
,
and
had
never
come
across
this
look
of
appeal
,
pathetic
yet
dignified
—
the
look
of
a
sailor
who
has
lost
everything
at
sea
.
"
I
have
come
from
Oniton
,
"
she
began
.
"
There
has
been
a
great
deal
of
trouble
there
.
"
"
Who
's
for
lunch
?
"
said
Tibby
,
picking
up
the
claret
,
which
was
warming
in
the
hearth
.
Helen
sat
down
submissively
at
the
table
.
"
Why
such
an
early
start
?
"
he
asked
.
"
Sunrise
or
something
—
when
I
could
get
away
.
"
"
So
I
surmise
.
Why
?
"
"
I
do
n't
know
what
's
to
be
done
,
Tibby
.
I
am
very
much
upset
at
a
piece
of
news
that
concerns
Meg
,
and
do
not
want
to
face
her
,
and
I
am
not
going
back
to
Wickham
Place
.
I
stopped
here
to
tell
you
this
.
"
The
landlady
came
in
with
the
cutlets
.
Tibby
put
a
marker
in
the
leaves
of
his
Chinese
Grammar
and
helped
them
.
Oxford
—
the
Oxford
of
the
vacation
—
dreamed
and
rustled
outside
,
and
indoors
the
little
fire
was
coated
with
grey
where
the
sunshine
touched
it
.
Helen
continued
her
odd
story
.
"
Give
Meg
my
love
and
say
that
I
want
to
be
alone
.
I
mean
to
go
to
Munich
or
else
Bonn
.
"
"
Such
a
message
is
easily
given
,
"
said
her
brother
.
"
As
regards
Wickham
Place
and
my
share
of
the
furniture
,
you
and
she
are
to
do
exactly
as
you
like
.
My
own
feeling
is
that
everything
may
just
as
well
be
sold
.
What
does
one
want
with
dusty
economic
,
books
,
which
have
made
the
world
no
better
,
or
with
mother
's
hideous
chiffoniers
?
I
have
also
another
commission
for
you
.
I
want
you
to
deliver
a
letter
.
"
She
got
up
.
"
I
have
n't
written
it
yet
.
Why
should
n't
I
post
it
,
though
?
"
She
sat
down
again
.
"
My
head
is
rather
wretched
.
I
hope
that
none
of
your
friends
are
likely
to
come
in
.
"
Tibby
locked
the
door
.
His
friends
often
found
it
in
this
condition
.
Then
he
asked
whether
anything
had
gone
wrong
at
Evie
's
wedding
.
"
Not
there
,
"
said
Helen
,
and
burst
into
tears
.
He
had
known
her
hysterical
—
it
was
one
of
her
aspects
with
which
he
had
no
concern
—
and
yet
these
tears
touched
him
as
something
unusual
.
They
were
nearer
the
things
that
did
concern
him
,
such
as
music
.
He
laid
down
his
knife
and
looked
at
her
curiously
.
Then
,
as
she
continued
to
sob
,
he
went
on
with
his
lunch
.
The
time
came
for
the
second
course
,
and
she
was
still
crying
.
Apple
Charlotte
was
to
follow
,
which
spoils
by
waiting
.
"
Do
you
mind
Mrs.
Martlett
coming
in
?
"
he
asked
,
"
or
shall
I
take
it
from
her
at
the
door
?
"
"
Could
I
bathe
my
eyes
,
Tibby
?
"
He
took
her
to
his
bedroom
,
and
introduced
the
pudding
in
her
absence
.
Having
helped
himself
,
he
put
it
down
to
warm
in
the
hearth
.
His
hand
stretched
towards
the
Grammar
,
and
soon
he
was
turning
over
the
pages
,
raising
his
eyebrows
scornfully
,
perhaps
at
human
nature
,
perhaps
at
Chinese
.
To
him
thus
employed
Helen
returned
.
She
had
pulled
herself
together
,
but
the
grave
appeal
had
not
vanished
from
her
eyes
.
"
Now
for
the
explanation
,
"
she
said
.
"
Why
did
n't
I
begin
with
it
?
I
have
found
out
something
about
Mr.
Wilcox
.
He
has
behaved
very
wrongly
indeed
,
and
ruined
two
people
's
lives
.
It
all
came
on
me
very
suddenly
last
night
;
I
am
very
much
upset
,
and
I
do
not
know
what
to
do
.
Mrs.
Bast
—
"
"
Oh
,
those
people
!
"
Helen
seemed
silenced
.
"
Shall
I
lock
the
door
again
?
"
"
No
,
thanks
,
Tibbikins
.
You
're
being
very
good
to
me
.
I
want
to
tell
you
the
story
before
I
go
abroad
.
You
must
do
exactly
what
you
like
—
treat
it
as
part
of
the
furniture
.
Meg
cannot
have
heard
it
yet
,
I
think
.
But
I
cannot
face
her
and
tell
her
that
the
man
she
is
going
to
marry
has
misconducted
himself
.
I
do
n't
even
know
whether
she
ought
to
be
told
.
Knowing
as
she
does
that
I
dislike
him
,
she
will
suspect
me
,
and
think
that
I
want
to
ruin
her
match
.
I
simply
do
n't
know
what
to
make
of
such
a
thing
.
I
trust
your
judgment
.
What
would
you
do
?
"
"
I
gather
he
has
had
a
mistress
,
"
said
Tibby
.
Helen
flushed
with
shame
and
anger
.
"
And
ruined
two
people
's
lives
.
And
goes
about
saying
that
personal
actions
count
for
nothing
,
and
there
always
will
be
rich
and
poor
.
He
met
her
when
he
was
trying
to
get
rich
out
in
Cyprus
—
I
do
n't
wish
to
make
him
worse
than
he
is
,
and
no
doubt
she
was
ready
enough
to
meet
him
.
But
there
it
is
.
They
met
.
He
goes
his
way
and
she
goes
hers
.
What
do
you
suppose
is
the
end
of
such
women
?
"
He
conceded
that
it
was
a
bad
business
.
"
They
end
in
two
ways
:
Either
they
sink
till
the
lunatic
asylums
and
the
workhouses
are
full
of
them
,
and
cause
Mr.
Wilcox
to
write
letters
to
the
papers
complaining
of
our
national
degeneracy
,
or
else
they
entrap
a
boy
into
marriage
before
it
is
too
late
.
She
—
I
ca
n't
blame
her
.
"
But
this
is
n't
all
,
"
she
continued
after
a
long
pause
,
during
which
the
landlady
served
them
with
coffee
.
"
I
come
now
to
the
business
that
took
us
to
Oniton
.
We
went
all
three
.
Acting
on
Mr.
Wilcox
's
advice
,
the
man
throws
up
a
secure
situation
and
takes
an
insecure
one
,
from
which
he
is
dismissed
.
There
are
certain
excuses
,
but
in
the
main
Mr.
Wilcox
is
to
blame
,
as
Meg
herself
admitted
.
It
is
only
common
justice
that
he
should
employ
the
man
himself
.
But
he
meets
the
woman
,
and
,
like
the
cur
that
he
is
,
he
refuses
,
and
tries
to
get
rid
of
them
.
