atone
part
of
the
table
,
Margaret
at
the
other
,
would
talk
of
Mr.
Bast
and
of
no
one
else
,
and
somewhere
about
the
entree
their
monologues
collided
,
fell
ruining
,
and
became
common
property
.
Nor
was
this
all
.
The
dinner-party
was
really
an
informal
discussion
club
;
there
was
a
paper
after
it
,
read
amid
coffee-cups
and
laughter
in
the
drawing-room
,
but
dealing
more
or
less
thoughtfully
with
some
topic
of
general
interest
.
After
the
paper
came
a
debate
,
and
in
this
debate
Mr.
Bast
also
figured
,
appearing
now
as
a
bright
spot
in
civilization
,
now
as
a
dark
spot
,
according
to
the
temperament
of
the
speaker
.
The
subject
of
the
paper
had
been
,
"
How
ought
I
to
dispose
of
my
money
?
"
the
reader
professing
to
be
a
millionaire
on
the
point
of
death
,
inclined
to
bequeath
her
fortune
for
the
foundation
of
local
art
galleries
,
but
open
to
conviction
from
other
sources
.
The
various
parts
had
been
assigned
beforehand
,
and
some
of
the
speeches
were
amusing
.
The
hostess
assumed
the
ungrateful
role
of
"
the
millionaire
's
eldest
son
,
"
and
implored
her
expiring
parent
not
to
dislocate
Society
by
allowing
such
vast
sums
to
pass
out
of
the
family
.
Money
was
the
fruit
of
self-denial
,
and
the
second
generation
had
a
right
to
profit
by
the
self-denial
of
the
first
.
What
right
had
"
Mr.
Bast
"
to
profit
?
The
National
Gallery
was
good
enough
for
the
likes
of
him
.
After
property
had
had
its
say
—
a
saying
that
is
necessarily
ungracious
—
the
various
philanthropists
stepped
forward
.
Something
must
be
done
for
"
Mr.
Bast
"
:
his
conditions
must
be
improved
without
impairing
his
independence
;
he
must
have
a
free
library
,
or
free
tennis-courts
;
his
rent
must
be
paid
in
such
a
way
that
he
did
not
know
it
was
being
paid
;
it
must
be
made
worth
his
while
to
join
the
Territorials
;
he
must
be
forcibly
parted
from
his
uninspiring
wife
,
the
money
going
to
her
as
compensation
;
he
must
be
assigned
a
Twin
Star
,
some
member
of
the
leisured
classes
who
would
watch
over
him
ceaselessly
(
groans
from
Helen
)
;
he
must
be
given
food
but
no
clothes
,
clothes
but
no
food
,
a
third-return
ticket
to
Venice
,
without
either
food
or
clothes
when
he
arrived
there
.
In
short
,
he
might
be
given
anything
and
everything
so
long
as
it
was
not
the
money
itself
.
And
here
Margaret
interrupted
.
"
Order
,
order
,
Miss
Schlegel
!
"
said
the
reader
of
the
paper
.
"
You
are
here
,
I
understand
,
to
advise
me
in
the
interests
of
the
Society
for
the
Preservation
of
Places
of
Historic
Interest
or
Natural
Beauty
.
I
cannot
have
you
speaking
out
of
your
role
.
It
makes
my
poor
head
go
round
,
and
I
think
you
forget
that
I
am
very
ill.
"
"
Your
head
wo
n't
go
round
if
only
you
'll
listen
to
my
argument
,
"
said
Margaret
.
"
Why
not
give
him
the
money
itself
.
You
're
supposed
to
have
about
thirty
thousand
a
year
.
"
"
Have
I
?
I
thought
I
had
a
million
.
"
"
Was
n't
a
million
your
capital
?
Dear
me
!
we
ought
to
have
settled
that
.
Still
,
it
does
n't
matter
.
Whatever
you
've
got
,
I
order
you
to
give
as
many
poor
men
as
you
can
three
hundred
a
year
each
.
"
"
But
that
would
be
pauperizing
them
,
"
said
an
earnest
girl
,
who
liked
the
Schlegels
,
but
thought
them
a
little
unspiritual
at
times
.
"
Not
if
you
gave
them
so
much
.
A
big
windfall
would
not
pauperize
a
man
.
It
is
these
little
driblets
,
distributed
among
too
many
,
that
do
the
harm
.
Money
's
educational
.
It
's
far
more
educational
than
the
things
it
buys
.
"
There
was
a
protest
.
"
In
a
sense
,
"
added
Margaret
,
but
the
protest
continued
.
"
Well
,
is
n't
the
most
civilized
thing
going
,
the
man
who
has
learnt
to
wear
his
income
properly
?
"
"
Exactly
what
your
Mr.
Basts
wo
n't
do
.
"
"
Give
them
a
chance
.
Give
them
money
.
Do
n't
dole
them
out
poetry-books
and
railway-tickets
like
babies
.
Give
them
the
wherewithal
to
buy
these
things
.
When
your
Socialism
comes
it
may
be
different
,
and
we
may
think
in
terms
of
commodities
instead
of
cash
.
Till
it
comes
give
people
cash
,
for
it
is
the
warp
of
civilization
,
whatever
the
woof
may
be
.
The
imagination
ought
to
play
upon
money
and
realize
it
vividly
,
for
it
's
the
—
the
second
most
important
thing
in
the
world
.
It
is
so
sluffed
over
and
hushed
up
,
there
is
so
little
clear
thinking
—
oh
,
political
economy
,
of
course
,
but
so
few
of
us
think
clearly
about
our
own
private
incomes
,
and
admit
that
independent
thoughts
are
in
nine
cases
out
of
ten
the
result
of
independent
means
.
Money
:
give
Mr.
Bast
money
,
and
do
n't
bother
about
his
ideals
.
He
'll
pick
up
those
for
himself
.
"
She
leant
back
while
the
more
earnest
members
of
the
club
began
to
misconstrue
her
.
The
female
mind
,
though
cruelly
practical
in
daily
life
,
cannot
bear
to
hear
ideals
belittled
in
conversation
,
and
Miss
Schlegel
was
asked
however
she
could
say
such
dreadful
things
,
and
what
it
would
profit
Mr.
Bast
if
he
gained
the
whole
world
and
lost
his
own
soul
.
She
answered
,
"
Nothing
,
but
he
would
not
gain
his
soul
until
he
had
gained
a
little
of
the
world
.
"
Then
they
said
,
"
No
they
did
not
believe
it
,
"
and
she
admitted
that
an
overworked
clerk
may
save
his
soul
in
the
superterrestrial
sense
,
where
the
effort
will
be
taken
for
the
deed
,
but
she
denied
that
he
will
ever
explore
the
spiritual
resources
of
this
world
,
will
ever
know
the
rarer
joys
of
the
body
,
or
attain
to
clear
and
passionate
intercourse
with
his
fellows
.
Others
had
attacked
the
fabric
of
Society-Property
,
Interest
,
etc.
