The
Good
Comrade
By
UNA
L
.
SILBERRAD
Illustrated
by
Anna
Whelan
Betts
New
York
Doubleday
,
Page
+
Company
1907
Copyright
,
1907
,
by
Doubleday
Page
+
Company
Published
,
September
,
1907
THE
GOOD
COMRADE
CHAPTER
I
THE
POLKINGTONS
The
Polkingtons
were
of
those
people
who
do
not
dine
.
They
lunched
,
though
few
besides
Johnny
Gillat
,
who
did
not
count
,
had
been
invited
to
share
that
meal
with
them
.
They
took
tea
,
the
daintiest
,
pleasantest
,
most
charming
of
teas
,
as
the
élite
of
Marbridge
knew
;
everybody
—
or
,
rather
,
a
selection
of
everybody
,
had
had
tea
with
them
one
time
or
another
.
After
that
there
was
no
record
;
the
élite
,
who
would
as
soon
have
thought
of
going
without
their
heads
as
without
their
dinner
,
concluded
they
dined
,
because
they
were
"
one
of
us
.
"
But
some
humbler
folk
were
of
opinion
that
they
only
dined
once
a
week
,
and
that
after
morning
service
on
Sundays
;
but
even
this
idea
was
dispelled
when
the
eldest
Miss
Polkington
was
heard
to
excuse
her
non-appearance
at
an
organ
recital
because
"
lunch
was
always
so
late
on
Sunday
.
"
Let
it
not
be
imagined
from
this
that
the
Polkingtons
were
common
people
—
they
were
not
;
they
were
extremely
well
connected
;
indeed
,
their
connections
were
one
of
the
two
striking
features
about
them
,
the
other
was
their
handicap
,
Captain
Polkington
,
late
of
the
—
—
th
Bengal
Lancers
.
He
was
well
connected
,
though
not
quite
so
much
so
as
his
wife
;
still
—
well
,
but
he
was
not
very
presentable
.
If
only
he
had
been
dead
he
would
have
been
a
valuable
asset
,
but
living
,
he
was
decidedly
rather
a
drawback
;
there
are
some
relatives
like
this
.
Mrs.
Polkington
bore
up
under
it
valiantly
;
in
fact
,
they
all
did
so
well
that
in
time
they
,
or
at
least
she
and
two
of
her
three
daughters
,
came
almost
to
believe
some
of
the
legends
they
told
of
the
Captain
.
The
Polkingtons
lived
at
No.
27
East
Street
,
which
,
as
all
who
know
Marbridge
are
aware
,
is
a
very
good
street
in
which
to
live
.
The
house
was
rather
small
,
but
the
drawing-room
was
good
,
with
two
beautiful
Queen
Anne
windows
,
and
a
white
door
with
six
panels
.
The
rest
of
the
house
did
not
matter
.
On
the
whole
the
drawing-room
did
not
so
very
much
matter
,
because
visitors
seldom
went
into
it
when
the
Miss
Polkingtons
were
not
there
;
and
when
they
were
,
no
one
but
a
jealous
woman
would
have
noticed
that
the
furniture
was
rather
slight
,
and
there
were
no
flowers
except
those
in
obvious
places
.
There
was
only
one
Miss
Polkington
in
the
drawing-room
that
wintry
afternoon
—
Julia
,
the
middle
one
of
the
three
,
the
only
one
who
could
not
fill
even
a
larger
room
to
the
complete
obliteration
of
furniture
and
fitments
.
Julia
was
not
pretty
,
therefore
she
was
seldom
to
be
found
in
the
drawing-room
alone
;
she
knew
better
than
to
attempt
to
occupy
that
stage
by
herself
.
But
it
was
now
almost
seven
o'clock
,
too
late
for
any
one
to
come
;
also
,
since
there
was
no
light
but
the
fire
,
deficiencies
were
not
noticeable
.
She
felt
secure
of
interruption
,
and
stood
with
one
foot
on
the
fender
,
looking
earnestly
into
the
fire
.
That
day
had
been
an
important
one
to
the
Polkingtons
;
Violet
,
the
eldest
of
the
sisters
,
had
that
afternoon
accepted
an
offer
of
marriage
from
the
Reverend
Richard
Frazer
.
The
young
man
had
not
left
the
house
an
hour
,
and
Mrs.
Polkington
was
not
yet
returned
from
some
afternoon
engagement
more
than
half
,
but
already
the
matter
had
been
in
part
discussed
by
the
family
.
Julia
,
standing
by
the
drawing-room
fire
,
was
in
a
position
to
review
at
least
some
points
of
the
case
dispassionately
.
Violet
was
two
and
twenty
,
tall
,
and
of
a
fine
presence
,
like
her
mother
,
but
handsomer
than
the
elder
woman
could
ever
have
been
.
She
had
undoubted
abilities
,
principally
of
a
social
order
,
but
not
a
penny
apiece
to
her
dower
.
She
had
this
afternoon
accepted
Richard
Frazer
,
though
he
was
only
a
curate
—
an
aristocratic
one
certainly
,
with
a
small
private
income
,
and
an
uncle
lately
made
bishop
of
one
of
the
minor
sees
.
Violet
was
fond
of
him
;
she
was
too
nice
a
girl
to
accept
a
man
she
was
not
fond
of
,
though
too
well
brought
up
to
become
fond
of
one
who
was
impossible
.
The
engagement
,
though
it
probably
did
not
fulfil
all
Mrs.
Polkington
's
ambitions
,
was
in
Julia
's
opinion
a
good
thing
for
several
reasons
.
There
was
a
swish
and
rustle
of
silk
by
the
door
—
Mrs.
Polkington
did
not
wear
silk
skirts
,
only
a
silk
flounce
somewhere
,
but
she
got
more
creak
and
rustle
out
of
it
than
the
average
woman
does
out
of
two
skirts
.
An
imposing
woman
she
was
,
with
an
eye
that
had
once
been
described
as
"
eagle
,
"
though
,
for
that
,
it
was
a
little
inquiring
and
eager
now
,
by
reason
of
the
look-out
she
had
been
obliged
to
keep
for
a
good
part
of
her
life
.
She
entered
the
room
now
,
followed
by
her
eldest
and
youngest
daughters
,
Violet
and
Chèrie
.
"
At
twelve
to-morrow
?
"
she
was
saying
as
she
came
in
.
"
Is
that
when
he
is
coming
to
see
your
father
?
"
Violet
said
it
was
;
then
added
,
in
a
tone
of
some
dissatisfaction
,
"
I
suppose
he
must
see
father
about
it
?
We
could
n't
arrange
something
?
"
"
Certainly
not
,
"
Mrs.
Polkington
replied
with
decision
;
"
it
is
not
for
me
to
give
or
refuse
consent
to
your
marriage
.
Of
course
,
Mr.
Frazer
knows
your
father
does
not
have
good
health
,
or
trouble
himself
to
mix
much
in
society
here
—
it
is
not
likely
that
an
old
military
man
should
,
but
in
a
case
like
this
he
would
expect
to
be
called
upon
;
it
would
have
shown
a
great
lack
of
breeding
on
Mr.
Frazer
's
part
had
he
suggested
anything
different
.
"
Violet
agreed
,
though
she
did
not
seem
exactly
convinced
,
and
Julia
created
a
diversion
by
saying
—
"
Twelve
is
rather
an
awkward
time
.
A
quarter
of
an
hour
with
father
,
five
minutes
—
no
,
ten
—
with
you
,
half
an
hour
with
Violet
,
altogether
brings
it
very
near
lunch
time
.
"
"
Mr.
Frazer
will
,
of
course
,
lunch
with
us
to-morrow
,
"
Mrs.
Polkington
said
,
as
if
stray
guests
to
lunch
were
the
most
usual
and
convenient
thing
in
the
world
.