He
makes
Meg
write
.
Two
notes
came
from
her
late
that
evening
—
one
for
me
,
one
for
Leonard
,
dismissing
him
with
barely
a
reason
.
I
could
n't
understand
.
Then
it
comes
out
that
Mrs.
Bast
had
spoken
to
Mr.
Wilcox
on
the
lawn
while
we
left
her
to
get
rooms
,
and
was
still
speaking
about
him
when
Leonard
came
back
to
her
.
This
Leonard
knew
all
along
.
He
thought
it
natural
he
should
be
ruined
twice
.
Natural
!
Could
you
have
contained
yourself
?
.
"
It
is
certainly
a
very
bad
business
,
"
said
Tibby
.
His
reply
seemed
to
calm
his
sister
.
"
I
was
afraid
that
I
saw
it
out
of
proportion
.
But
you
are
right
outside
it
,
and
you
must
know
.
In
a
day
or
two
—
or
perhaps
a
week
—
take
whatever
steps
you
think
fit
.
I
leave
it
in
your
hands
.
"
She
concluded
her
charge
.
"
The
facts
as
they
touch
Meg
are
all
before
you
,
"
she
added
;
and
Tibby
sighed
and
felt
it
rather
hard
that
,
because
of
his
open
mind
,
he
should
be
empanelled
to
serve
as
a
juror
.
He
had
never
been
interested
in
human
beings
,
for
which
one
must
blame
him
,
but
he
had
had
rather
too
much
of
them
at
Wickham
Place
.
Just
as
some
people
cease
to
attend
when
books
are
mentioned
,
so
Tibby
's
attention
wandered
when
"
personal
relations
"
came
under
discussion
.
Ought
Margaret
to
know
what
Helen
knew
the
Basts
to
know
?
Similar
questions
had
vexed
him
from
infancy
,
and
at
Oxford
he
had
learned
to
say
that
the
importance
of
human
beings
has
been
vastly
overrated
by
specialists
.
The
epigram
,
with
its
faint
whiff
of
the
eighties
,
meant
nothing
.
But
he
might
have
let
it
off
now
if
his
sister
had
not
been
ceaselessly
beautiful
.
"
You
see
,
Helen
—
have
a
cigarette
—
I
do
n't
see
what
I
'm
to
do
.
"
"
Then
there
's
nothing
to
be
done
.
I
dare
say
you
are
right
.
Let
them
marry
.
There
remains
the
question
of
compensation
.
"
"
Do
you
want
me
to
adjudicate
that
too
?
Had
you
not
better
consult
an
expert
?
"
"
This
part
is
in
confidence
,
"
said
Helen
.
"
It
has
nothing
to
do
with
Meg
,
and
do
not
mention
it
to
her
.
The
compensation
—
I
do
not
see
who
is
to
pay
it
if
I
do
n't
,
and
I
have
already
decided
on
the
minimum
sum
.
As
soon
as
possible
I
am
placing
it
to
your
account
,
and
when
I
am
in
Germany
you
will
pay
it
over
for
me
.
I
shall
never
forget
your
kindness
,
Tibbikins
,
if
you
do
this
.
"
"
What
is
the
sum
?
"
"
Five
thousand
.
"
"
Good
God
alive
!
"
said
Tibby
,
and
went
crimson
.
"
Now
,
what
is
the
good
of
driblets
?
To
go
through
life
having
done
one
thing
—
to
have
raised
one
person
from
the
abyss
:
not
these
puny
gifts
of
shillings
and
blankets
—
making
the
grey
more
grey
.
No
doubt
people
will
think
me
extraordinary
.
"
"
I
do
n't
care
a
damn
what
people
think
!
"
cried
he
,
heated
to
unusual
manliness
of
diction
.
"
But
it
's
half
what
you
have
.
"
"
Not
nearly
half
.
"
She
spread
out
her
hands
over
her
soiled
skirt
.
"
I
have
far
too
much
,
and
we
settled
at
Chelsea
last
spring
that
three
hundred
a
year
is
necessary
to
set
a
man
on
his
feet
.
What
I
give
will
bring
in
a
hundred
and
fifty
between
two
.
It
is
n't
enough
.
"
He
could
not
recover
.
He
was
not
angry
or
even
shocked
,
and
he
saw
that
Helen
would
still
have
plenty
to
live
on
.
But
it
amazed
him
to
think
what
haycocks
people
can
make
of
their
lives
.
His
delicate
intonations
would
not
work
,
and
he
could
only
blurt
out
that
the
five
thousand
pounds
would
mean
a
great
deal
of
bother
for
him
personally
.
"
I
did
n't
expect
you
to
understand
me
.
"
"
I
?
I
understand
nobody
.
"
"
But
you
'll
do
it
?
"
"
Apparently
.
"
"
I
leave
you
two
commissions
,
then
.
The
first
concerns
Mr.
Wilcox
,
and
you
are
to
use
your
discretion
.
The
second
concerns
the
money
,
and
is
to
be
mentioned
to
no
one
,
and
carried
out
literally
.
You
will
send
a
hundred
pounds
on
account
tomorrow
.
"
He
walked
with
her
to
the
station
,
passing
through
those
streets
whose
serried
beauty
never
bewildered
him
and
never
fatigued
.
The
lovely
creature
raised
domes
and
spires
into
the
cloudless
blue
,
and
only
the
ganglion
of
vulgarity
round
Carfax
showed
how
evanescent
was
the
phantom
,
how
faint
its
claim
to
represent
England
.
Helen
,
rehearsing
her
commission
,
noticed
nothing
:
the
Basts
were
in
her
brain
,
and
she
retold
the
crisis
in
a
meditative
way
,
which
might
have
made
other
men
curious
.
She
was
seeing
whether
it
would
hold
.
He
asked
her
once
why
she
had
taken
the
Basts
right
into
the
heart
of
Evie
's
wedding
.
She
stopped
like
a
frightened
animal
and
said
,
"
Does
that
seem
to
you
so
odd
?
"
Her
eyes
,
the
hand
laid
on
the
mouth
,
quite
haunted
him
,
until
they
were
absorbed
into
the
figure
of
St.
Mary
the
Virgin
,
before
whom
he
paused
for
a
moment
on
the
walk
home
.
It
is
convenient
to
follow
him
in
the
discharge
of
his
duties
.
Margaret
summoned
him
the
next
day
.
She
was
terrified
at
Helen
's
flight
,
and
he
had
to
say
that
she
had
called
in
at
Oxford
.
Then
she
said
:
"
Did
she
seem
worried
at
any
rumour
about
Henry
?
"
He
answered
,
"
Yes
.
"
"
I
knew
it
was
that
!
"
she
exclaimed
.
"
I
'll
write
to
her
.
"
Tibby
was
relieved
.
He
then
sent
the
cheque
to
the
address
that
Helen
gave
him
,
and
stated
that
later
on
he
was
instructed
to
forward
five
thousand
pounds
.
An
answer
came
back
,
very
civil
and
quiet
in
tone
—
such
an
answer
as
Tibby
himself
would
have
given
.
The
cheque
was
returned
,
the
legacy
refused
,
the
writer
being
in
no
need
of
money
.