;
she
only
fixed
her
eyes
on
a
few
human
beings
,
to
see
how
,
under
present
conditions
,
they
could
be
made
happier
.
Doing
good
to
humanity
was
useless
:
the
many-coloured
efforts
thereto
spreading
over
the
vast
area
like
films
and
resulting
in
an
universal
grey
.
To
do
good
to
one
,
or
,
as
in
this
case
,
to
a
few
,
was
the
utmost
she
dare
hope
for
.
Between
the
idealists
,
and
the
political
economists
,
Margaret
had
a
bad
time
.
Disagreeing
elsewhere
,
they
agreed
in
disowning
her
,
and
in
keeping
the
administration
of
the
millionaire
's
money
in
their
own
hands
.
The
earnest
girl
brought
forward
a
scheme
of
"
personal
supervision
and
mutual
help
,
"
the
effect
of
which
was
to
alter
poor
people
until
they
became
exactly
like
people
who
were
not
so
poor
.
The
hostess
pertinently
remarked
that
she
,
as
eldest
son
,
might
surely
rank
among
the
millionaire
's
legatees
.
Margaret
weakly
admitted
the
claim
,
and
another
claim
was
at
once
set
up
by
Helen
,
who
declared
that
she
had
been
the
millionaire
's
housemaid
for
over
forty
years
,
overfed
and
underpaid
;
was
nothing
to
be
done
for
her
,
so
corpulent
and
poor
?
The
millionaire
then
read
out
her
last
will
and
testament
,
in
which
she
left
the
whole
of
her
fortune
to
the
Chancellor
of
the
Exchequer
.
Then
she
died
.
The
serious
parts
of
the
discussion
had
been
of
higher
merit
than
the
playful
—
in
a
men
's
debate
is
the
reverse
more
general
?
—
but
the
meeting
broke
up
hilariously
enough
,
and
a
dozen
happy
ladies
dispersed
to
their
homes
.
Helen
and
Margaret
walked
the
earnest
girl
as
far
as
Battersea
Bridge
Station
,
arguing
copiously
all
the
way
.
When
she
had
gone
they
were
conscious
of
an
alleviation
,
and
of
the
great
beauty
of
the
evening
.
They
turned
back
towards
Oakley
Street
.
The
lamps
and
the
plane-trees
,
following
the
line
of
the
embankment
,
struck
a
note
of
dignity
that
is
rare
in
English
cities
.
The
seats
,
almost
deserted
,
were
here
and
there
occupied
by
gentlefolk
in
evening
dress
,
who
had
strolled
out
from
the
houses
behind
to
enjoy
fresh
air
and
the
whisper
of
the
rising
tide
.
There
is
something
continental
about
Chelsea
Embankment
.
It
is
an
open
space
used
rightly
,
a
blessing
more
frequent
in
Germany
than
here
.
As
Margaret
and
Helen
sat
down
,
the
city
behind
them
seemed
to
be
a
vast
theatre
,
an
opera-house
in
which
some
endless
trilogy
was
performing
,
and
they
themselves
a
pair
of
satisfied
subscribers
,
who
did
not
mind
losing
a
little
of
the
second
act
.
"
Cold
?
"
"
No.
"
"
Tired
?
"
"
Does
n't
matter
.
"
The
earnest
girl
's
train
rumbled
away
over
the
bridge
.
"
I
say
,
Helen
—
"
"
Well
?
"
"
Are
we
really
going
to
follow
up
Mr.
Bast
?
"
"
I
do
n't
know
.
"
"
I
think
we
wo
n't
.
"
"
As
you
like
.
"
"
It
's
no
good
,
I
think
,
unless
you
really
mean
to
know
people
.
The
discussion
brought
that
home
to
me
.
We
got
on
well
enough
with
him
in
a
spirit
of
excitement
,
but
think
of
rational
intercourse
.
We
must
n't
play
at
friendship
.
No
,
it
's
no
good
.
"
"
There
's
Mrs.
Lanoline
,
too
,
"
Helen
yawned
.
"
So
dull
.
"
"
Just
so
,
and
possibly
worse
than
dull
.
"
"
I
should
like
to
know
how
he
got
hold
of
your
card
.
"
"
But
he
said
—
something
about
a
concert
and
an
umbrella
—
"
"
Then
did
the
card
see
the
wife
—
"
"
Helen
,
come
to
bed
.
"
"
No
,
just
a
little
longer
,
it
is
so
beautiful
.
Tell
me
;
oh
yes
;
did
you
say
money
is
the
warp
of
the
world
?
"
"
Yes
.
"
"
Then
what
's
the
woof
?
"
"
Very
much
what
one
chooses
,
"
said
Margaret
.
"
It
's
something
that
is
n't
money
—
one
ca
n't
say
more
.
"
"
Walking
at
night
?
"
"
Probably
.
"
"
For
Tibby
,
Oxford
?
"
"
It
seems
so
.
"
"
For
you
?
"
"
Now
that
we
have
to
leave
Wickham
Place
,
I
begin
to
think
it
's
that
.
For
Mrs.
Wilcox
it
was
certainly
Howards
End
.
"
One
's
own
name
will
carry
immense
distances
.
Mr.
Wilcox
,
who
was
sitting
with
friends
many
seats
away
,
heard
his
,
rose
to
his
feet
,
and
strolled
along
towards
the
speakers
.
"
It
is
sad
to
suppose
that
places
may
ever
be
more
important
than
people
,
"
continued
Margaret
.
"
Why
,
Meg
?
They
're
so
much
nicer
generally
.
I
'd
rather
think
of
that
forester
's
house
in
Pomerania
than
of
the
fat
Herr
Förstmeister
who
lived
in
it
.
"
"
I
believe
we
shall
come
to
care
about
people
less
and
less
,
Helen
.
The
more
people
one
knows
the
easier
it
becomes
to
replace
them
.
It
's
one
of
the
curses
of
London
.
I
quite
expect
to
end
my
life
caring
most
for
a
place
.
"
Here
Mr.
Wilcox
reached
them
.
It
was
several
weeks
since
they
had
met
.
"
How
do
you
do
?
"
he
cried
.
"
I
thought
I
recognized
your
voices
.
Whatever
are
you
both
doing
down
here
?
"
His
tones
were
protective
.
He
implied
that
one
ought
not
to
sit
out
on
Chelsea
Embankment
without
a
male
escort
.
Helen
resented
this
,
but
Margaret
accepted
it
as
part
of
the
good
man
's
equipment
.
"
What
an
age
it
is
since
I
've
seen
you
,
Mr.
Wilcox
.
I
met
Evie
in
the
Tube
,
though
,
lately
.
I
hope
you
have
good
news
of
your
son
.
"
"
Paul
?
"
said
Mr.
Wilcox
,
extinguishing
his
cigarette
,
and
sitting
down
between
them
.
"
Oh
,
Paul
's
all
right
.
We
had
a
line
from
Madeira
.