The
Polkingtons
kept
up
a
good
many
of
their
farces
in
private
life
;
most
of
them
found
it
easier
,
as
well
as
pleasanter
,
to
do
so
.
"
The
cold
beef
,
"
Mrs.
Polkington
said
,
mentally
reviewing
her
larder
,
"
can
be
hashed
;
that
and
a
small
boned
loin
of
mutton
will
do
,
he
would
naturally
expect
to
be
treated
as
one
of
the
family
;
fortunately
the
apple
tart
has
not
been
cut
—
with
a
little
cream
—
"
"
I
thought
we
were
to
have
the
tart
to-night
,
"
Julia
interrupted
,
thinking
of
Johnny
Gillat
,
who
was
coming
to
spend
the
evening
with
her
father
.
Mrs.
Polkington
thought
of
him
too
,
but
she
did
not
change
her
mind
on
this
account
.
"
We
ca
n't
,
then
,
"
she
said
,
and
turned
to
the
discussion
of
other
matters
.
She
had
carried
these
as
far
as
the
probable
date
of
marriage
,
and
the
preferment
the
young
man
might
easily
expect
,
when
the
little
servant
came
up
to
announce
Mr.
Gillat
.
Mrs.
Polkington
did
not
express
impatience
.
"
Is
he
in
the
dining-room
?
"
she
said
.
"
I
hope
you
lighted
the
heater
,
Mary
.
"
Mary
said
she
had
,
and
Mrs.
Polkington
returned
to
her
interesting
subject
,
only
pausing
to
remark
,
"
How
tiresome
that
your
father
is
not
back
yet
!
"
For
a
little
none
of
the
three
girls
moved
,
then
Julia
rose
.
"
Are
you
going
down
to
Mr.
Gillat
?
"
her
mother
asked
.
"
There
really
is
no
necessity
;
he
is
perfectly
happy
with
the
paper
.
"
Perhaps
he
was
,
though
the
paper
was
a
half-penny
morning
one
;
he
did
not
make
extravagant
demands
on
fate
,
or
anything
else
;
nevertheless
,
Julia
went
down
.
The
Polkingtons
'
house
was
furnished
on
an
ascending
scale
,
which
found
its
zenith
in
the
drawing-room
,
but
deteriorated
again
very
rapidly
afterwards
.
The
dining-room
,
being
midway
between
the
kitchen
and
the
drawing-room
,
was
only
a
middling-looking
apartment
.
They
did
not
often
have
a
fire
there
;
a
paraffin
lamp
stove
stood
in
the
fire-place
,
leering
with
its
red
eye
as
if
it
took
a
wicked
satisfaction
in
its
own
smell
.
Before
the
fire-place
,
re-reading
the
already-known
newspaper
by
the
light
of
one
gas
jet
,
sat
Johnny
Gillat
.
Poor
old
Johnny
,
with
his
round
,
pink
face
,
whereon
a
grizzled
little
moustache
looked
as
much
out
of
place
as
on
a
twelve-year-old
school-boy
.
There
was
something
of
the
school-boy
in
his
look
and
in
his
deprecating
manner
,
especially
to
Mrs.
Polkington
;
he
had
always
been
a
little
deprecating
to
her
even
when
he
had
first
known
her
,
a
bride
,
while
he
himself
was
the
wealthy
bachelor
friend
of
her
husband
.
He
was
still
a
bachelor
,
and
still
her
husband
's
friend
,
but
the
wealth
had
gone
long
ago
.
He
had
now
only
just
enough
to
keep
him
,
fortunately
so
secured
that
he
could
not
touch
the
principal
.
It
was
a
mercy
he
had
it
,
for
there
was
no
known
work
at
which
he
could
have
earned
sixpence
,
unless
perhaps
it
was
road
scraping
under
a
not
too
exacting
District
Council
.
He
was
a
harmless
enough
person
,
but
when
he
took
it
into
his
head
to
leave
his
lodgings
in
town
for
others
,
equally
cheap
and
nasty
,
at
Marbridge
,
Mrs.
Polkington
felt
fate
was
hard
upon
her
.
It
was
like
having
two
Captain
Polkingtons
,
of
a
different
sort
,
but
equally
unsuitable
for
public
use
,
in
the
place
.
In
self
defence
she
had
been
obliged
to
make
definite
rules
for
Mr.
Gillat
's
coming
and
going
about
the
house
,
and
still
more
definite
rules
as
to
the
rooms
in
which
he
might
be
found
.
The
dining-room
was
allowed
him
,
and
there
he
was
when
Julia
came
.
He
looked
up
as
she
entered
,
and
smiled
;
he
regarded
her
as
almost
as
much
his
friend
as
her
father
;
a
composite
creature
,
and
a
necessary
connection
between
the
superior
and
inferior
halves
of
the
household
.
"
Father
not
in
,
I
hear
,
"
he
said
.
"
No
,
"
Julia
answered
.
"
What
a
smell
there
is
!
"
Mr.
Gillat
allowed
it
.
"
There
's
something
gone
wrong
with
Bouquet
,
"
he
said
,
thoughtfully
regarding
the
stove
.
The
"
Bouquet
Heater
"
was
the
name
under
which
it
was
patented
;
it
did
not
seem
quite
honest
to
speak
of
it
as
a
heater
,
so
perhaps
"
Bouquet
"
was
the
better
name
.
Julia
went
to
it
.
"
I
should
think
there
is
,
"
she
said
,
and
turned
it
up
,
and
turn
it
down
,
and
altered
the
wicks
,
until
she
had
improved
matters
a
little
.
"
I
'm
afraid
your
father
's
having
larks
,
"
Johnny
said
,
watching
her
.
"
It
's
rather
a
pity
if
he
is
,
"
Julia
answered
;
"
he
has
got
to
see
some
one
on
business
to-morrow
.
"
"
Who
?
"
"
Mr.
Frazer
,
a
clergyman
who
wants
to
marry
Violet
.
"
Mr.
Gillat
sat
upright
.
"
Dear
,
dear
!
"
he
exclaimed
.
"
No
?
Really
?
"
and
when
Julia
had
given
him
an
outline
of
the
circumstances
,
he
added
softly
,
"
A
wonderful
woman
!
I
always
had
a
great
respect
for
your
mother
.
"
From
which
it
is
clear
he
thought
Mrs.
Polkington
was
to
be
congratulated
.
"
And
when
is
it
to
be
?
"
he
asked
.
"
Violet
says
a
year
's
time
;
they
could
not
afford
to
marry
sooner
and
do
it
properly
,
but
it
will
have
to
be
sooner
all
the
same
.
"
"
A
year
is
not
a
very
long
time
,
"
Mr.
Gillat
observed
;
"
they
go
fast
,
years
;
one
almost
loses
count
of
them
,
they
go
so
fast
.
"
"
I
dare
say
,
"
Julia
answered
,
"
but
Violet
will
have
to
get
married
without
waiting
for
the
year
to
pass
.
We
ca
n't
afford
a
long
engagement
.
"
Mr.
Gillat
looked
mildly
surprised
and
troubled
;
he
always
did
when
scarcity
of
money
was
brought
home
to
him
,
but
Julia
regarded
it
quite
calmly
.
"
The
sooner
Violet
is
married
,
"
she
said
,
"
the
sooner
we
can
reduce
some
of
the
expenses
;
we
are
living
beyond
our
income
now
—
not
a
great
deal
,
perhaps
,
still
a
bit
;
Violet
's
going
would
save
enough
,
I
believe
;
we
could
catch
up
then
.
That
is
one
reason
,
but
the
chief
is
that
a
long
engagement
is
expensive
;
you
see
,
we
should
have
to
have
meals
different
,
and
fires
different
,
and
all
manner
of
extras
if
Mr.