Tibby
forwarded
this
to
Helen
,
adding
in
the
fulness
of
his
heart
that
Leonard
Bast
seemed
somewhat
a
monumental
person
after
all
.
Helen
's
reply
was
frantic
.
He
was
to
take
no
notice
.
He
was
to
go
down
at
once
and
say
that
she
commanded
acceptance
.
He
went
.
A
scurf
of
books
and
china
ornaments
awaited
them
.
The
Basts
had
just
been
evicted
for
not
paying
their
rent
,
and
had
wandered
no
one
knew
whither
.
Helen
had
begun
bungling
with
her
money
by
this
time
,
and
had
even
sold
out
her
shares
in
the
Nottingham
and
Derby
Railway
.
For
some
weeks
she
did
nothing
.
Then
she
reinvested
,
and
,
owing
to
the
good
advice
of
her
stockbrokers
,
became
rather
richer
than
she
had
been
before
.
Chapter
31
Houses
have
their
own
ways
of
dying
,
falling
as
variously
as
the
generations
of
men
,
some
with
a
tragic
roar
,
some
quietly
,
but
to
an
after-life
in
the
city
of
ghosts
,
while
from
others
—
and
thus
was
the
death
of
Wickham
Place
—
the
spirit
slips
before
the
body
perishes
.
It
had
decayed
in
the
spring
,
disintegrating
the
girls
more
than
they
knew
,
and
causing
either
to
accost
unfamiliar
regions
.
By
September
it
was
a
corpse
,
void
of
emotion
,
and
scarcely
hallowed
by
the
memories
of
thirty
years
of
happiness
.
Through
its
round-topped
doorway
passed
furniture
,
and
pictures
,
and
books
,
until
the
last
room
was
gutted
and
the
last
van
had
rumbled
away
.
It
stood
for
a
week
or
two
longer
,
open-eyed
,
as
if
astonished
at
its
own
emptiness
.
Then
it
fell
.
Navvies
came
,
and
spilt
it
back
into
the
grey
.
With
their
muscles
and
their
beery
good
temper
,
they
were
not
the
worst
of
undertakers
for
a
house
which
had
always
been
human
,
and
had
not
mistaken
culture
for
an
end
.
The
furniture
,
with
a
few
exceptions
,
went
down
into
Hertfordshire
,
Mr.
Wilcox
having
most
kindly
offered
Howards
End
as
a
warehouse
.
Mr.
Bryce
had
died
abroad
—
an
unsatisfactory
affair
—
and
as
there
seemed
little
guarantee
that
the
rent
would
be
paid
regularly
,
he
cancelled
the
agreement
,
and
resumed
possession
himself
.
Until
he
relet
the
house
,
the
Schlegels
were
welcome
to
stack
their
furniture
in
the
garage
and
lower
rooms
.
Margaret
demurred
,
but
Tibby
accepted
the
offer
gladly
;
it
saved
him
from
coming
to
any
decision
about
the
future
.
The
plate
and
the
more
valuable
pictures
found
a
safer
home
in
London
,
but
the
bulk
of
the
things
went
country-ways
,
and
were
entrusted
to
the
guardianship
of
Miss
Avery
.
Shortly
before
the
move
,
our
hero
and
heroine
were
married
.
They
have
weathered
the
storm
,
and
may
reasonably
expect
peace
.
To
have
no
illusions
and
yet
to
love
—
what
stronger
surety
can
a
woman
find
?
She
had
seen
her
husband
's
past
as
well
as
his
heart
.
She
knew
her
own
heart
with
a
thoroughness
that
commonplace
people
believe
impossible
.
The
heart
of
Mrs.
Wilcox
was
alone
hidden
,
and
perhaps
it
is
superstitious
to
speculate
on
the
feelings
of
the
dead
.
They
were
married
quietly
—
really
quietly
,
for
as
the
day
approached
she
refused
to
go
through
another
Oniton
.
Her
brother
gave
her
away
,
her
aunt
,
who
was
out
of
health
,
presided
over
a
few
colourless
refreshments
.
The
Wilcoxes
were
represented
by
Charles
,
who
witnessed
the
marriage
settlement
,
and
by
Mr.
Cahill
.
Paul
did
send
a
cablegram
.
In
a
few
minutes
,
and
without
the
aid
of
music
,
the
clergyman
made
them
man
and
wife
,
and
soon
the
glass
shade
had
fallen
that
cuts
off
married
couples
from
the
world
.
She
,
a
monogamist
,
regretted
the
cessation
of
some
of
life
's
innocent
odours
;
he
,
whose
instincts
were
polygamous
,
felt
morally
braced
by
the
change
,
and
less
liable
to
the
temptations
that
had
assailed
him
in
the
past
.
They
spent
their
honeymoon
near
Innsbruck
.
Henry
knew
of
a
reliable
hotel
there
,
and
Margaret
hoped
for
a
meeting
with
her
sister
.
In
this
she
was
disappointed
.
As
they
came
south
,
Helen
retreated
over
the
Brenner
,
and
wrote
an
unsatisfactory
postcard
from
the
shores
of
the
Lake
of
Garda
,
saying
that
her
plans
were
uncertain
and
had
better
be
ignored
.
Evidently
she
disliked
meeting
Henry
.
Two
months
are
surely
enough
to
accustom
an
outsider
to
a
situation
which
a
wife
has
accepted
in
two
days
,
and
Margaret
had
again
to
regret
her
sister
's
lack
of
self-control
.
In
a
long
letter
she
pointed
out
the
need
of
charity
in
sexual
matters
:
so
little
is
known
about
them
;
it
is
hard
enough
for
those
who
are
personally
touched
to
judge
;
then
how
futile
must
be
the
verdict
of
Society
.
"
I
do
n't
say
there
is
no
standard
,
for
that
would
destroy
morality
;
only
that
there
can
be
no
standard
until
our
impulses
are
classified
and
better
understood
.
"
Helen
thanked
her
for
her
kind
letter
—
rather
a
curious
reply
.
She
moved
south
again
,
and
spoke
of
wintering
in
Naples
.
Mr.
Wilcox
was
not
sorry
that
the
meeting
failed
.
Helen
left
him
time
to
grow
skin
over
his
wound
.
There
were
still
moments
when
it
pained
him
.
Had
he
only
known
that
Margaret
was
awaiting
him
—
Margaret
,
so
lively
and
intelligent
,
and
yet
so
submissive
—
he
would
have
kept
himself
worthier
of
her
.
Incapable
of
grouping
the
past
,
he
confused
the
episode
of
Jacky
with
another
episode
that
had
taken
place
in
the
days
of
his
bachelorhood
.
The
two
made
one
crop
of
wild
oats
,
for
which
he
was
heartily
sorry
,
and
he
could
not
see
that
those
oats
are
of
a
darker
stock
which
are
rooted
in
another
's
dishonour
.
Unchastity
and
infidelity
were
as
confused
to
him
as
to
the
Middle
Ages
,
his
only
moral
teacher
.
Ruth
(
poor
old
Ruth
!
)
did
not
enter
into
his
calculations
at
all
,
for
poor
old
Ruth
had
never
found
him
out
.