He
'll
be
at
work
again
by
now
.
"
"
Ugh
—
"
said
Helen
,
shuddering
from
complex
causes
.
"
I
beg
your
pardon
?
"
"
Is
n't
the
climate
of
Nigeria
too
horrible
?
"
"
Someone
's
got
to
go
,
"
he
said
simply
.
"
England
will
never
keep
her
trade
overseas
unless
she
is
prepared
to
make
sacrifices
.
Unless
we
get
firm
in
West
Africa
,
Ger
—
untold
complications
may
follow
.
Now
tell
me
all
your
news
.
"
"
Oh
,
we
've
had
a
splendid
evening
,
"
cried
Helen
,
who
always
woke
up
at
the
advent
of
a
visitor
.
"
We
belong
to
a
kind
of
club
that
reads
papers
,
Margaret
and
I
—
all
women
,
but
there
is
a
discussion
after
.
This
evening
it
was
on
how
one
ought
to
leave
one
's
money
—
whether
to
one
's
family
,
or
to
the
poor
,
and
if
so
how
—
oh
,
most
interesting
.
"
The
man
of
business
smiled
.
Since
his
wife
's
death
he
had
almost
doubled
his
income
.
He
was
an
important
figure
at
last
,
a
reassuring
name
on
company
prospectuses
,
and
life
had
treated
him
very
well
.
The
world
seemed
in
his
grasp
as
he
listened
to
the
River
Thames
,
which
still
flowed
inland
from
the
sea
.
So
wonderful
to
the
girls
,
it
held
no
mysteries
for
him
.
He
had
helped
to
shorten
its
long
tidal
trough
by
taking
shares
in
the
lock
at
Teddington
,
and
if
he
and
other
capitalists
thought
good
,
some
day
it
could
be
shortened
again
.
With
a
good
dinner
inside
him
and
an
amiable
but
academic
woman
on
either
flank
,
he
felt
that
his
hands
were
on
all
the
ropes
of
life
,
and
that
what
he
did
not
know
could
not
be
worth
knowing
.
"
Sounds
a
most
original
entertainment
!
"
he
exclaimed
,
and
laughed
in
his
pleasant
way
.
"
I
wish
Evie
would
go
to
that
sort
of
thing
.
But
she
has
n't
the
time
.
She
's
taken
to
breed
Aberdeen
terriers
—
jolly
little
dogs
.
"
I
expect
we
'd
better
be
doing
the
same
,
really
.
"
"
We
pretend
we
're
improving
ourselves
,
you
see
,
"
said
Helen
a
little
sharply
,
for
the
Wilcox
glamour
is
not
of
the
kind
that
returns
,
and
she
had
bitter
memories
of
the
days
when
a
speech
such
as
he
had
just
made
would
have
impressed
her
favourably
.
"
We
suppose
it
is
a
good
thing
to
waste
an
evening
once
a
fortnight
over
a
debate
,
but
,
as
my
sister
says
,
it
may
be
better
to
breed
dogs
.
"
"
Not
at
all
.
I
do
n't
agree
with
your
sister
.
There
's
nothing
like
a
debate
to
teach
one
quickness
.
I
often
wish
I
had
gone
in
for
them
when
I
was
a
youngster
.
It
would
have
helped
me
no
end
.
"
"
Quickness
—
?
"
"
Yes
.
Quickness
in
argument
.
Time
after
time
I
've
missed
scoring
a
point
because
the
other
man
has
had
the
gift
of
the
gab
and
I
have
n't
.
Oh
,
I
believe
in
these
discussions
.
"
The
patronizing
tone
thought
Margaret
,
came
well
enough
from
a
man
who
was
old
enough
to
be
their
father
.
She
had
always
maintained
that
Mr.
Wilcox
had
a
charm
.
In
times
of
sorrow
or
emotion
his
inadequacy
had
pained
her
,
but
it
was
pleasant
to
listen
to
him
now
,
and
to
watch
his
thick
brown
moustache
and
high
forehead
confronting
the
stars
.
But
Helen
was
nettled
.
The
aim
of
their
debates
she
implied
was
Truth
.
"
Oh
yes
,
it
does
n't
much
matter
what
subject
you
take
,
"
said
he
.
Margaret
laughed
and
said
,
"
But
this
is
going
to
be
far
better
than
the
debate
itself
.
"
Helen
recovered
herself
and
laughed
too
.
"
No
,
I
wo
n't
go
on
,
"
she
declared
.
"
I
'll
just
put
our
special
case
to
Mr.
Wilcox
.
"
"
About
Mr.
Bast
?
Yes
,
do
.
He
'll
be
more
lenient
to
a
special
case
.
"
But
,
Mr.
Wilcox
,
do
first
light
another
cigarette
.
It
's
this
.
We
've
just
come
across
a
young
fellow
,
who
's
evidently
very
poor
,
and
who
seems
interest
—
"
"
What
's
his
profession
?
"
"
Clerk
.
"
"
What
in
?
"
"
Do
you
remember
,
Margaret
?
"
"
Porphyrion
Fire
Insurance
Company
.
"
"
Oh
yes
;
the
nice
people
who
gave
Aunt
Juley
a
new
hearth-rug
.
He
seems
interesting
,
in
some
ways
very
,
and
one
wishes
one
could
help
him
.
He
is
married
to
a
wife
whom
he
does
n't
seem
to
care
for
much
.
He
likes
books
,
and
what
one
may
roughly
call
adventure
,
and
if
he
had
a
chance
—
But
he
is
so
poor
.
He
lives
a
life
where
all
the
money
is
apt
to
go
on
nonsense
and
clothes
.
One
is
so
afraid
that
circumstances
will
be
too
strong
for
him
and
that
he
will
sink
.
Well
,
he
got
mixed
up
in
our
debate
.
He
was
n't
the
subject
of
it
,
but
it
seemed
to
bear
on
his
point
.
Suppose
a
millionaire
died
,
and
desired
to
leave
money
to
help
such
a
man
.
How
should
he
be
helped
?
Should
he
be
given
three
hundred
pounds
a
year
direct
,
which
was
Margaret
's
plan
?
Most
of
them
thought
this
would
pauperize
him
.
Should
he
and
those
like
him
be
given
free
libraries
?
I
said
'
No
!
'
He
does
n't
want
more
books
to
read
,
but
to
read
books
rightly
.
My
suggestion
was
he
should
be
given
something
every
year
towards
a
summer
holiday
,
but
then
there
is
his
wife
,
and
they
said
she
would
have
to
go
too
.
Nothing
seemed
quite
right
!
Now
what
do
you
think
?
Imagine
that
you
were
a
millionaire
,
and
wanted
to
help
the
poor
.
What
would
you
do
?
"
Mr.
Wilcox
,
whose
fortune
was
not
so
very
far
below
the
standard
indicated
,
laughed
exuberantly
.
"
My
dear
Miss
Schlegel
,
I
will
not
rush
in
where
your
sex
has
been
unable
to
tread
.