Frazer
came
in
and
out
constantly
.
We
should
have
to
live
altogether
in
a
more
expensive
style
;
we
might
manage
it
for
three
months
,
or
six
if
we
were
driven
to
it
,
but
for
a
year
—
it
is
out
of
the
question
.
"
"
But
,
"
Mr.
Gillat
protested
,
"
if
they
ca
n't
afford
it
?
You
said
he
could
not
;
he
is
a
curate
.
"
"
He
must
get
a
living
,
or
a
chaplaincy
,
or
something
;
or
rather
,
I
expect
we
must
get
it
for
him
.
Oh
,
no
,
we
have
no
Church
influence
,
and
we
do
n't
know
any
bishops
;
but
one
can
always
rake
up
influence
,
and
get
to
know
people
,
if
one
is
not
too
particular
how
.
"
Mr.
Gillat
looked
at
her
uneasily
;
every
now
and
then
there
flitted
through
his
mind
a
suspicion
that
Julia
was
clever
too
,
as
clever
perhaps
as
her
mother
,
and
though
not
,
like
her
,
a
moral
and
social
pillar
standing
in
the
high
first
estate
from
which
he
and
the
Captain
had
fallen
.
Julia
had
never
been
that
,
never
aspired
to
it
;
she
was
no
success
at
all
;
content
to
come
and
sit
in
the
dining-room
with
him
and
Bouquet
;
she
could
not
really
be
clever
,
or
else
she
would
have
achieved
something
for
herself
,
and
scorned
to
consort
with
failures
.
He
smiled
benignly
as
he
remembered
this
,
observing
,
"
I
dare
say
something
will
be
done
—
I
hope
it
may
;
your
mother
's
a
wonderful
woman
,
a
wonderful
—
"
He
broke
off
to
listen
;
Julia
listened
too
,
then
she
rose
to
her
feet
.
"
That
's
father
,
"
she
said
,
and
went
to
let
him
in
.
Mr.
Gillat
followed
her
to
the
door
.
"
Ah
—
h
'm
,
"
he
said
,
as
he
saw
the
Captain
coming
in
slowly
,
with
a
face
of
despairing
melancholy
and
a
drooping
step
.
"
Come
down-stairs
,
father
,
"
Julia
said
.
"
Come
along
,
Johnny
.
"
They
followed
her
meekly
to
the
basement
,
where
there
was
a
gloomy
little
room
behind
the
kitchen
reserved
for
the
Captain
's
special
use
.
A
paraffin
stove
stood
in
the
fire-place
also
,
own
brother
to
the
one
in
the
dining-room
;
Julia
stooped
to
light
it
,
while
her
father
sank
into
a
chair
.
"
Gillat
,
"
he
said
in
a
voice
of
hopelessness
,
"
I
am
a
ruined
man
.
"
"
No
?
"
Mr.
Gillat
answered
sympathetically
,
but
without
surprise
.
"
Dear
me
!
"
He
carefully
put
down
the
hat
and
stick
he
had
brought
with
him
,
the
one
on
the
edge
of
the
table
,
the
other
against
it
,
both
so
badly
balanced
that
they
fell
to
the
ground
.
"
You
should
n't
do
it
,
you
know
,
"
he
said
,
with
mild
reproof
;
"
you
really
should
n't
.
"
"
Do
it
!
"
the
Captain
cried
.
"
Do
what
?
"
Julia
looked
up
from
the
floor
where
she
knelt
trimming
the
stove-lamp
.
"
Have
five
whiskeys
and
sodas
,
"
she
said
,
examining
her
father
judicially
.
He
did
not
deny
the
charge
;
Julia
's
observation
was
not
to
be
avoided
.
"
And
what
is
five
?
"
he
demanded
with
dignity
.
"
Three
too
many
for
you
,
"
she
answered
.
"
Do
you
mean
to
insinuate
that
I
am
intoxicated
?
"
he
asked
.
"
Johnny
,
"
he
turned
pathetically
to
his
friend
,
"
my
own
daughter
insinuates
that
I
am
intoxicated
.
"
"
No
,
"
Julia
said
,
"
I
do
n't
;
I
say
it
does
not
agree
with
you
,
and
it
does
n't
—
you
know
you
ought
not
to
take
more
than
two
glasses
.
"
"
Is
that
your
opinion
,
Gillat
?
"
Captain
Polkington
asked
.
"
Is
that
what
you
meant
?
That
I
—
I
should
confine
myself
to
two
glasses
of
whiskey
and
water
?
"
"
I
was
n't
thinking
of
the
whiskey
,
"
Johnny
said
apologetically
;
"
it
was
the
gees
.
"
The
Captain
groaned
,
but
what
he
said
more
Julia
did
not
hear
;
she
went
out
into
the
kitchen
to
get
paraffin
.
But
she
had
no
doubt
that
he
defended
the
attacked
point
to
his
own
satisfaction
,
as
he
always
had
done
—
cards
,
races
,
and
kindred
pleasant
,
if
expensive
,
things
,
ever
since
the
days
long
ago
before
he
sent
in
his
papers
.
These
same
pleasant
things
had
had
a
good
deal
to
do
with
the
sending
in
of
the
papers
;
not
that
they
had
led
the
Captain
into
anything
disgraceful
,
the
compulsion
to
resign
his
commission
came
solely
from
relatives
,
prin
cipally
those
of
his
wife
.
It
was
their
opinion
that
he
worked
too
little
and
played
too
much
,
and
an
expensive
kind
of
play
.
That
he
drank
too
much
was
not
said
;
of
course
,
the
Indian
climate
and
life
tempted
to
whiskey
pegs
,
and
nature
had
not
fitted
him
for
them
in
large
quantities
;
still
that
was
never
cast
up
against
him
.
Enough
was
,
however
,
to
bring
things
to
an
end
;
he
resigned
,
relations
helped
to
pay
his
debts
,
and
he
came
home
with
the
avowed
intention
of
getting
some
gentlemanly
employment
.
Of
course
he
never
got
any
,
it
was
n't
likely
,
hardly
possible
;
but
he
had
something
left
to
live
upon
—
a
very
small
private
income
,
a
clever
wife
,
and
some
useful
and
conscientious
relations
.
Somehow
the
family
lived
,
quite
how
in
the
early
days
no
one
knew
;
Mrs.
Polkington
never
spoke
of
it
at
the
time
,
and
now
,
mercifully
,
she
had
forgotten
part
,
but
the
struggle
must
have
been
bitter
.
Herself
disillusioned
,
her
daughters
mere
children
,
her
position
insecure
,
and
her
husband
not
yet
reduced
to
submission
,
and
always
prone
to
slip
back
into
his
old
ways
.
But
she
had
won
through
somehow
,
and
time
had
given
her
the
compensations
possible
to
her
nature
.
She
was
,
by
her
own
untiring
efforts
,
a
social
factor
now
,
even
a
social
success
;
her
eldest
daughter
was
engaged
to
a
clergyman
of
sufficient
,
if
small
,
means
,
and
her
youngest
was
almost
a
beauty
.
As
to
the
Captain
,
he
was
still
there
;
time
had
not
taken
him
away
,
but
it
had
reduced
him
;
he
gave
little
trouble
now
even
when
Johnny
Gillat
came
;
he
kept
so
out
of
the
way
that
she
had
almost
come
to
regard
him
as
a
negligible
factor
—
which
was
a
mistake
.
Both
the
Captain
and
his
friend
had
a
great
respect
for
Mrs.
Polkington
,
though
both
felt
at
times
that
she
treated
them
a
little
hardly
.