His
affection
for
his
present
wife
grew
steadily
.
Her
cleverness
gave
him
no
trouble
,
and
,
indeed
,
he
liked
to
see
her
reading
poetry
or
something
about
social
questions
;
it
distinguished
her
from
the
wives
of
other
men
.
He
had
only
to
call
,
and
she
clapped
the
book
up
and
was
ready
to
do
what
he
wished
.
Then
they
would
argue
so
jollily
,
and
once
or
twice
she
had
him
in
quite
a
tight
corner
,
but
as
soon
as
he
grew
really
serious
,
she
gave
in
.
Man
is
for
war
,
woman
for
the
recreation
of
the
warrior
,
but
he
does
not
dislike
it
if
she
makes
a
show
of
fight
.
She
cannot
win
in
a
real
battle
,
having
no
muscles
,
only
nerves
.
Nerves
make
her
jump
out
of
a
moving
motor-car
,
or
refuse
to
be
married
fashionably
.
The
warrior
may
well
allow
her
to
triumph
on
such
occasions
;
they
move
not
the
imperishable
plinth
of
things
that
touch
his
peace
.
Margaret
had
a
bad
attack
of
these
nerves
during
the
honeymoon
.
He
told
her
—
casually
,
as
was
his
habit
—
that
Oniton
Grange
was
let
.
She
showed
her
annoyance
,
and
asked
rather
crossly
why
she
had
not
been
consulted
.
"
I
did
n't
want
to
bother
you
,
"
he
replied
.
"
Besides
,
I
have
only
heard
for
certain
this
morning
.
"
"
Where
are
we
to
live
?
"
said
Margaret
,
trying
to
laugh
.
"
I
loved
the
place
extraordinarily
.
Do
n't
you
believe
in
having
a
permanent
home
,
Henry
?
"
He
assured
her
that
she
misunderstood
him
.
It
is
home
life
that
distinguishes
us
from
the
foreigner
.
But
he
did
not
believe
in
a
damp
home
.
"
This
is
news
.
I
never
heard
till
this
minute
that
Oniton
was
damp
.
"
"
My
dear
girl
!
"
—
he
flung
out
his
hand
—
"
have
you
eyes
?
have
you
a
skin
?
How
could
it
be
anything
but
damp
in
such
a
situation
?
In
the
first
place
,
the
Grange
is
on
clay
,
and
built
where
the
castle
moat
must
have
been
;
then
there
's
that
destestable
little
river
,
steaming
all
night
like
a
kettle
.
Feel
the
cellar
walls
;
look
up
under
the
eaves
.
Ask
Sir
James
or
anyone
.
Those
Shropshire
valleys
are
notorious
.
The
only
possible
place
for
a
house
in
Shropshire
is
on
a
hill
;
but
,
for
my
part
,
I
think
the
country
is
too
far
from
London
,
and
the
scenery
nothing
special
.
"
Margaret
could
not
resist
saying
,
"
Why
did
you
go
there
,
then
?
"
"
I
—
because
—
"
He
drew
his
head
back
and
grew
rather
angry
.
"
Why
have
we
come
to
the
Tyrol
,
if
it
comes
to
that
?
One
might
go
on
asking
such
questions
indefinitely
.
"
One
might
;
but
he
was
only
gaining
time
for
a
plausible
answer
.
Out
it
came
,
and
he
believed
it
as
soon
as
it
was
spoken
.
"
The
truth
is
,
I
took
Oniton
on
account
of
Evie
.
Do
n't
let
this
go
any
further
.
"
"
Certainly
not
.
"
"
I
should
n't
like
her
to
know
that
she
nearly
let
me
in
for
a
very
bad
bargain
.
No
sooner
did
I
sign
the
agreement
than
she
got
engaged
.
Poor
little
girl
!
She
was
so
keen
on
it
all
,
and
would
n't
even
wait
to
make
proper
inquiries
about
the
shooting
.
Afraid
it
would
get
snapped
up
—
just
like
all
of
your
sex
.
Well
,
no
harm
's
done
.
She
has
had
her
country
wedding
,
and
I
've
got
rid
of
my
house
to
some
fellows
who
are
starting
a
preparatory
school
.
"
"
Where
shall
we
live
,
then
,
Henry
?
I
should
enjoy
living
somewhere
.
"
"
I
have
not
yet
decided
.
What
about
Norfolk
?
"
Margaret
was
silent
.
Marriage
had
not
saved
her
from
the
sense
of
flux
.
London
was
but
a
foretaste
of
this
nomadic
civilization
which
is
altering
human
nature
so
profoundly
,
and
throws
upon
personal
relations
a
stress
greater
than
they
have
ever
borne
before
.
Under
cosmopolitanism
,
if
it
comes
,
we
shall
receive
no
help
from
the
earth
.
Trees
and
meadows
and
mountains
will
only
be
a
spectacle
,
and
the
binding
force
that
they
once
exercised
on
character
must
be
entrusted
to
Love
alone
.
May
Love
be
equal
to
the
task
!
"
It
is
now
what
?
"
continued
Henry
.
"
Nearly
October
.
Let
us
camp
for
the
winter
at
Ducie
Street
,
and
look
out
for
something
in
the
spring
.
"
If
possible
,
something
permanent
.
I
ca
n't
be
as
young
as
I
was
,
for
these
alterations
do
n't
suit
me
.
"
"
But
,
my
dear
,
which
would
you
rather
have
—
alterations
or
rheumatism
?
"
"
I
see
your
point
,
"
said
Margaret
,
getting
up
.
"
If
Oniton
is
really
damp
,
it
is
impossible
,
and
must
be
inhabited
by
little
boys
.
Only
,
in
the
spring
,
let
us
look
before
we
leap
.
I
will
take
warning
by
Evie
,
and
not
hurry
you
.
Remember
that
you
have
a
free
hand
this
time
.
These
endless
moves
must
be
bad
for
the
furniture
,
and
are
certainly
expensive
.
"
"
What
a
practical
little
woman
it
is
!
What
's
it
been
reading
?
Theo
—
theo
—
how
much
?
"
"
Theosophy
.
"
So
Ducie
Street
was
her
first
fate
—
a
pleasant
enough
fate
.
The
house
,
being
only
a
little
larger
than
Wickham
Place
,
trained
her
for
the
immense
establishment
that
was
promised
in
the
spring
.
They
were
frequently
away
,
but
at
home
life
ran
fairly
regularly
.
In
the
morning
Henry
went
to
the
business
,
and
his
sandwich
—
a
relic
this
of
some
prehistoric
craving
—
was
always
cut
by
her
own
hand
.
He
did
not
rely
upon
the
sandwich
for
lunch
,
but
liked
to
have
it
by
him
in
case
he
grew
hungry
at
eleven
.
When
he
had
gone
,
there
was
the
house
to
look
after
,
and
the
servants
to
humanize
,
and
several
kettles
of
Helen
's
to
keep
on
the
boil
.
Her
conscience
pricked
her
a
little
about
the
Basts
;
she
was
not
sorry
to
have
lost
sight
of
them
.
No
doubt
Leonard
was
worth
helping
,
but
being
Henry
's
wife
,
she
preferred
to
help
someone
else
.