I
will
not
add
another
plan
to
the
numerous
excellent
ones
that
have
been
already
suggested
.
My
only
contribution
is
this
:
let
your
young
friend
clear
out
of
the
Porphyrion
Fire
Insurance
Company
with
all
possible
speed
.
"
"
Why
?
"
said
Margaret
.
He
lowered
his
voice
.
"
This
is
between
friends
.
It
'll
be
in
the
Receiver
's
hands
before
Christmas
.
It
'll
smash
,
"
he
added
,
thinking
that
she
had
not
understood
.
"
Dear
me
,
Helen
,
listen
to
that
.
And
he
'll
have
to
get
another
place
!
"
"
Will
have
?
Let
him
leave
the
ship
before
it
sinks
.
Let
him
get
one
now
.
"
"
Rather
than
wait
,
to
make
sure
?
"
"
Decidedly
.
"
"
Why
's
that
?
"
Again
the
Olympian
laugh
,
and
the
lowered
voice
.
"
Naturally
the
man
who
's
in
a
situation
when
he
applies
stands
a
better
chance
,
is
in
a
stronger
position
,
than
the
man
who
is
n't
.
It
looks
as
if
he
's
worth
something
.
I
know
by
myself
—
(
this
is
letting
you
into
the
State
secrets
)
—
it
affects
an
employer
greatly
.
Human
nature
,
I
'm
afraid
.
"
"
I
had
n't
thought
of
that
,
"
murmured
Margaret
,
while
Helen
said
,
"
Our
human
nature
appears
to
be
the
other
way
round
.
We
employ
people
because
they
're
unemployed
.
The
boot
man
,
for
instance
.
"
"
And
how
does
he
clean
the
boots
?
"
"
Not
well
,
"
confessed
Margaret
.
"
There
you
are
!
"
"
Then
do
you
really
advise
us
to
tell
this
youth
—
"
"
I
advise
nothing
,
"
he
interrupted
,
glancing
up
and
down
the
Embankment
,
in
case
his
indiscretion
had
been
overheard
.
"
I
ought
n't
to
have
spoken
—
but
I
happen
to
know
,
being
more
or
less
behind
the
scenes
.
The
Porphyrion
's
a
bad
,
bad
concern
—
Now
,
do
n't
say
I
said
so
.
It
's
outside
the
Tariff
Ring
.
"
"
Certainly
I
wo
n't
say
.
In
fact
,
I
do
n't
know
what
that
means
.
"
"
I
thought
an
insurance
company
never
smashed
,
"
was
Helen
's
contribution
.
"
Do
n't
the
others
always
run
in
and
save
them
?
"
"
You
're
thinking
of
reinsurance
,
"
said
Mr.
Wilcox
mildly
.
"
It
is
exactly
there
that
the
Porphyrion
is
weak
.
It
has
tried
to
undercut
,
has
been
badly
hit
by
a
long
series
of
small
fires
,
and
it
has
n't
been
able
to
reinsure
.
I
'm
afraid
that
public
companies
do
n't
save
one
another
for
love
.
"
"
'
Human
nature
,
'
I
suppose
,
"
quoted
Helen
,
and
he
laughed
and
agreed
that
it
was
.
When
Margaret
said
that
she
supposed
that
clerks
,
like
every
one
else
,
found
it
extremely
difficult
to
get
situations
in
these
days
,
he
replied
,
"
Yes
,
extremely
,
"
and
rose
to
rejoin
his
friends
.
He
knew
by
his
own
office
—
seldom
a
vacant
post
,
and
hundreds
of
applicants
for
it
;
at
present
no
vacant
post
.
"
And
how
's
Howards
End
looking
?
"
said
Margaret
,
wishing
to
change
the
subject
before
they
parted
.
Mr.
Wilcox
was
a
little
apt
to
think
one
wanted
to
get
something
out
of
him
.
"
It
's
let
.
"
"
Really
.
And
you
wandering
homeless
in
long-haired
Chelsea
?
How
strange
are
the
ways
of
Fate
!
"
"
No
;
it
's
let
unfurnished
.
We
've
moved
.
"
"
Why
,
I
thought
of
you
both
as
anchored
there
for
ever
.
Evie
never
told
me
.
"
"
I
dare
say
when
you
met
Evie
the
thing
was
n't
settled
.
We
only
moved
a
week
ago
.
Paul
has
rather
a
feeling
for
the
old
place
,
and
we
held
on
for
him
to
have
his
holiday
there
;
but
,
really
,
it
is
impossibly
small
.
Endless
drawbacks
.
I
forget
whether
you
've
been
up
to
it
?
"
"
As
far
as
the
house
,
never
.
"
"
Well
,
Howards
End
is
one
of
those
converted
farms
.
They
do
n't
really
do
,
spend
what
you
will
on
them
.
We
messed
away
with
a
garage
all
among
the
wych-elm
roots
,
and
last
year
we
enclosed
a
bit
of
the
meadow
and
attempted
a
mockery
.
Evie
got
rather
keen
on
Alpine
plants
.
But
it
did
n't
do
—
no
,
it
did
n't
do
.
You
remember
,
or
your
sister
will
remember
,
the
farm
with
those
abominable
guinea-fowls
,
and
the
hedge
that
the
old
woman
never
would
cut
properly
,
so
that
it
all
went
thin
at
the
bottom
.
And
,
inside
the
house
,
the
beams
—
and
the
staircase
through
a
door
—
picturesque
enough
,
but
not
a
place
to
live
in
.
"
He
glanced
over
the
parapet
cheerfully
.
"
Full
tide
.
And
the
position
was
n't
right
either
.
The
neighbourhood
's
getting
suburban
.
Either
be
in
London
or
out
of
it
,
I
say
;
so
we
've
taken
a
house
in
Ducie
Street
,
close
to
Sloane
Street
,
and
a
place
right
down
in
Shropshire
—
Oniton
Grange
.
Ever
heard
of
Oniton
?
Do
come
and
see
us
—
right
away
from
everywhere
,
up
towards
Wales
.
"
"
What
a
change
!
"
said
Margaret
.
But
the
change
was
in
her
own
voice
,
which
had
become
most
sad
.
"
I
ca
n't
imagine
Howards
End
or
Hilton
without
you
.
"
"
Hilton
is
n't
without
us
,
"
he
replied
.
"
Charles
is
there
still
.
"
"
Still
?
"
said
Margaret
,
who
had
not
kept
up
with
the
Charles
'
.
"
But
I
thought
he
was
still
at
Epsom
.
They
were
furnishing
that
Christmas
—
one
Christmas
.
How
everything
alters
!
I
used
to
admire
Mrs.
Charles
from
our
windows
very
often
.
Was
n't
it
Epsom
?
"
"
Yes
,
but
they
moved
eighteen
months
ago
.
Charles
,
the
good
chap
"
—
his
voice
dropped
—
"
thought
I
should
be
lonely
.