The
Captain
especially
felt
this
,
but
he
put
up
with
it
;
after
all
it
is
easier
to
acqui
esce
than
to
assert
one
's
rights
,
and
,
as
Johnny
pointed
out
,
it
was
on
the
whole
more
comfortable
,
in
spite
of
horse-hair
chairs
,
down
in
the
basement
than
up
in
the
drawing-room
.
There
was
no
need
to
make
polite
conversation
down
here
,
and
one
might
smoke
,
no
matter
how
cheap
the
tobacco
,
and
put
one
's
feet
up
,
and
really
Bouquet
was
almost
as
good
as
a
fire
when
you
once
get
used
to
it
.
Johnny
was
of
a
contented
mind
,
he
even
looked
contented
sitting
by
the
empty
stove
when
Julia
came
back
with
the
paraffin
;
the
Captain
,
on
the
other
hand
,
appeared
to
be
very
gloomy
and
unhappy
;
he
sat
silent
all
the
time
his
daughter
was
present
.
As
she
was
leaving
the
room
Johnny
tried
to
rouse
him
.
"
We
might
have
a
game
,
"
he
suggested
,
looking
towards
a
pack
of
cards
that
stuck
out
of
a
half-opened
drawer
.
"
I
have
nothing
in
the
world
that
I
can
call
my
own
,
"
Captain
Polkington
answered
,
without
moving
.
Mr.
Gillat
felt
in
his
own
lean
pockets
surreptitiously
.
"
We
might
play
for
paper
,
"
he
said
.
And
as
she
went
up-stairs
Julia
listened
to
hear
their
chairs
scroop
on
the
kamptulikon
floor
as
they
drew
them
to
the
table
;
she
was
surprised
not
to
hear
the
sound
,
but
she
imagined
the
game
must
have
been
put
off
a
little
so
that
her
father
could
talk
over
his
troubles
.
Which
,
indeed
,
was
the
case
,
though
the
magnitude
of
those
troubles
she
did
not
guess
.
CHAPTER
II
THE
DEBT
Violet
's
engagement
was
an
accepted
fact
.
Mr.
Frazer
came
to
see
the
Captain
,
who
received
him
in
the
dining-room
—
the
combined
ingenuity
of
the
family
could
not
make
the
down-stairs
room
presentable
.
The
interview
was
short
,
but
satisfactory
;
so
also
was
the
one
with
Mrs.
Polkington
which
followed
;
with
Violet
it
was
longer
,
but
,
no
doubt
,
equally
satisfactory
.
Lunch
,
too
,
was
all
that
could
be
desired
.
Mrs.
Polkington
's
manners
were
always
gracious
,
and
to-day
she
had
a
charming
air
of
taking
Richard
into
the
family
—
after
having
shut
all
the
doors
,
actual
and
metaphorical
,
which
led
to
anything
real
and
personal
.
The
Captain
was
rather
twittery
at
lunch
,
at
times
inclined
to
talk
too
much
,
at
times
heavily
silent
and
always
obviously
submissive
to
his
wife
.
Yesterday
's
excitement
was
not
enough
to
account
for
this
in
Julia
's
opinion
.
"
He
has
been
doing
something
,
"
she
decided
,
and
wondered
what
.
Mrs.
Polkington
and
her
daughters
all
went
out
that
afternoon
;
Julia
,
however
,
returned
at
about
dusk
.
As
the
others
had
no
intention
of
coming
back
so
soon
,
there
was
no
drawing-room
tea
;
a
much
simpler
meal
was
spread
in
the
dining-room
.
Julia
and
her
father
had
only
just
sat
down
to
it
when
they
heard
Johnny
Gillat
's
knock
at
the
front
door
,
followed
a
minute
afterwards
by
Mr.
Gillat
himself
;
but
when
he
saw
that
the
Captain
was
not
alone
,
he
stopped
on
the
threshold
;
Julia
's
presence
,
contrary
to
custom
,
seemed
to
discompose
him
.
He
,
then
,
was
in
her
father
's
secret
,
whatever
it
might
be
;
she
guessed
as
much
when
she
saw
his
perturbed
pink
face
.
However
,
she
did
not
say
anything
,
only
invited
Mr.
Gillat
to
have
some
tea
.
Johnny
sat
down
,
and
put
a
small
and
rather
badly
tied
parcel
beside
him
;
next
minute
he
picked
it
up
again
,
and
began
surreptitiously
to
put
it
into
first
one
pocket
and
then
another
.
It
was
rather
a
tight
fit
,
and
in
his
efforts
to
do
it
unobtrusively
,
he
made
some
disturbance
,
but
no
one
remarked
on
it
;
Captain
Polkington
because
he
was
too
despondent
,
Julia
because
it
did
not
seem
worth
while
.
Conversation
languished
;
Julia
did
what
she
could
,
but
her
father
answered
in
monosyllables
,
and
Mr.
Gillat
said
,
"
Very
true
,
"
or
"
Ah
,
yes
,
yes
,
"
eating
slice
after
slice
of
thick
bread
and
butter
,
and
filling
his
mouth
very
full
as
if
to
cork
it
up
and
so
prevent
his
having
to
answer
awkward
questions
.
At
last
Captain
Polkington
rose
;
"
Gillat
,
"
he
said
,
"
if
you
have
finished
,
we
may
as
well
go
down-stairs
.
"
Johnny
set
down
his
half-finished
cup
of
tea
with
alacrity
,
and
with
alacrity
followed
the
Captain
.
But
Julia
followed
too
;
Johnny
turned
uneasily
as
he
heard
her
step
behind
him
on
the
dark
stairs
;
doubtless
,
so
he
told
himself
,
she
was
going
to
the
kitchen
.
She
was
not
,
however
;
on
the
contrary
,
she
showed
every
sign
of
accompanying
them
to
the
little
room
behind
.
"
Do
you
want
anything
,
Julia
?
"
her
father
asked
,
turning
about
in
the
doorway
;
"
I
'm
busy
to-night
—
I
wish
you
would
go
away
.
"
The
sentence
began
with
dignity
,
but
ended
with
querulousness
.
But
Julia
was
not
affected
;
she
came
into
the
room
.
"
I
want
to
talk
to
you
,
"
she
said
,
closing
the
door
.
"
You
had
much
better
tell
me
about
it
,
you
will
be
found
out
,
you
know
;
mother
would
have
guessed
there
was
something
wrong
to-day
if
she
had
not
been
so
busy
with
Mr.
Frazer
.
"
"
Found
out
in
what
?
"
the
Captain
demanded
;
"
I
should
like
to
know
of
what
you
accuse
me
—
you
,
my
own
daughter
—
this
is
much
,
indeed
.
"
He
paced
the
hearthrug
with
outraged
dignity
,
but
Julia
only
drew
one
of
the
horse-hair
chairs
to
the
table
.
"
You
would
do
better
to
tell
me
,
"
she
said
;
"
I
might
be
able
to
help
you
—
Johnny
,
wo
n't
you
sit
down
?
"
Johnny
took
the
cane
deck-chair
,
sitting
down
nervously
and
so
near
the
edge
that
the
old
chair
creaked
ominously
.
Captain
Polkington
paced
the
rug
once
or
twice
more
,
then
he
sat
down
opposite
,
giving
up
all
pretence
of
dignity
.
"
It
is
money
,
of
course
,
"
Julia
went
on
;
"
I
suppose
you
lost
at
the
races
yesterday
—
how
much
?
"
The
Captain
did
not
answer
,
he
seemed
overwhelmed
by
his
troubles
.
"
How
much
?
"
Julia
repeated
,
turning
to
Mr.
Gillat
.
"
It
was
rather
much
,
"
that
gentleman
answered
apologetically
.
Julia
looked
puzzled
.
"
How
could
he
have
much
to
lose
?
"
she
asked
.