As
for
theatres
and
discussion
societies
,
they
attracted
her
less
and
less
.
She
began
to
"
miss
"
new
movements
,
and
to
spend
her
spare
time
re-reading
or
thinking
,
rather
to
the
concern
of
her
Chelsea
friends
.
They
attributed
the
change
to
her
marriage
,
and
perhaps
some
deep
instinct
did
warn
her
not
to
travel
further
from
her
husband
than
was
inevitable
.
Yet
the
main
cause
lay
deeper
still
;
she
had
outgrown
stimulants
,
and
was
passing
from
words
to
things
.
It
was
doubtless
a
pity
not
to
keep
up
with
Wedekind
or
John
,
but
some
closing
of
the
gates
is
inevitable
after
thirty
,
if
the
mind
itself
is
to
become
a
creative
power
.
Chapter
32
She
was
looking
at
plans
one
day
in
the
following
spring
—
they
had
finally
decided
to
go
down
into
Sussex
and
build
—
when
Mrs.
Charles
Wilcox
was
announced
.
"
Have
you
heard
the
news
?
"
Dolly
cried
,
as
soon
as
she
entered
the
room
.
"
Charles
is
so
ang
—
I
mean
he
is
sure
you
know
about
it
,
or
rather
,
that
you
do
n't
know
.
"
"
Why
,
Dolly
!
"
said
Margaret
,
placidly
kissing
her
.
"
Here
's
a
surprise
!
How
are
the
boys
and
the
baby
?
"
Boys
and
the
baby
were
well
,
and
in
describing
a
great
row
that
there
had
been
at
Hilton
Tennis
Club
,
Dolly
forgot
her
news
.
The
wrong
people
had
tried
to
get
in
.
The
rector
,
as
representing
the
older
inhabitants
,
had
said
—
Charles
had
said
—
the
tax-collector
had
said
—
Charles
had
regretted
not
saying
—
and
she
closed
the
description
with
,
"
But
lucky
you
,
with
four
courts
of
your
own
at
Midhurst
.
"
"
It
will
be
very
jolly
,
"
replied
Margaret
.
"
Are
those
the
plans
?
Does
it
matter
me
seeing
them
?
"
"
Of
course
not
.
"
"
Charles
has
never
seen
the
plans
.
"
"
They
have
only
just
arrived
.
Here
is
the
ground
floor
—
no
,
that
's
rather
difficult
.
Try
the
elevation
.
We
are
to
have
a
good
many
gables
and
a
picturesque
sky-line
.
"
"
What
makes
it
smell
so
funny
?
"
said
Dolly
,
after
a
moment
's
inspection
.
She
was
incapable
of
understanding
plans
or
maps
.
"
I
suppose
the
paper
.
"
"
And
which
way
up
is
it
?
"
"
Just
the
ordinary
way
up
.
That
's
the
sky-line
,
and
the
part
that
smells
strongest
is
the
sky
.
"
"
Well
,
ask
me
another
.
Margaret
—
oh
—
what
was
I
going
to
say
?
How
's
Helen
?
"
"
Quite
well
.
"
"
Is
she
never
coming
back
to
England
?
Every
one
thinks
it
's
awfully
odd
she
does
n't
.
"
"
So
it
is
,
"
said
Margaret
,
trying
to
conceal
her
vexation
.
She
was
getting
rather
sore
on
this
point
.
"
Helen
is
odd
,
awfully
.
She
has
now
been
away
eight
months
.
"
But
has
n't
she
any
address
?
"
"
A
poste
restante
somewhere
in
Bavaria
is
her
address
.
Do
write
her
a
line
.
I
will
look
it
up
for
you
.
"
"
No
,
do
n't
bother
.
That
's
eight
months
she
has
been
away
,
surely
?
"
"
Exactly
.
She
left
just
after
Evie
's
wedding
.
It
would
be
eight
months
.
"
"
Just
when
baby
was
born
,
then
?
"
"
Just
so
.
"
Dolly
sighed
,
and
stared
enviously
round
the
drawing-room
.
She
was
beginning
to
lose
her
brightness
and
good
looks
.
The
Charles
'
were
not
well
off
,
for
Mr.
Wilcox
,
having
brought
up
his
children
with
expensive
tastes
,
believed
in
letting
them
shift
for
themselves
.
After
all
,
he
had
not
treated
them
generously
.
Yet
another
baby
was
expected
,
she
told
Margaret
,
and
they
would
have
to
give
up
the
motor
.
Margaret
sympathized
,
but
in
a
formal
fashion
,
and
Dolly
little
imagined
that
the
step-mother
was
urging
Mr.
Wilcox
to
make
them
a
more
liberal
allowance
.
She
sighed
again
,
and
at
last
the
particular
grievance
was
remembered
.
"
Oh
yes
,
"
she
cried
,
"
that
is
it
:
Miss
Avery
has
been
unpacking
your
packing-cases
.
"
"
Why
has
she
done
that
?
How
unnecessary
!
"
"
Ask
another
.
I
suppose
you
ordered
her
to
.
"
"
I
gave
no
such
orders
.
Perhaps
she
was
airing
the
things
.
She
did
undertake
to
light
an
occasional
fire
.
"
"
It
was
far
more
than
an
air
,
"
said
Dolly
solemnly
.
"
The
floor
sounds
covered
with
books
.
Charles
sent
me
to
know
what
is
to
be
done
,
for
he
feels
certain
you
do
n't
know
.
"
"
Books
!
"
cried
Margaret
,
moved
by
the
holy
word
.
"
Dolly
,
are
you
serious
?
Has
she
been
touching
our
books
?
"
"
Has
n't
she
,
though
!
What
used
to
be
the
hall
's
full
of
them
.
Charles
thought
for
certain
you
knew
of
it
.
"
"
I
am
very
much
obliged
to
you
,
Dolly
.
What
can
have
come
over
Miss
Avery
?
I
must
go
down
about
it
at
once
.
Some
of
the
books
are
my
brother
's
,
and
are
quite
valuable
.
She
had
no
right
to
open
any
of
the
cases
.
"
"
I
say
she
's
dotty
.
She
was
the
one
that
never
got
married
,
you
know
.
Oh
,
I
say
,
perhaps
she
thinks
your
books
are
wedding-presents
to
herself
.
Old
maids
are
taken
that
way
sometimes
.
Miss
Avery
hates
us
all
like
poison
ever
since
her
frightful
dust-up
with
Evie
.
"
"
I
had
n't
heard
of
that
,
"
said
Margaret
.
A
visit
from
Dolly
had
its
compensations
.
"
Did
n't
you
know
she
gave
Evie
a
present
last
August
,
and
Evie
returned
it
,
and
then
—
oh
,
goloshes
!
You
never
read
such
a
letter
as
Miss
Avery
wrote
.
"
"
But
it
was
wrong
of
Evie
to
return
it
.
It
was
n't
like
her
to
do
such
a
heartless
thing
.
"
"
But
the
present
was
so
expensive
.
"
"
Why
does
that
make
any
difference
,
Dolly
?
"
"
Still
,
when
it
costs
over
five
pounds
—
I
did
n't
see
it
,
but
it
was
a
lovely
enamel
pendant
from
a
Bond
Street
shop
.