I
did
n't
want
him
to
move
,
but
he
would
,
and
took
a
house
at
the
other
end
of
Hilton
,
down
by
the
Six
Hills
.
He
had
a
motor
,
too
.
There
they
all
are
,
a
very
jolly
party
—
he
and
she
and
the
two
grandchildren
.
"
"
I
manage
other
people
's
affairs
so
much
better
than
they
manage
them
themselves
,
"
said
Margaret
as
they
shook
hands
.
"
When
you
moved
out
of
Howards
End
,
I
should
have
moved
Mr.
Charles
Wilcox
into
it
.
I
should
have
kept
so
remarkable
a
place
in
the
family
.
"
"
So
it
is
,
"
he
replied
.
"
I
have
n't
sold
it
,
and
do
n't
mean
to
.
"
"
No
;
but
none
of
you
are
there
.
"
"
Oh
,
we
've
got
a
splendid
tenant
—
Hamar
Bryce
,
an
invalid
.
If
Charles
ever
wanted
it
—
but
he
wo
n't
.
Dolly
is
so
dependent
on
modern
conveniences
.
No
,
we
have
all
decided
against
Howards
End
.
We
like
it
in
a
way
,
but
now
we
feel
that
it
is
neither
one
thing
nor
the
other
.
One
must
have
one
thing
or
the
other
.
"
"
And
some
people
are
lucky
enough
to
have
both
.
You
're
doing
yourself
proud
,
Mr.
Wilcox
.
My
congratulations
.
"
"
And
mine
,
"
said
Helen
.
"
Do
remind
Evie
to
come
and
see
us
—
two
,
Wickham
Place
.
We
sha
n't
be
there
very
long
,
either
.
"
"
You
,
too
,
on
the
move
?
"
"
Next
September
,
"
Margaret
sighed
.
"
Every
one
moving
!
Good-bye
.
"
The
tide
had
begun
to
ebb
.
Margaret
leant
over
the
parapet
and
watched
it
sadly
.
Mr.
Wilcox
had
forgotten
his
wife
,
Helen
her
lover
;
she
herself
was
probably
forgetting
.
Every
one
moving
.
Is
it
worth
while
attempting
the
past
when
there
is
this
continual
flux
even
in
the
hearts
of
men
?
Helen
roused
her
by
saying
:
"
What
a
prosperous
vulgarian
Mr.
Wilcox
has
grown
!
I
have
very
little
use
for
him
in
these
days
.
However
,
he
did
tell
us
about
the
Porphyrion
.
Let
us
write
to
Mr.
Bast
as
soon
as
ever
we
get
home
,
and
tell
him
to
clear
out
of
it
at
once
.
"
"
Do
;
yes
,
that
's
worth
doing
.
Let
us
.
"
"
Let
's
ask
him
to
tea
.
"
Chapter
16
Leonard
accepted
the
invitation
to
tea
next
Saturday
.
But
he
was
right
;
the
visit
proved
a
conspicuous
failure
.
"
Sugar
?
"
said
Margaret
.
"
Cake
?
"
said
Helen
.
"
The
big
cake
or
the
little
deadlies
?
I
'm
afraid
you
thought
my
letter
rather
odd
,
but
we
'll
explain
—
we
are
n't
odd
,
really
—
not
affected
,
really
.
We
're
over-expressive
:
that
's
all
.
"
As
a
lady
's
lap-dog
Leonard
did
not
excel
.
He
was
not
an
Italian
,
still
less
a
Frenchman
,
in
whose
blood
there
runs
the
very
spirit
of
persiflage
and
of
gracious
repartee
.
His
wit
was
the
Cockney
's
;
it
opened
no
doors
into
imagination
,
and
Helen
was
drawn
up
short
by
"
The
more
a
lady
has
to
say
,
the
better
,
"
administered
waggishly
.
"
Oh
,
yes
,
"
she
said
.
"
Ladies
brighten
—
"
"
Yes
,
I
know
.
The
darlings
are
regular
sunbeams
.
Let
me
give
you
a
plate
.
"
"
How
do
you
like
your
work
?
"
interposed
Margaret
.
He
,
too
,
was
drawn
up
short
.
He
would
not
have
these
women
prying
into
his
work
.
They
were
Romance
,
and
so
was
the
room
to
which
he
had
at
last
penetrated
,
with
the
queer
sketches
of
people
bathing
upon
its
walls
,
and
so
were
the
very
tea-cups
,
with
their
delicate
borders
of
wild
strawberries
.
But
he
would
not
let
Romance
interfere
with
his
life
.
There
is
the
devil
to
pay
then
.
"
Oh
,
well
enough
,
"
he
answered
.
"
Your
company
is
the
Porphyrion
,
is
n't
it
?
"
"
Yes
,
that
's
so
"
—
becoming
rather
offended
.
"
It
's
funny
how
things
get
round
.
"
"
Why
funny
?
"
asked
Helen
,
who
did
not
follow
the
workings
of
his
mind
.
"
It
was
written
as
large
as
life
on
your
card
,
and
considering
we
wrote
to
you
there
,
and
that
you
replied
on
the
stamped
paper
—
"
"
Would
you
call
the
Porphyrion
one
of
the
big
Insurance
Companies
?
"
pursued
Margaret
.
"
It
depends
what
you
call
big
.
"
"
I
mean
by
big
,
a
solid
,
well-established
concern
,
that
offers
a
reasonably
good
career
to
its
employés
.
"
"
I
could
n't
say
—
some
would
tell
you
one
thing
and
others
another
,
"
said
the
employe
uneasily
.
"
For
my
own
part
"
—
he
shook
his
head
—
"
I
only
believe
half
I
hear
.
Not
that
even
;
it
's
safer
.
Those
clever
ones
come
to
the
worse
grief
,
I
've
often
noticed
.
Ah
,
you
ca
n't
be
too
careful
.
"
He
drank
,
and
wiped
his
moustache
,
which
was
going
to
be
one
of
those
moustaches
that
always
droop
into
tea-cups
—
more
bother
than
they
're
worth
,
surely
,
and
not
fashionable
either
.
"
I
quite
agree
,
and
that
's
why
I
was
curious
to
know
:
is
it
a
solid
,
well-established
concern
?
"
Leonard
had
no
idea
.
He
understood
his
own
corner
of
the
machine
,
but
nothing
beyond
it
.
He
desired
to
confess
neither
knowledge
nor
ignorance
,
and
under
these
circumstances
,
another
motion
of
the
head
seemed
safest
.
To
him
,
as
to
the
British
public
,
the
Porphyrion
was
the
Porphyrion
of
the
advertisement
—
a
giant
,
in
the
classical
style
,
but
draped
sufficiently
,
who
held
in
one
hand
a
burning
torch
,
and
pointed
with
the
other
to
St.
Paul
's
and
Windsor
Castle
.
A
large
sum
of
money
was
inscribed
below
,
and
you
drew
your
own
conclusions
.