"
You
could
n't
,
you
know
,
"
bending
her
brows
as
she
looked
at
her
father
—
"
unless
you
borrowed
—
did
you
borrow
?
"
"
Yes
,
yes
,
"
he
said
,
rather
eagerly
;
"
I
borrowed
—
that
was
it
;
of
course
I
was
going
to
pay
back
—
I
am
going
to
pay
back
.
"
"
From
whom
did
you
borrow
?
"
Another
pause
,
and
the
question
again
,
then
the
Captain
explained
confusedly
:
"
The
cheque
—
it
came
a
day
early
—
I
merely
meant
to
make
use
of
it
for
the
day
—
"
"
The
cheque
!
"
Julia
repeated
,
with
dawning
comprehension
.
"
The
cheque
from
Slade
+
Slade
that
mother
was
speaking
of
this
morning
.
Our
cheque
,
the
money
we
have
to
live
on
for
the
next
three
months
?
"
"
My
cheque
,
"
her
father
said
,
with
one
last
effort
at
dignity
;
"
made
out
to
me
—
my
income
that
I
have
a
perfect
right
to
spend
as
I
like
;
I
used
my
own
money
for
my
own
purposes
.
"
He
forgot
that
a
moment
back
he
had
excused
the
act
as
a
borrowing
;
Julia
did
not
remind
him
,
she
was
too
much
concerned
with
the
facts
to
trouble
about
mere
turns
of
speech
.
They
,
like
words
and
motives
,
had
not
heretofore
entered
much
into
her
considerations
;
consequences
were
what
was
really
important
to
her
—
how
the
bad
might
be
averted
,
how
the
good
drawn
that
way
,
and
all
used
to
the
best
advantage
.
This
point
of
view
,
though
it
leaves
a
great
deal
to
be
desired
,
has
one
advantage
—
those
who
take
it
waste
no
time
in
lamentation
or
reproof
.
For
that
reason
they
are
perhaps
some
of
the
least
unpleasant
people
to
confess
to
.
Julia
wasted
no
words
now
;
she
sat
for
a
brief
minute
,
stunned
by
the
magnitude
of
the
calamity
which
had
deprived
them
of
the
largest
part
of
their
income
for
the
next
three
months
;
then
she
began
to
look
round
in
her
mind
to
see
what
might
be
done
.
Captain
Polkington
offered
a
few
not
very
coherent
explanations
and
excuses
,
to
which
she
did
not
listen
,
and
then
relapsed
into
silence
.
Johnny
sat
opposite
,
rubbing
his
hands
in
nervous
sympathy
,
and
looking
from
father
to
daughter
;
he
took
the
silence
of
the
one
to
be
as
hopeless
as
that
of
the
other
.
"
We
thought
,
"
he
ventured
at
last
,
tugging
at
the
parcel
now
firmly
wedged
in
his
pocket
.
"
We
hoped
,
that
is
,
we
thought
perhaps
we
might
raise
a
trifle
,
it
would
n't
be
much
help
—
"
But
neither
of
the
others
were
listening
to
him
,
and
Captain
Polkington
interrupted
with
his
own
remedy
,
"
We
shall
have
to
manage
on
credit
,
"
he
said
;
"
we
can
get
credit
for
this
three
months
.
"
"
We
ca
n't
,
"
Julia
assured
him
;
"
the
greater
part
of
that
money
was
to
have
paid
outstanding
bills
;
we
ca
n't
live
on
credit
,
because
we
have
n't
got
any
to
live
on
.
"
"
That
's
nonsense
,
"
her
father
said
;
"
it
can
be
done
with
care
and
economy
,
and
retrenchments
.
"
Julia
did
not
answer
,
so
Johnny
took
up
the
words
.
"
Yes
,
yes
,
"
he
said
,
"
one
can
always
retrench
;
it
is
really
marvellous
how
little
one
can
do
with
,
in
fact
one
is
better
for
it
;
I
feel
a
different
man
for
having
to
retrench
.
Your
mother
's
a
wonderful
woman
"
—
he
stopped
,
then
added
doubtfully
as
he
thought
of
the
lost
apple
tart
—
"
I
suppose
,
though
,
she
would
want
to
make
a
good
appearance
just
now
,
with
the
engagement
,
Mr.
Frazer
in
and
out
.
It
is
very
unfortunate
,
very
.
"
By
this
time
he
had
untied
his
parcel
,
and
flattening
the
paper
on
his
knees
began
to
put
the
contents
on
the
table
.
There
were
some
field-glasses
,
a
breast
pin
,
and
a
few
other
such
things
;
when
he
had
put
them
all
out
he
felt
in
his
waistcoat-pocket
for
his
watch
.
"
They
would
fetch
a
trifle
,
"
he
said
,
regarding
the
row
a
little
proudly
.
"
Those
?
"
Julia
asked
,
puzzled
.
"
Yes
,
"
Mr.
Gillat
said
;
"
not
a
great
deal
,
of
course
,
but
it
would
be
a
help
—
it
might
pay
the
butcher
's
bill
.
It
's
a
great
thing
to
have
the
butcher
's
bill
paid
;
I
've
heard
my
landlady
say
so
;
it
gives
a
standing
with
the
other
tradespeople
,
and
that
's
what
you
want
—
she
often
says
so
.
"
"
You
mean
you
think
of
selling
them
for
us
?
"
Julia
asked
,
fixing
her
keen
eyes
on
Johnny
,
so
that
he
felt
very
guilty
,
and
as
if
he
ought
to
excuse
himself
.
But
before
he
could
do
it
she
had
swept
his
belongings
together
.
"
You
wo
n't
do
anything
of
the
kind
,
"
she
said
.
"
Why
not
?
"
"
Because
we
wo
n't
have
it
.
Pack
them
up
.
"
"
Oh
,
but
,
"
Johnny
protested
,
"
it
would
be
a
little
help
,
it
would
indeed
;
they
would
fetch
something
,
the
glasses
are
good
ones
,
though
a
bit
old-fashioned
,
and
the
watch
—
"
"
I
do
n't
care
,
I
wo
n't
have
it
,
"
and
Julia
took
the
matter
into
her
own
hands
,
and
began
with
a
flushed
face
to
re-pack
the
things
herself
.
"
Is
it
that
you
think
I
ca
n't
spare
them
?
"
Gillat
asked
,
still
bewildered
.
"
I
can
—
what
an
idea
,
"
he
laughed
.
"
What
do
I
want
with
field-glasses
,
now
?
And
as
to
a
watch
,
my
time
's
nothing
to
me
!
"
"
No
,
I
dare
say
not
,
"
Julia
said
,
but
she
tied
the
parcel
firmly
,
then
she
gave
it
to
him
.
"
Take
it
away
,
"
she
said
,
"
and
do
n't
try
to
sell
a
thing
.
"
She
opened
the
door
as
she
spoke
,
and
he
,
accepting
it
as
a
hint
of
dismissal
,
meekly
followed
her
from
the
room
.
When
they
had
reached
the
hall
above
he
ventured
on
a
last
protest
.
"
Why
may
I
not
sell
anything
?
"
he
asked
.
"
Because
we
have
not
quite
come
to
that
,
"
she
said
,
with
a
ring
of
bitterness
in
her
voice
:
"
We
have
come
pretty
low
,
I
know
,
with
our
dodges
and
our
shifts
,
but
we
have
n't
quite
come
to
depriving
you
.
Johnny
"
—
and
she
stretched
out
a
hand
to
him
,
a
thing
which
was
rare
,
for
no
one
thought
it
necessary
to
shake
hands
with
Mr.
Gillat
—
"
it
's
very
good
of
you
to
offer
;
I
'm
grateful
to
you
;
I
'm
awfully
glad
you
did
it
;
you
made
me
ashamed
.