You
ca
n't
very
well
accept
that
kind
of
thing
from
a
farm
woman
.
Now
,
can
you
?
"
"
You
accepted
a
present
from
Miss
Avery
when
you
were
married
.
"
Oh
,
mine
was
old
earthenware
stuff
—
not
worth
a
halfpenny
.
Evie
's
was
quite
different
.
You
'd
have
to
ask
anyone
to
the
wedding
who
gave
you
a
pendant
like
that
.
Uncle
Percy
and
Albert
and
father
and
Charles
all
said
it
was
quite
impossible
,
and
when
four
men
agree
,
what
is
a
girl
to
do
?
Evie
did
n't
want
to
upset
the
old
thing
,
so
thought
a
sort
of
joking
letter
best
,
and
returned
the
pendant
straight
to
the
shop
to
save
Miss
Avery
trouble
.
"
"
But
Miss
Avery
said
—
"
Dolly
's
eyes
grew
round
.
"
It
was
a
perfectly
awful
letter
.
Charles
said
it
was
the
letter
of
a
madman
.
In
the
end
she
had
the
pendant
back
again
from
the
shop
and
threw
it
into
the
duckpond
.
"
Did
she
give
any
reasons
?
"
"
We
think
she
meant
to
be
invited
to
Oniton
,
and
so
climb
into
society
.
"
"
She
's
rather
old
for
that
,
"
said
Margaret
pensively
.
"
May
not
she
have
given
the
present
to
Evie
in
remembrance
of
her
mother
?
"
"
That
's
a
notion
.
Give
every
one
their
due
,
eh
?
Well
,
I
suppose
I
ought
to
be
toddling
.
Come
along
,
Mr.
Muff
—
you
want
a
new
coat
,
but
I
do
n't
know
who
'll
give
it
you
,
I
'm
sure
;
"
and
addressing
her
apparel
with
mournful
humour
,
Dolly
moved
from
the
room
.
Margaret
followed
her
to
ask
whether
Henry
knew
about
Miss
Avery
's
rudeness
.
"
Oh
yes
.
"
"
I
wonder
,
then
,
why
he
let
me
ask
her
to
look
after
the
house
.
"
"
But
she
's
only
a
farm
woman
,
"
said
Dolly
,
and
her
explanation
proved
correct
.
Henry
only
censured
the
lower
classes
when
it
suited
him
.
He
bore
with
Miss
Avery
as
with
Crane
—
because
he
could
get
good
value
out
of
them
.
"
I
have
patience
with
a
man
who
knows
his
job
,
"
he
would
say
,
really
having
patience
with
the
job
,
and
not
the
man
.
Paradoxical
as
it
may
sound
,
he
had
something
of
the
artist
about
him
;
he
would
pass
over
an
insult
to
his
daughter
sooner
than
lose
a
good
charwoman
for
his
wife
.
Margaret
judged
it
better
to
settle
the
little
trouble
herself
.
Parties
were
evidently
ruffled
.
With
Henry
's
permission
,
she
wrote
a
pleasant
note
to
Miss
Avery
,
asking
her
to
leave
the
cases
untouched
.
Then
,
at
the
first
convenient
opportunity
,
she
went
down
herself
,
intending
to
repack
her
belongings
and
store
them
properly
in
the
local
warehouse
:
the
plan
had
been
amateurish
and
a
failure
.
Tibby
promised
to
accompany
her
,
but
at
the
last
moment
begged
to
be
excused
.
So
,
for
the
second
time
in
her
life
,
she
entered
the
house
alone
.
Chapter
33
The
day
of
her
visit
was
exquisite
,
and
the
last
of
unclouded
happiness
that
she
was
to
have
for
many
months
.
Her
anxiety
about
Helen
's
extraordinary
absence
was
still
dormant
,
and
as
for
a
possible
brush
with
Miss
Avery
—
that
only
gave
zest
to
the
expedition
.
She
had
also
eluded
Dolly
's
invitation
to
luncheon
.
Walking
straight
up
from
the
station
,
she
crossed
the
village
green
and
entered
the
long
chestnut
avenue
that
connects
it
with
the
church
.
The
church
itself
stood
in
the
village
once
.
But
it
there
attracted
so
many
worshippers
that
the
devil
,
in
a
pet
,
snatched
it
from
its
foundations
,
and
poised
it
on
an
inconvenient
knoll
,
three-quarters
of
a
mile
away
.
If
this
story
is
true
,
the
chestnut
avenue
must
have
been
planted
by
the
angels
.
No
more
tempting
approach
could
be
imagined
for
the
luke-warm
Christian
,
and
if
he
still
finds
the
walk
too
long
,
the
devil
is
defeated
all
the
same
,
Science
having
built
Holy
Trinity
,
a
Chapel
of
Ease
,
near
the
Charles
'
,
and
roofed
it
with
tin
.
Up
the
avenue
Margaret
strolled
slowly
,
stopping
to
watch
the
sky
that
gleamed
through
the
upper
branches
of
the
chestnuts
,
or
to
finger
the
little
horseshoes
on
the
lower
branches
.
Why
has
not
England
a
great
mythology
?
Our
folklore
has
never
advanced
beyond
daintiness
,
and
the
greater
melodies
about
our
country-side
have
all
issued
through
the
pipes
of
Greece
.
Deep
and
true
as
the
native
imagination
can
be
,
it
seems
to
have
failed
here
.
It
has
stopped
with
the
witches
and
the
fairies
.
It
cannot
vivify
one
fraction
of
a
summer
field
,
or
give
names
to
half
a
dozen
stars
.
England
still
waits
for
the
supreme
moment
of
her
literature
—
for
the
great
poet
who
shall
voice
her
,
or
,
better
still
,
for
the
thousand
little
poets
whose
voices
shall
pass
into
our
common
talk
.
At
the
church
the
scenery
changed
.
The
chestnut
avenue
opened
into
a
road
,
smooth
but
narrow
,
which
led
into
the
untouched
country
.
She
followed
it
for
over
a
mile
.
Its
little
hesitations
pleased
her
.
Having
no
urgent
destiny
,
it
strolled
downhill
or
up
as
it
wished
,
taking
no
trouble
about
the
gradients
,
nor
about
the
view
,
which
nevertheless
expanded
.
The
great
estates
that
throttle
the
south
of
Hertfordshire
were
less
obtrusive
here
,
and
the
appearance
of
the
land
was
neither
aristocratic
nor
suburban
.
To
define
it
was
difficult
,
but
Margaret
knew
what
it
was
not
:
it
was
not
snobbish
.
Though
its
contours
were
slight
,
there
was
a
touch
of
freedom
in
their
sweep
to
which
Surrey
will
never
attain
,
and
the
distant
brow
of
the
Chilterns
towered
like
a
mountain
.
"
Left
to
itself
,
"
was
Margaret
's
opinion
,
"
this
county
would
vote
Liberal
.
"
The
comradeship
,
not
passionate
,
that
is
our
highest
gift
as
a
nation
,
was
promised
by
it
,
as
by
the
low
brick
farm
where
she
called
for
the
key
.