This
giant
caused
Leonard
to
do
arithmetic
and
write
letters
,
to
explain
the
regulations
to
new
clients
,
and
re-explain
them
to
old
ones
.
A
giant
was
of
an
impulsive
morality
—
one
knew
that
much
.
He
would
pay
for
Mrs.
Munt
's
hearth-rug
with
ostentatious
haste
,
a
large
claim
he
would
repudiate
quietly
,
and
fight
court
by
court
.
But
his
true
fighting
weight
,
his
antecedents
,
his
amours
with
other
members
of
the
commercial
Pantheon
—
all
these
were
as
uncertain
to
ordinary
mortals
as
were
the
escapades
of
Zeus
.
While
the
gods
are
powerful
,
we
learn
little
about
them
.
It
is
only
in
the
days
of
their
decadence
that
a
strong
light
beats
into
heaven
.
"
We
were
told
the
Porphyrion
's
no
go
,
"
blurted
Helen
.
"
We
wanted
to
tell
you
;
that
's
why
we
wrote
.
"
"
A
friend
of
ours
did
think
that
it
is
unsufficiently
reinsured
,
"
said
Margaret
.
Now
Leonard
had
his
clue
.
He
must
praise
the
Porphyrion
.
"
You
can
tell
your
friend
,
"
he
said
,
"
that
he
's
quite
wrong
.
"
"
Oh
,
good
!
"
The
young
man
coloured
a
little
.
In
his
circle
to
be
wrong
was
fatal
.
The
Miss
Schlegels
did
not
mind
being
wrong
.
They
were
genuinely
glad
that
they
had
been
misinformed
.
To
them
nothing
was
fatal
but
evil
.
"
Wrong
,
so
to
speak
,
"
he
added
.
"
How
'
so
to
speak
'
?
"
"
I
mean
I
would
n't
say
he
's
right
altogether
.
"
But
this
was
a
blunder
.
"
Then
he
is
right
partly
,
"
said
the
elder
woman
,
quick
as
lightning
.
Leonard
replied
that
every
one
was
right
partly
,
if
it
came
to
that
.
"
Mr.
Bast
,
I
do
n't
understand
business
,
and
I
dare
say
my
questions
are
stupid
,
but
can
you
tell
me
what
makes
a
concern
'
right
'
or
'
wrong
'
?
"
Leonard
sat
back
with
a
sigh
.
"
Our
friend
,
who
is
also
a
business
man
,
was
so
positive
.
He
said
before
Christmas
—
"
"
And
advised
you
to
clear
out
of
it
,
"
concluded
Helen
.
"
But
I
do
n't
see
why
he
should
know
better
than
you
do
.
"
Leonard
rubbed
his
hands
.
He
was
tempted
to
say
that
he
knew
nothing
about
the
thing
at
all
.
But
a
commercial
training
was
too
strong
for
him
.
Nor
could
he
say
it
was
a
bad
thing
,
for
this
would
be
giving
it
away
;
nor
yet
that
it
was
good
,
for
this
would
be
giving
it
away
equally
.
He
attempted
to
suggest
that
it
was
something
between
the
two
,
with
vast
possibilities
in
either
direction
,
but
broke
down
under
the
gaze
of
four
sincere
eyes
.
As
yet
he
scarcely
distinguished
between
the
two
sisters
.
One
was
more
beautiful
and
more
lively
,
but
"
the
Miss
Schlegels
"
still
remained
a
composite
Indian
god
,
whose
waving
arms
and
contradictory
speeches
were
the
product
of
a
single
mind
.
"
One
can
but
see
,
"
he
remarked
,
adding
,
"
as
Ibsen
says
,
'
things
happen
.
'
"
He
was
itching
to
talk
about
books
and
make
the
most
of
his
romantic
hour
.
Minute
after
minute
slipped
away
,
while
the
ladies
,
with
imperfect
skill
,
discussed
the
subject
of
reinsurance
or
praised
their
anonymous
friend
.
Leonard
grew
annoyed
—
perhaps
rightly
.
He
made
vague
remarks
about
not
being
one
of
those
who
minded
their
affairs
being
talked
over
by
others
,
but
they
did
not
take
the
hint
.
Men
might
have
shown
more
tact
.
Women
,
however
tactful
elsewhere
,
are
heavy-handed
here
.
They
cannot
see
why
we
should
shroud
our
incomes
and
our
prospects
in
a
veil
.
"
How
much
exactly
have
you
,
and
how
much
do
you
expect
to
have
next
June
?
"
And
these
were
women
with
a
theory
,
who
held
that
reticence
about
money
matters
is
absurd
,
and
that
life
would
be
truer
if
each
would
state
the
exact
size
of
the
golden
island
upon
which
he
stands
,
the
exact
stretch
of
warp
over
which
he
throws
the
woof
that
is
not
money
.
How
can
we
do
justice
to
the
pattern
otherwise
?
And
the
precious
minutes
slipped
away
,
and
Jacky
and
squalor
came
nearer
.
At
last
he
could
bear
it
no
longer
,
and
broke
in
,
reciting
the
names
of
books
feverishly
.
There
was
a
moment
of
piercing
joy
when
Margaret
said
,
"
So
you
like
Carlyle
,
"
and
then
the
door
opened
,
and
"
Mr.
Wilcox
,
Miss
Wilcox
"
entered
,
preceded
by
two
prancing
puppies
.
"
Oh
,
the
dears
!
Oh
,
Evie
,
how
too
impossibly
sweet
!
"
screamed
Helen
,
falling
on
her
hands
and
knees
.
"
We
brought
the
little
fellows
round
,
"
said
Mr.
Wilcox
.
"
I
bred
'
em
myself
.
"
"
Oh
,
really
!
Mr.
Bast
,
come
and
play
with
puppies
.
"
"
I
've
got
to
be
going
now
,
"
said
Leonard
sourly
.
"
But
play
with
puppies
a
little
first
.
"
"
This
is
Ahab
,
that
's
Jezebel
,
"
said
Evie
,
who
was
one
of
those
who
name
animals
after
the
less
successful
characters
of
Old
Testament
history
.
"
I
've
got
to
be
going
.
"
Helen
was
too
much
occupied
with
puppies
to
notice
him
.
"
Mr.
Wilcox
,
Mr.
Ba
—
Must
you
be
really
?
Good-bye
!
"
"
Come
again
,
"
said
Helen
from
the
floor
.
Then
Leonard
's
gorge
arose
.
Why
should
he
come
again
?
What
was
the
good
of
it
?
He
said
roundly
:
"
No
,
I
sha
n't
;
I
knew
it
would
be
a
failure
.
"
Most
people
would
have
let
him
go
.
"
A
little
mistake
.
We
tried
knowing
another
class
—
impossible
.
"
But
the
Schlegels
had
never
played
with
life
.
They
had
attempted
friendship
,
and
they
would
take
the
consequences
.
Helen
retorted
,
"
I
call
that
a
very
rude
remark
.