"
Johnny
looked
at
her
perplexed
;
the
note
of
bitterness
in
her
voice
had
deepened
to
something
more
he
was
altogether
at
a
loss
to
understand
.
But
she
gave
him
no
opportunity
for
inquiry
,
for
she
opened
the
street
door
.
"
Good-bye
,
"
she
said
,
her
usual
self
again
,
"
and
do
n't
you
let
me
catch
you
selling
those
things
.
"
"
Oh
,
I
say
!
But
how
will
you
manage
?
"
he
protested
.
"
Somehow
;
I
have
got
several
ideas
already
;
I
'm
better
at
this
sort
of
game
than
you
are
,
you
know
.
"
And
she
shut
the
door
upon
him
;
then
she
went
back
to
Captain
Polkington
.
"
Father
,
"
he
said
,
"
would
you
mind
telling
me
if
you
have
borrowed
any
other
money
?
It
would
be
much
simpler
if
we
knew
just
how
we
stood
.
"
The
Captain
seemed
to
have
a
painfully
clear
idea
of
how
he
stood
.
"
Your
mother
,
"
he
remarked
,
with
apparent
irrelevance
,
"
is
such
an
unreasonable
woman
;
if
she
were
like
you
—
if
she
saw
things
sensibly
.
But
she
wo
n't
,
she
'll
make
a
fuss
;
she
will
entirely
overlook
the
fact
that
it
is
my
own
money
that
I
have
lost
.
"
"
I
am
afraid
she
will
,
"
Julia
agreed
.
"
Will
you
tell
me
if
you
lost
any
one
else
's
money
as
well
?
"
"
Oh
,
a
trifle
,
"
the
Captain
said
;
"
nothing
to
speak
of
yesterday
;
I
have
borrowed
a
little
now
and
again
,
at
cards
and
so
on
;
a
trifling
accommodation
.
"
"
From
whom
?
"
"
Rawson-Clew
.
"
Julia
nodded
;
this
was
bad
,
but
it
might
have
been
worse
.
Mr.
Rawson-Clew
was
not
a
personal
friend
of
the
Polkingtons
,
and
he
was
not
a
man
in
an
inferior
position
who
might
presume
upon
his
loan
to
the
Captain
to
establish
a
friendly
footing
.
On
the
contrary
,
he
was
in
a
superior
position
,
so
much
so
that
for
a
moment
Julia
was
at
a
loss
to
understand
how
he
came
to
accommodate
her
father
.
Then
she
recalled
his
face
—
he
had
been
pointed
out
to
her
—
he
looked
a
good-natured
fool
;
probably
he
had
met
the
Captain
somewhere
and
been
sorry
for
him
,
or
perhaps
he
did
not
like
to
say
"
no.
"
In
any
case
he
had
lent
the
money
and
,
so
Julia
fancied
,
would
have
to
wait
a
very
long
time
before
he
saw
it
again
.
She
dismissed
the
young
man
from
her
mind
and
fell
to
working
out
plans
to
meet
the
more
pressing
difficulties
.
The
relations
would
have
to
help
;
not
with
money
;
they
would
not
do
that
to
a
useful
extent
,
but
with
invitations
.
Chèrie
was
easily
provided
for
;
Aunt
Louise
had
before
offered
to
take
her
abroad
for
the
winter
;
Chèrie
did
not
in
the
least
want
to
go
;
it
was
likely
to
be
nothing
nicer
than
acting
as
unpaid
companion
to
a
fidgety
old
lady
;
but
under
the
present
circumstances
she
would
have
to
go
.
For
Violet
it
was
not
quite
so
easy
;
it
would
look
rather
odd
for
her
to
go
visiting
among
obliging
relatives
,
seeing
that
she
was
only
just
engaged
—
how
things
looked
was
a
point
the
Polkingtons
always
considered
.
But
it
would
have
to
be
managed
;
Julia
fancied
something
might
be
arranged
at
Bath
,
a
place
which
was
a
cheap
fare
from
Marbridge
.
Mrs.
Polkington
would
probably
go
somewhere
for
part
of
the
time
,
then
there
could
be
some
real
retrenchments
not
otherwise
possible
.
Mary
might
be
dismissed
;
Mr.
Gillat
even
might
come
to
board
with
them
for
a
little
;
the
outside
world
need
not
know
he
was
a
guest
that
paid
.
Julia
was
not
satisfied
with
these
plans
;
they
would
barely
meet
the
difficulty
she
knew
,
even
with
credit
stretched
to
the
uttermost
and
the
household
crippled
for
some
time
;
but
she
could
think
of
nothing
better
,
and
determined
to
suggest
them
to
Mrs.
Polkington
.
With
these
thoughts
in
her
mind
,
she
went
up-stairs
;
as
she
passed
the
drawing-room
,
she
noticed
that
the
blinds
had
not
been
pulled
down
;
she
went
to
the
window
to
remedy
the
omission
,
and
so
saw
in
the
street
below
the
young
man
who
,
with
the
debt
owing
to
him
,
she
had
lately
dismissed
from
her
mind
.
There
was
a
street
lamp
directly
below
the
window
,
and
she
stood
a
moment
by
the
curtain
looking
down
.
Mr.
Rawson-Clew
was
riding
past
,
but
slowly
;
it
was
quite
possible
to
see
his
face
,
which
did
not
contradict
her
former
opinion
—
good-natured
but
foolish
,
and
possibly
weak
.
He
turned
in
his
saddle
just
below
the
window
to
speak
to
his
companion
,
and
she
noticed
that
it
was
a
stranger
with
him
,
a
man
wearing
a
single
eyeglass
,
ten
years
older
than
the
other
,
and
of
a
totally
different
stamp
.
Indeed
,
of
a
stamp
differing
from
any
she
had
seen
at
Marbridge
,
so
much
so
that
she
wondered
how
he
came
to
be
here
,
and
what
he
was
doing
.
But
this
was
rather
a
waste
of
time
,
for
the
next
day
she
knew
.
The
next
day
he
came
down
the
street
again
,
but
this
time
alone
and
on
foot
.
He
stopped
at
No.
27
,
and
there
asked
for
Captain
Polkington
.
Julia
,
hearing
the
knock
,
and
the
visitor
subsequently
being
ushered
into
the
dining-room
,
guessed
it
must
be
Mr.
Gillat
,
perhaps
come
with
his
parcel
again
;
when
she
saw
Mary
she
asked
her
.
"
No
,
miss
,
"
was
the
answer
;
"
it
's
another
gentleman
to
see
the
master
.
"
"
Who
?
"
Julia
's
mind
was
alert
for
fresh
difficulties
.
"
Mr.
Rawson-Clew
.
"
"
I
do
n't
know
who
he
is
,
"
Mary
went
on
;
"
I
've
never
set
eyes
on
him
before
,
but
he
's
a
grand
sort
of
gentleman
;
I
hardly
liked
to
put
him
in
the
dining-room
,
only
missis
's
orders
was
'
Mr
.
Gillat
or
any
gentleman
to
see
the
master
there
.
'
"
Which
was
true
enough
,
and
might
reasonably
have
been
reckoned
a
safe
order
,
for
no
one
but
Mr.
Gillat
ever
did
come
to
see
the
Captain
.
"
I
hope
I
've
done
right
,
"
Mary
said
.
"
Quite
right
,
"
Julia
answered
,
though
she
did
not
feel
so
sure
of
it
.
The
name
and
the
vague
description
of
the
visitor
somehow
suggested
to
her
mind
the
stranger
who
had
ridden
past
with
young
Mr.
Rawson-Clew
.
She
went
up-stairs
,
uneasy
as
much
from
intuition
as
from
experience
.
In
the
hall
she
stood
a
minute
.