But
the
inside
of
the
farm
was
disappointing
.
A
most
finished
young
person
received
her
.
"
Yes
,
Mrs.
Wilcox
;
no
,
Mrs.
Wilcox
;
oh
yes
,
Mrs.
Wilcox
,
auntie
received
your
letter
quite
duly
.
Auntie
has
gone
up
to
your
little
place
at
the
present
moment
.
Shall
I
send
the
servant
to
direct
you
?
"
Followed
by
:
"
Of
course
,
auntie
does
not
generally
look
after
your
place
;
she
only
does
it
to
oblige
a
neighbour
as
something
exceptional
.
It
gives
her
something
to
do
.
She
spends
quite
a
lot
of
her
time
there
.
My
husband
says
to
me
sometimes
,
'
Where
's
auntie
?
'
I
say
,
'
Need
you
ask
?
She
's
at
Howards
End
.
'
Yes
,
Mrs.
Wilcox
.
Mrs.
Wilcox
,
could
I
prevail
upon
you
to
accept
a
piece
of
cake
?
Not
if
I
cut
it
for
you
?
"
Margaret
refused
the
cake
,
but
unfortunately
this
acquired
her
gentility
in
the
eyes
of
Miss
Avery
's
niece
.
"
I
cannot
let
you
go
on
alone
.
Now
do
n't
.
You
really
must
n't
.
I
will
direct
you
myself
if
it
comes
to
that
.
I
must
get
my
hat
.
Now
"
—
roguishly
—
"
Mrs
.
Wilcox
,
do
n't
you
move
while
I
'm
gone
.
"
Stunned
,
Margaret
did
not
move
from
the
best
parlour
,
over
which
the
touch
of
art
nouveau
had
fallen
.
But
the
other
rooms
looked
in
keeping
,
though
they
conveyed
the
peculiar
sadness
of
a
rural
interior
.
Here
had
lived
an
elder
race
,
to
which
we
look
back
with
disquietude
.
The
country
which
we
visit
at
week-ends
was
really
a
home
to
it
,
and
the
graver
sides
of
life
,
the
deaths
,
the
partings
,
the
yearnings
for
love
,
have
their
deepest
expression
in
the
heart
of
the
fields
.
All
was
not
sadness
.
The
sun
was
shining
without
.
The
thrush
sang
his
two
syllables
on
the
budding
guelder-rose
.
Some
children
were
playing
uproariously
in
heaps
of
golden
straw
.
It
was
the
presence
of
sadness
at
all
that
surprised
Margaret
,
and
ended
by
giving
her
a
feeling
of
completeness
.
In
these
English
farms
,
if
anywhere
,
one
might
see
life
steadily
and
see
it
whole
,
group
in
one
vision
its
transitoriness
and
its
eternal
youth
,
connect
—
connect
without
bitterness
until
all
men
are
brothers
.
But
her
thoughts
were
interrupted
by
the
return
of
Miss
Avery
's
niece
,
and
were
so
tranquillizing
that
she
suffered
the
interruption
gladly
.
It
was
quicker
to
go
out
by
the
back
door
,
and
,
after
due
explanations
,
they
went
out
by
it
.
The
niece
was
now
mortified
by
unnumerable
chickens
,
who
rushed
up
to
her
feet
for
food
,
and
by
a
shameless
and
maternal
sow
.
She
did
not
know
what
animals
were
coming
to
.
But
her
gentility
withered
at
the
touch
of
the
sweet
air
.
The
wind
was
rising
,
scattering
the
straw
and
ruffling
the
tails
of
the
ducks
as
they
floated
in
families
over
Evie
's
pendant
.
One
of
those
delicious
gales
of
spring
,
in
which
leaves
stiff
in
bud
seem
to
rustle
,
swept
over
the
land
and
then
fell
silent
.
"
Georgia
,
"
sang
the
thrush
.
"
Cuckoo
,
"
came
furtively
from
the
cliff
of
pine-trees
.
"
Georgia
,
pretty
Georgia
,
"
and
the
other
birds
joined
in
with
nonsense
.
The
hedge
was
a
half-painted
picture
which
would
be
finished
in
a
few
days
.
Celandines
grew
on
its
banks
,
lords
and
ladies
and
primroses
in
the
defended
hollows
;
the
wild
rose-bushes
,
still
bearing
their
withered
hips
,
showed
also
the
promise
of
blossom
.
Spring
had
come
,
clad
in
no
classical
garb
,
yet
fairer
than
all
springs
;
fairer
even
than
she
who
walks
through
the
myrtles
of
Tuscany
with
the
graces
before
her
and
the
zephyr
behind
.
The
two
women
walked
up
the
lane
full
of
outward
civility
.
But
Margaret
was
thinking
how
difficult
it
was
to
be
earnest
about
furniture
on
such
a
day
,
and
the
niece
was
thinking
about
hats
.
Thus
engaged
,
they
reached
Howards
End
.
Petulant
cries
of
"
Auntie
!
"
severed
the
air
.
There
was
no
reply
,
and
the
front
door
was
locked
.
"
Are
you
sure
that
Miss
Avery
is
up
here
?
"
asked
Margaret
.
"
Oh
yes
,
Mrs.
Wilcox
,
quite
sure
.
She
is
here
daily
.
"
Margaret
tried
to
look
in
through
the
dining-room
window
,
but
the
curtain
inside
was
drawn
tightly
.
So
with
the
drawing-room
and
the
hall
.
The
appearance
of
these
curtains
was
familiar
,
yet
she
did
not
remember
them
being
there
on
her
other
visit
:
her
impression
was
that
Mr.
Bryce
had
taken
everything
away
.
They
tried
the
back
.
Here
again
they
received
no
answer
,
and
could
see
nothing
;
the
kitchen-window
was
fitted
with
a
blind
,
while
the
pantry
and
scullery
had
pieces
of
wood
propped
up
against
them
,
which
looked
ominously
like
the
lids
of
packing-cases
.
Margaret
thought
of
her
books
,
and
she
lifted
up
her
voice
also
.
At
the
first
cry
she
succeeded
.
"
Well
,
well
!
"
replied
someone
inside
the
house
.
"
If
it
is
n't
Mrs.
Wilcox
come
at
last
!
"
"
Have
you
got
the
key
,
auntie
?
"
"
Madge
,
go
away
,
"
said
Miss
Avery
,
still
invisible
.
"
Auntie
,
it
's
Mrs.
Wilcox
—
"
Margaret
supported
her
.
"
Your
niece
and
I
have
come
together
—
"
"
Madge
,
go
away
.
This
is
no
moment
for
your
hat
.
"
The
poor
woman
went
red
.
"
Auntie
gets
more
eccentric
lately
,
"
she
said
nervously
.
"
Miss
Avery
!
"
called
Margaret
.
"
I
have
come
about
the
furniture
.
Could
you
kindly
let
me
in
?
"
"
Yes
,
Mrs.
Wilcox
,
"
said
the
voice
,
"
of
course
.
"
But
after
that
came
silence
.
They
called
again
without
response
.
They
walked
round
the
house
disconsolately
.
"
I
hope
Miss
Avery
is
not
ill
,
"
hazarded
Margaret
.