What
do
you
want
to
turn
on
me
like
that
for
?
"
and
suddenly
the
drawing-room
re-echoed
to
a
vulgar
row
.
"
You
ask
me
why
I
turn
on
you
?
"
"
Yes
.
"
"
What
do
you
want
to
have
me
here
for
?
"
"
To
help
you
,
you
silly
boy
!
"
cried
Helen
.
"
And
do
n't
shout
.
"
"
I
do
n't
want
your
patronage
.
I
do
n't
want
your
tea
.
I
was
quite
happy
.
What
do
you
want
to
unsettle
me
for
?
"
He
turned
to
Mr.
Wilcox
.
"
I
put
it
to
this
gentleman
.
I
ask
you
,
sir
,
am
to
have
my
brain
picked
?
"
Mr.
Wilcox
turned
to
Margaret
with
the
air
of
humorous
strength
that
he
could
so
well
command
.
"
Are
we
intruding
,
Miss
Schlegel
?
Can
we
be
of
any
use
or
shall
we
go
?
"
But
Margaret
ignored
him
.
"
I
'm
connected
with
a
leading
insurance
company
,
sir
.
I
receive
what
I
take
to
be
an
invitation
from
these
—
ladies
"
(
he
drawled
the
word
)
.
"
I
come
,
and
it
's
to
have
my
brain
picked
.
I
ask
you
,
is
it
fair
?
"
"
Highly
unfair
,
"
said
Mr.
Wilcox
,
drawing
a
gasp
from
Evie
,
who
knew
that
her
father
was
becoming
dangerous
.
"
There
,
you
hear
that
?
Most
unfair
,
the
gentleman
says
.
There
!
Not
content
with
"
—
pointing
at
Margaret
—
"
you
ca
n't
deny
it
.
"
His
voice
rose
:
he
was
falling
into
the
rhythm
of
a
scene
with
Jacky
.
"
But
as
soon
as
I
'm
useful
it
's
a
very
different
thing
.
'
Oh
yes
,
send
for
him
.
Cross-question
him
.
Pick
his
brains
.
'
Oh
yes
.
Now
,
take
me
on
the
whole
,
I
'm
a
quiet
fellow
:
I
'm
law-abiding
,
I
do
n't
wish
any
unpleasantness
;
but
I
—
I
—
"
"
You
,
"
said
Margaret
—
"
you
—
you
—
"
Laughter
from
Evie
,
as
at
a
repartee
.
"
You
are
the
man
who
tried
to
walk
by
the
Pole
Star
.
"
More
laughter
.
"
You
saw
the
sunrise
.
"
Laughter
.
"
You
tried
to
get
away
from
the
fogs
that
are
stifling
us
all
—
away
past
books
and
houses
to
the
truth
.
You
were
looking
for
a
real
home
.
"
"
I
fail
to
see
the
connection
,
"
said
Leonard
,
hot
with
stupid
anger
.
"
So
do
I
.
"
There
was
a
pause
.
"
You
were
that
last
Sunday
—
you
are
this
today
.
Mr.
Bast
!
I
and
my
sister
have
talked
you
over
.
We
wanted
to
help
you
;
we
also
supposed
you
might
help
us
.
We
did
not
have
you
here
out
of
charity
—
which
bores
us
—
but
because
we
hoped
there
would
be
a
connection
between
last
Sunday
and
other
days
.
What
is
the
good
of
your
stars
and
trees
,
your
sunrise
and
the
wind
,
if
they
do
not
enter
into
our
daily
lives
?
They
have
never
entered
into
mine
,
but
into
yours
,
we
thought
—
Have
n't
we
all
to
struggle
against
life
's
daily
greyness
,
against
pettiness
,
against
mechanical
cheerfulness
,
against
suspicion
?
I
struggle
by
remembering
my
friends
;
others
I
have
known
by
remembering
some
place
—
some
beloved
place
or
tree
—
we
thought
you
one
of
these
.
"
"
Of
course
,
if
there
's
been
any
misunderstanding
,
"
mumbled
Leonard
,
"
all
I
can
do
is
to
go
.
But
I
beg
to
state
—
"
He
paused
.
Ahab
and
Jezebel
danced
at
his
boots
and
made
him
look
ridiculous
.
"
You
were
picking
my
brain
for
official
information
—
I
can
prove
it
—
I
—
He
blew
his
nose
and
left
them
.
"
Can
I
help
you
now
?
"
said
Mr.
Wilcox
,
turning
to
Margaret
.
"
May
I
have
one
quiet
word
with
him
in
the
hall
?
"
"
Helen
,
go
after
him
—
do
anything
—
anything
—
to
make
the
noodle
understand
.
"
Helen
hesitated
.
"
But
really
—
"
said
their
visitor
.
"
Ought
she
to
?
"
At
once
she
went
.
He
resumed
.
"
I
would
have
chimed
in
,
but
I
felt
that
you
could
polish
him
off
for
yourselves
—
I
did
n't
interfere
.
You
were
splendid
,
Miss
Schlegel
—
absolutely
splendid
.
You
can
take
my
word
for
it
,
but
there
are
very
few
women
who
could
have
managed
him
.
"
"
Oh
yes
,
"
said
Margaret
distractedly
.
"
Bowling
him
over
with
those
long
sentences
was
what
fetched
me
,
"
cried
Evie
.
"
Yes
,
indeed
,
"
chuckled
her
father
;
"
all
that
part
about
'
mechanical
cheerfulness
'
—
oh
,
fine
!
"
"
I
'm
very
sorry
,
"
said
Margaret
,
collecting
herself
.
"
He
's
a
nice
creature
really
.
I
cannot
think
what
set
him
off
.
It
has
been
most
unpleasant
for
you
.
"
"
Oh
,
I
did
n't
mind
.
"
Then
he
changed
his
mood
.
He
asked
if
he
might
speak
as
an
old
friend
,
and
,
permission
given
,
said
:
"
Ought
n't
you
really
to
be
more
careful
?
"
Margaret
laughed
,
though
her
thoughts
still
strayed
after
Helen
.
"
Do
you
realize
that
it
's
all
your
fault
?
"
she
said
.
"
You
're
responsible
.
"
"
I
?
"
"
This
is
the
young
man
whom
we
were
to
warn
against
the
Porphyrion
.
We
warn
him
,
and
—
look
!
"
Mr.
Wilcox
was
annoyed
.
"
I
hardly
consider
that
a
fair
deduction
,
"
he
said
.
"
Obviously
unfair
,
"
said
Margaret
.
"
I
was
only
thinking
how
tangled
things
are
.
It
's
our
fault
mostly
—
neither
yours
nor
his
.
"
"
Not
his
?
"
"
No.
"
"
Miss
Schlegel
,
you
are
too
kind
.
"
"
Yes
,
indeed
,
"
nodded
Evie
,
a
little
contemptuously
.
"
You
behave
much
too
well
to
people
,
and
then
they
impose
on
you
.