The
dining-room
door
did
not
shut
too
well
,
the
lock
was
old
and
worn
,
and
unless
it
was
fastened
carefully
,
it
came
open
;
the
Captain
never
managed
to
fasten
it
,
and
now
it
stood
ajar
;
Julia
could
hear
something
of
what
was
said
within
almost
as
soon
as
she
reached
the
top
of
the
kitchen
stairs
.
The
visitor
spoke
quietly
,
his
words
were
not
audible
,
but
the
Captain
's
voice
was
raised
with
excitement
.
"
The
money
,
sir
,
the
money
that
your
cousin
lent
—
accommodation
between
gentlemen
—
"
So
Julia
heard
incompletely
,
and
then
another
disjointed
sentence
.
"
Do
you
take
me
for
an
adventurer
,
a
sharper
?
I
am
a
soldier
,
sir
,
a
soldier
and
a
gentleman
—
at
least
,
I
was
—
I
mean
I
was
a
soldier
,
I
am
a
gentleman
—
"
Julia
came
swiftly
up
the
hall
,
the
instinct
of
the
female
to
spread
frail
wings
and
protect
her
helpless
belongings
(
old
equally
as
much
as
young
)
was
strong
upon
her
.
The
pushed
open
the
dining-room
door
and
walked
in
.
"
Father
,
"
she
said
,
"
is
anything
the
matter
?
"
Both
men
turned
,
the
stranger
clearly
surprised
and
annoyed
by
the
interruption
,
the
Captain
for
a
moment
thinking
of
pulling
himself
together
and
dismissing
his
daughter
with
a
lie
.
But
he
did
not
do
it
;
he
was
too
shaken
to
think
quickly
,
also
there
was
a
sense
of
re
inforcement
in
her
presence
;
this
he
did
not
realise
;
indeed
,
he
realised
nothing
except
that
she
spoke
again
before
he
had
collected
himself
.
"
Is
it
about
the
money
Mr.
Rawson-Clew
lent
you
?
"
she
asked
.
He
nodded
,
and
she
turned
to
the
other
man
,
who
had
risen
on
her
entrance
,
and
now
stood
with
his
back
to
the
evil-smelling
stove
which
Mary
had
lighted
as
usual
in
honour
of
Captain
Polkington
's
visitors
.
She
measured
him
swiftly
,
and
no
detail
escaped
her
;
the
well-bred
impassive
face
,
where
the
annoyance
caused
by
her
entrance
showed
only
in
the
rather
hard
eyes
;
the
straight
figure
,
even
the
perfection
of
his
tailoring
and
the
style
of
his
boots
—
she
summed
it
all
up
with
the
rapidity
of
one
who
has
had
to
depend
on
her
wits
before
.
And
her
wits
were
to
be
depended
on
,
for
,
in
spite
of
the
warmth
of
her
protective
anger
,
she
felt
his
superiority
of
person
,
position
and
ability
,
and
,
only
too
probably
,
of
cause
also
.
She
could
have
laughed
at
the
contrast
he
presented
to
her
father
and
herself
and
the
surroundings
.
It
was
perhaps
for
this
reason
that
she
asked
him
maliciously
,
"
Have
you
come
to
collect
the
debt
?
"
The
question
went
home
.
"
Certainly
not
,
"
he
answered
haughtily
;
"
the
money
—
"
But
the
Captain
prevented
whatever
he
was
going
to
say
.
"
He
thinks
I
am
an
adventurer
,
a
sharper
,
"
he
bleated
,
now
thoroughly
throwing
himself
on
his
daughter
's
protection
;
"
his
intention
seems
to
be
a
warning
not
to
try
to
get
anything
more
out
of
his
cousin
—
something
of
that
sort
.
"
Julia
paid
little
attention
to
her
father
.
"
You
were
going
to
say
,
"
she
inquired
serenely
of
Rawson-Clew
,
"
something
about
the
money
,
I
think
?
"
"
No
,
"
he
answered
,
with
cold
politeness
.
"
I
only
meant
to
suggest
that
this
is
perhaps
rather
an
unpleasant
subject
for
a
lady
.
"
He
moved
as
if
he
would
open
the
door
for
her
,
but
she
stood
her
ground
.
"
It
is
unpleasant
,
"
she
said
;
"
for
that
reason
had
we
not
better
get
it
over
quickly
?
You
have
not
come
to
collect
the
debt
,
you
have
come
,
then
,
for
what
?
"
"
To
make
one
or
two
things
plain
to
Captain
Polkington
.
I
believe
I
have
succeeded
;
if
so
,
he
will
no
doubt
tell
you
anything
you
wish
to
know
.
Good
afternoon
,
"
and
he
moved
to
the
door
on
his
own
account
,
whereupon
Julia
's
calmness
gave
way
.
"
You
do
think
my
father
an
adventurer
,
then
?
"
she
said
.
"
You
think
him
a
sharper
and
your
cousin
a
gull
,
and
you
came
to
warn
him
that
if
he
tried
to
get
anything
more
in
future
it
was
you
with
whom
he
would
have
to
deal
.
And
the
money
—
you
were
going
to
say
the
money
was
not
what
you
came
for
because
you
never
expected
to
see
it
again
?
But
you
are
wrong
there
;
you
shall
see
it
;
it
will
be
repaid
,
every
penny
of
it
.
"
Rawson-Clew
paused
till
she
had
finished
;
then
,
"
I
am
sorry
for
any
misunderstanding
there
may
have
been
,
"
he
said
.
"
I
trust
you
will
trouble
yourself
no
farther
in
the
matter
,
"
and
he
opened
the
door
.
It
was
not
a
denial
;
it
was
not
,
so
Julia
considered
,
even
an
apology
;
to
her
it
seemed
more
like
a
polite
request
to
mind
her
own
business
,
and
she
went
up
to
her
room
after
he
had
gone
almost
unjustly
angry
,
too
angry
for
the
time
being
to
think
about
the
rashness
of
her
promise
that
the
debt
should
be
paid
.
"
He
thought
us
dirt
,
"
she
said
,
sitting
on
the
end
of
her
narrow
iron
bed
.
Then
she
smiled
rather
grimly
.
"
And
we
are
pretty
much
what
he
thought
us
!
Father
sponged
the
money
,
and
I
decided
to
myself
that
the
re
paying
did
not
much
matter
.
We
are
,
as
we
looked
to
him
,
two
grubby
little
people
of
doubtful
honesty
,
in
a
grubby
room
with
Bouquet
,
"
and
she
laughed
outright
,
although
she
was
alone
,
and
the
faculty
for
seeing
and
deriding
herself
as
others
might
,
had
a
somewhat
bitter
flavour
.
Nevertheless
,
she
was
very
angry
and
quite
determined
to
pay
the
money
somehow
,
so
that
at
least
it
should
appear
to
this
man
that
he
was
mistaken
.
An
hour
later
she
carried
Captain
Polkington
's
tea
down
to
him
;
when
tea
was
in
the
drawing-room
his
was
always
sent
to
him
thus
.
She
found
him
not
depressed
at
all
,
on
the
contrary
quite
cheerful
,
and
even
dignified
.
He
was
reading
something
when
she
came
in
,
and
seeing
that
she
was
alone
,
he
handed
it
to
her
.
It
was
from
Mr.
Rawson-Clew
she
found
,
a
sort
of
recognition
of
the
discharge
of
the
debt
,
or
at
least
a
formal
cancelling
of
it
.
It
was
carefully
and
conclusively
worded
,
certainly
not
the
unaided
work
of
the
young
man
who
had
ridden
past
last
night
.
It
was
dictated
by
the
other
,
she
was
sure
of
it
;
possibly
even
he
had
himself
discharged
the
debt
so
as
to
end
the
matter
.