"
Well
,
if
you
'll
excuse
me
,
"
said
Madge
,
"
perhaps
I
ought
to
be
leaving
you
now
.
The
servants
need
seeing
to
at
the
farm
.
Auntie
is
so
odd
at
times
.
"
Gathering
up
her
elegancies
,
she
retired
defeated
,
and
,
as
if
her
departure
had
loosed
a
spring
,
the
front
door
opened
at
once
.
Miss
Avery
said
,
"
Well
,
come
right
in
,
Mrs.
Wilcox
!
"
quite
pleasantly
and
calmly
.
"
Thank
you
so
much
,
"
began
Margaret
,
but
broke
off
at
the
sight
of
an
umbrella-stand
.
It
was
her
own
.
"
Come
right
into
the
hall
first
,
"
said
Miss
Avery
.
She
drew
the
curtain
,
and
Margaret
uttered
a
cry
of
despair
.
For
an
appalling
thing
had
happened
.
The
hall
was
fitted
up
with
the
contents
of
the
library
from
Wickham
Place
.
The
carpet
had
been
laid
,
the
big
work-table
drawn
up
near
the
window
;
the
bookcases
filled
the
wall
opposite
the
fireplace
,
and
her
father
's
sword
—
this
is
what
bewildered
her
particularly
—
had
been
drawn
from
its
scabbard
and
hung
naked
amongst
the
sober
volumes
.
Miss
Avery
must
have
worked
for
days
.
"
I
'm
afraid
this
is
n't
what
we
meant
,
"
she
began
.
"
Mr.
Wilcox
and
I
never
intended
the
cases
to
be
touched
.
For
instance
,
these
books
are
my
brother
's
.
We
are
storing
them
for
him
and
for
my
sister
,
who
is
abroad
.
When
you
kindly
undertook
to
look
after
things
,
we
never
expected
you
to
do
so
much
.
"
"
The
house
has
been
empty
long
enough
,
"
said
the
old
woman
.
Margaret
refused
to
argue
.
"
I
dare
say
we
did
n't
explain
,
"
she
said
civilly
.
"
It
has
been
a
mistake
,
and
very
likely
our
mistake
.
"
"
Mrs.
Wilcox
,
it
has
been
mistake
upon
mistake
for
fifty
years
.
The
house
is
Mrs.
Wilcox
's
,
and
she
would
not
desire
it
to
stand
empty
any
longer
.
"
To
help
the
poor
decaying
brain
,
Margaret
said
:
"
Yes
,
Mrs.
Wilcox
's
house
,
the
mother
of
Mr.
Charles
.
"
"
Mistake
upon
mistake
,
"
said
Miss
Avery
.
"
Mistake
upon
mistake
.
"
"
Well
,
I
do
n't
know
,
"
said
Margaret
,
sitting
down
in
one
of
her
own
chairs
.
"
I
really
do
n't
know
what
's
to
be
done
.
"
She
could
not
help
laughing
.
The
other
said
:
"
Yes
,
it
should
be
a
merry
house
enough
.
"
"
I
do
n't
know
—
I
dare
say
.
Well
,
thank
you
very
much
,
Miss
Avery
.
Yes
,
that
's
all
right
.
Delightful
.
"
"
There
is
still
the
parlour
.
"
She
went
through
the
door
opposite
and
drew
a
curtain
.
Light
flooded
the
drawing-room
and
the
drawing-room
furniture
from
Wickham
Place
.
"
And
the
dining-room
.
"
More
curtains
were
drawn
,
more
windows
were
flung
open
to
the
spring
.
"
Then
through
here
—
"
Miss
Avery
continued
passing
and
repassing
through
the
hall
.
Her
voice
was
lost
,
but
Margaret
heard
her
pulling
up
the
kitchen
blind
.
"
I
've
not
finished
here
yet
,
"
she
announced
,
returning
.
"
There
's
still
a
deal
to
do
.
The
farm
lads
will
carry
your
great
wardrobes
upstairs
,
for
there
is
no
need
to
go
into
expense
at
Hilton
.
"
"
It
is
all
a
mistake
,
"
repeated
Margaret
,
feeling
that
she
must
put
her
foot
down
.
"
A
misunderstanding
.
Mr.
Wilcox
and
I
are
not
going
to
live
at
Howards
End
.
"
"
Oh
,
indeed
.
On
account
of
his
hay
fever
?
"
"
We
have
settled
to
build
a
new
home
for
ourselves
in
Sussex
,
and
part
of
this
furniture
—
my
part
—
will
go
down
there
presently
.
"
She
looked
at
Miss
Avery
intently
,
trying
to
understand
the
kink
in
her
brain
.
Here
was
no
maundering
old
woman
.
Her
wrinkles
were
shrewd
and
humorous
.
She
looked
capable
of
scathing
wit
and
also
of
high
but
unostentatious
nobility
.
"
You
think
that
you
wo
n't
come
back
to
live
here
,
Mrs.
Wilcox
,
but
you
will
.
"
"
That
remains
to
be
seen
,
"
said
Margaret
,
smiling
.
"
We
have
no
intention
of
doing
so
for
the
present
.
We
happen
to
need
a
much
larger
house
.
Circumstances
oblige
us
to
give
big
parties
.
Of
course
,
some
day
—
one
never
knows
,
does
one
?
"
Miss
Avery
retorted
:
"
Some
day
!
Tcha
!
tcha
!
Do
n't
talk
about
some
day
.
You
are
living
here
now
.
"
"
Am
I
?
"
"
You
are
living
here
,
and
have
been
for
the
last
ten
minutes
,
if
you
ask
me
.
"
It
was
a
senseless
remark
,
but
with
a
queer
feeling
of
disloyalty
Margaret
rose
from
her
chair
.
She
felt
that
Henry
had
been
obscurely
censured
.
They
went
into
the
dining-room
,
where
the
sunlight
poured
in
upon
her
mother
's
chiffonier
,
and
upstairs
,
where
many
an
old
god
peeped
from
a
new
niche
.
The
furniture
fitted
extraordinarily
well
.
In
the
central
room
—
over
the
hall
,
the
room
that
Helen
had
slept
in
four
years
ago
—
Miss
Avery
had
placed
Tibby
's
old
bassinette
.
"
The
nursery
,
"
she
said
.
Margaret
turned
away
without
speaking
.
At
last
everything
was
seen
.
The
kitchen
and
lobby
were
still
stacked
with
furniture
and
straw
,
but
,
as
far
as
she
could
make
out
,
nothing
had
been
broken
or
scratched
.
A
pathetic
display
of
ingenuity
!
Then
they
took
a
friendly
stroll
in
the
garden
.
It
had
gone
wild
since
her
last
visit
.
The
gravel
sweep
was
weedy
,
and
grass
had
sprung
up
at
the
very
jaws
of
the
garage
.
And
Evie
's
rockery
was
only
bumps
.
Perhaps
Evie
was
responsible
for
Miss
Avery
's
oddness
.
But
Margaret
suspected
that
the
cause
lay
deeper
,
and
that
the
girl
's
silly
letter
had
but
loosed
the
irritation
of
years
.
"
It
's