Her
eyes
blazed
as
she
read
;
he
would
not
even
allow
her
the
satisfaction
of
giving
him
the
lie
—
and
the
misery
of
straining
and
pinching
to
do
the
impossible
.
From
pride
,
or
from
pity
,
or
from
both
,
he
had
finished
the
thing
there
and
then
,
or
he
thought
he
had
.
She
tore
the
paper
across
and
then
across
again
.
"
What
are
you
doing
?
"
Captain
Polkington
cried
,
seizing
her
hands
as
she
would
have
torn
it
again
.
"
Do
n't
you
know
it
is
valuable
?
I
must
keep
it
;
he
ca
n't
go
back
on
it
if
he
wants
to
.
"
He
took
it
from
her
,
and
began
to
piece
it
together
.
"
I
can
look
the
world
in
the
face
again
,
"
he
said
,
admiring
the
fragments
.
"
I
am
free
,
free
and
cleared
;
that
debt
would
have
hung
like
a
millstone
around
my
neck
,
but
I
am
free
of
it
;
it
is
cancelled
.
"
"
Free
!
"
Julia
said
with
scorn
.
There
are
disadvantages
in
reducing
a
man
to
a
subordinate
position
and
allowing
him
no
use
for
his
self-respect
;
it
is
a
virtue
that
has
a
tendency
to
atrophy
.
Julia
recognised
this
with
something
like
personal
shame
.
"
Your
debt
is
discharged
,
"
she
said
gently
,
"
but
mine
is
not
;
it
has
been
shifted
,
not
cancelled
;
it
lies
with
me
and
Mr.
Rawson-Clew
now
,
and
it
shall
be
paid
somehow
.
"
Captain
Polkington
hardly
heeded
what
she
said
;
he
was
still
smoothing
the
pieces
of
paper
.
"
What
?
"
he
asked
,
as
he
put
them
away
in
an
envelope
,
but
he
did
not
wait
for
her
answer
.
"
It
was
very
heedless
of
you
to
tear
it
,
"
he
said
;
"
but
fortunately
there
is
no
damage
done
;
it
is
perfectly
valid
,
all
that
can
be
required
.
"
CHAPTER
III
NARCISSUS
TRIANDRUS
AZUREUM
The
élite
called
to
congratulate
Mrs.
Polkington
on
her
daughter
's
engagement
.
All
manner
of
pleasant
things
were
said
by
them
and
by
Mrs.
Polkington
in
an
atmosphere
of
social
sunshine
.
She
thought
it
so
nice
of
them
to
come
so
soon
,
she
told
them
so
severally
;
she
knew
that
they
—
"
you
all
,
"
"
you
,
at
least
,
"
"
you
,
my
oldest
friend
,
"
according
to
circumstances
—
would
be
pleased
to
hear
about
it
.
She
gave
sundry
little
hints
of
future
plans
and
hopes
,
among
other
things
mentioned
that
it
really
was
hard
for
poor
Violet
to
have
to
go
and
cheer
an
invalid
cousin
just
now
.
"
And
the
worst
of
it
is
,
"
so
Mrs.
Polkington
said
,
"
she
may
have
to
be
away
some
time
.
There
really
seems
no
one
else
to
go
,
and
one
could
not
leave
the
poor
dear
alone
at
this
dull
time
of
the
year
;
and
,
after
all
,
Bath
is
not
very
far
off
;
some
of
Richard
's
people
live
there
,
too
.
I
should
not
be
surprised
if
the
young
people
contrive
to
see
a
good
deal
of
each
other
in
spite
of
everything
.
Indeed
,
had
I
not
thought
so
,
I
think
I
should
have
insisted
on
Chèrie
's
going
instead
of
Violet
,
although
she
would
have
had
to
give
up
her
winter
abroad
.
"
Here
the
visitor
usually
made
polite
inquiries
about
this
same
winter
abroad
,
and
heard
of
a
delightful
prospect
of
several
months
to
be
spent
in
the
south
of
France
,
unnecessary
and
unpleasant
details
all
omitted
.
"
You
do
agree
with
me
?
"
Mrs.
Polkington
would
then
ask
rather
anxiously
,
as
if
her
hearer
's
opinion
was
the
one
that
really
mattered
to
her
.
"
You
do
think
it
wrong
to
allow
Chèrie
to
refuse
this
invitation
for
Violet
's
sake
?
I
am
very
glad
you
think
so
.
I
had
quite
a
difficulty
in
persuading
her
;
but
,
as
I
told
her
,
it
was
not
a
chance
she
was
likely
to
have
again
.
So
she
is
going
,
and
Violet
will
have
to
spend
her
winter
in
Bath
.
Julia
?
Oh
,
Julia
was
not
asked
in
either
case
;
she
will
be
staying
at
home
with
me
.
"
From
all
of
which
it
is
clear
that
part
of
Julia
's
plan
was
to
be
adopted
.
The
other
part
must
have
found
favour
,
too
,
for
soon
it
became
known
that
the
Polkingtons
were
without
a
servant
.
Mrs.
Polkington
made
inquiries
among
her
friends
,
but
could
not
hear
of
any
one
suitable
;
she
said
it
was
very
tiresome
,
especially
as
they
had
taken
advantage
of
the
girl
's
empty
room
to
invite
an
old
Anglo-Indian
friend
of
her
husband
's
to
stay
.
Thus
was
the
difficulty
tided
over
,
and
with
so
good
a
face
that
few
in
Marbridge
had
any
idea
that
it
existed
.
Certainly
none
knew
of
the
pinching
and
screwing
and
retrenching
which
went
on
indoors
at
No.
27.
One
or
two
tradesmen
could
have
told
of
long
accounts
unpaid
,
and
some
relations
living
at
a
distance
were
troubled
by
appeals
for
help
,
a
form
of
begging
which
,
at
this
date
of
their
history
did
not
hurt
the
Polkingtons
'
sensibility
much
.
Mrs.
Polkington
suffered
in
body
,
if
not
in
mind
,
during
this
hard
time
,
though
fortunately
she
was
able
to
be
away
a
month
.
The
Captain
suffered
a
good
deal
more
,
which
was
perhaps
only
just
;
and
Johnny
Gillat
suffered
with
him
,
which
was
not
just
,
though
that
did
not
seem
to
occur
to
him
.
As
for
Julia
,
she
minded
least
of
any
one
,
though
in
some
ways
she
had
the
most
to
put
up
with
;
but
the
plan
was
hers
,
and
consequently
she
was
too
interested
in
its
success
to
trouble
about
the
inevitable
discomforts
of
the
working
out
.
There
was
one
matter
which
did
trouble
her
,
however
—
the
debt
to
Rawson-Clew
.
She
had
no
money
,
and
no
possibility
of
raising
any
;
yet
it
must
and
should
be
paid
,
for
her
father
's
name
could
not
otherwise
be
cleared
.
She
turned
over
in
her
own
mind
how
she
could
earn
enough
,
but
there
was
little
hope
of
that
;
it
seemed
rather
a
large
sum
for
a
girl
to
earn
,
and
any
sum
was
impossible
to
her
;
she
had
no
gifts
to
take
to
market
,
no
ability
for
any
of
the
arts
,
not
enough
education
for
teaching
,
no
training
for
commerce
.
The
only
field
open
to
her
was
that
of
a
nursery-governess
or
companion
;
neither
was
likely
to
enable
her
to
pay
this
debt
of
honour
quickly
.
Once
,
nearly
a
year
ago
,
she
had
had
a
sort
of
half-offer
of
the
post
of
companion
.
It
was
while
she
was
staying
with
a
friend
;
during
the
visit
there
had
come
to
the
house
an
old
Dutchman
of
the
name
of
Van
Heigen
,
a
business
acquaintance
of
her
host
.
He
had
stayed
nearly
a
week
,
and
in
that
time
taken
a