I
know
the
world
and
that
type
of
man
,
and
as
soon
as
I
entered
the
room
I
saw
you
had
not
been
treating
him
properly
.
You
must
keep
that
type
at
a
distance
.
Otherwise
they
forget
themselves
.
Sad
,
but
true
.
They
are
n't
our
sort
,
and
one
must
face
the
fact
.
"
"
Ye-es
.
"
"
Do
admit
that
we
should
never
have
had
the
outburst
if
he
was
a
gentleman
.
"
"
I
admit
it
willingly
,
"
said
Margaret
,
who
was
pacing
up
and
down
the
room
.
"
A
gentleman
would
have
kept
his
suspicions
to
himself
.
"
Mr.
Wilcox
watched
her
with
a
vague
uneasiness
.
"
What
did
he
suspect
you
of
?
"
"
Of
wanting
to
make
money
out
of
him
.
"
"
Intolerable
brute
!
But
how
were
you
to
benefit
?
"
"
Exactly
.
How
indeed
!
Just
horrible
,
corroding
suspicion
.
One
touch
of
thought
or
of
goodwill
would
have
brushed
it
away
.
Just
the
senseless
fear
that
does
make
men
intolerable
brutes
.
"
"
I
come
back
to
my
original
point
.
You
ought
to
be
more
careful
,
Miss
Schlegel
.
Your
servants
ought
to
have
orders
not
to
let
such
people
in
.
"
She
turned
to
him
frankly
.
"
Let
me
explain
exactly
why
we
like
this
man
,
and
want
to
see
him
again
.
"
"
That
's
your
clever
way
of
thinking
.
I
shall
never
believe
you
like
him
.
"
"
I
do
.
Firstly
,
because
he
cares
for
physical
adventure
,
just
as
you
do
.
Yes
,
you
go
motoring
and
shooting
;
he
would
like
to
go
camping
out
.
Secondly
,
he
cares
for
something
special
in
adventure
.
It
is
quickest
to
call
that
special
something
poetry
—
"
"
Oh
,
he
's
one
of
that
writer
sort
.
"
"
No
—
oh
no
!
I
mean
he
may
be
,
but
it
would
be
loathsome
stiff
.
His
brain
is
filled
with
the
husks
of
books
,
culture
—
horrible
;
we
want
him
to
wash
out
his
brain
and
go
to
the
real
thing
.
We
want
to
show
him
how
he
may
get
upsides
with
life
.
As
I
said
,
either
friends
or
the
country
,
some
"
—
she
hesitated
—
"
either
some
very
dear
person
or
some
very
dear
place
seems
necessary
to
relieve
life
's
daily
grey
,
and
to
show
that
it
is
grey
.
If
possible
,
one
should
have
both
.
"
Some
of
her
words
ran
past
Mr.
Wilcox
.
He
let
them
run
past
.
Others
he
caught
and
criticized
with
admirable
lucidity
.
"
Your
mistake
is
this
,
and
it
is
a
very
common
mistake
.
This
young
bounder
has
a
life
of
his
own
.
What
right
have
you
to
conclude
it
is
an
unsuccessful
life
,
or
,
as
you
call
it
,
'
grey
'
?
"
"
Because
—
"
"
One
minute
.
You
know
nothing
about
him
.
He
probably
has
his
own
joys
and
interests
—
wife
,
children
,
snug
little
home
.
That
's
where
we
practical
fellows
"
—
he
smiled
—
"
are
more
tolerant
than
you
intellectuals
.
We
live
and
let
live
,
and
assume
that
things
are
jogging
on
fairly
well
elsewhere
,
and
that
the
ordinary
plain
man
may
be
trusted
to
look
after
his
own
affairs
.
I
quite
grant
—
I
look
at
the
faces
of
the
clerks
in
my
own
office
,
and
observe
them
to
be
dull
,
but
I
do
n't
know
what
's
going
on
beneath
.
So
,
by
the
way
,
with
London
.
I
have
heard
you
rail
against
London
,
Miss
Schlegel
,
and
it
seems
a
funny
thing
to
say
but
I
was
very
angry
with
you
.
What
do
you
know
about
London
?
You
only
see
civilization
from
the
outside
.
I
do
n't
say
in
your
case
,
but
in
too
many
cases
that
attitude
leads
to
morbidity
,
discontent
,
and
Socialism
.
"
She
admitted
the
strength
of
his
position
,
though
it
undermined
imagination
.
As
he
spoke
,
some
outposts
of
poetry
and
perhaps
of
sympathy
fell
ruining
,
and
she
retreated
to
what
she
called
her
"
second
line
"
—
to
the
special
facts
of
the
case
.
"
His
wife
is
an
old
bore
,
"
she
said
simply
.
"
He
never
came
home
last
Saturday
night
because
he
wanted
to
be
alone
,
and
she
thought
he
was
with
us
.
"
"
With
you
?
"
"
Yes
.
"
Evie
tittered
.
"
He
has
n't
got
the
cosy
home
that
you
assumed
.
He
needs
outside
interests
.
"
"
Naughty
young
man
!
"
cried
the
girl
.
"
Naughty
?
"
said
Margaret
,
who
hated
naughtiness
more
than
sin
.
"
When
you
're
married
,
Miss
Wilcox
,
wo
n't
you
want
outside
interests
?
"
"
He
has
apparently
got
them
,
"
put
in
Mr.
Wilcox
slyly
.
"
Yes
,
indeed
,
Father
.
"
"
He
was
tramping
in
Surrey
,
if
you
mean
that
,
"
said
Margaret
,
pacing
away
rather
crossly
.
"
Oh
,
I
dare
say
!
"
"
Miss
Wilcox
,
he
was
!
"
"
M-m-m-m
!
"
from
Mr.
Wilcox
,
who
thought
the
episode
amusing
,
if
risqué
.
With
most
ladies
he
would
not
have
discussed
it
,
but
he
was
trading
on
Margaret
's
reputation
as
an
emanicipated
woman
.
"
He
said
so
,
and
about
such
a
thing
he
would
n't
lie
.
"
They
both
began
to
laugh
.
"
That
's
where
I
differ
from
you
.
Men
lie
about
their
positions
and
prospects
,
but
not
about
a
thing
of
that
sort
.
"
He
shook
his
head
.
"
Miss
Schlegel
,
excuse
me
,
but
I
know
the
type
.
"
"
I
said
before
—
he
is
n't
a
type
.
He
cares
about
adventures
rightly
.
He
's
certain
that
our
smug
existence
is
n't
all
.
He
's
vulgar
and
hysterical
and
bookish
,
but
I
do
n't
think
that
sums
him
up
.
There
's
manhood
in
him
as
well
.
Yes
,
that
's
what
I
'm
trying
to
say
.
He
's
a
real
man
.
"
As
she
spoke
their
eyes
met
,
and
it
was
as
if
Mr.
Wilcox
's
defences
fell
.
She
saw
back
to
the
real
man
in
him
.
Unwittingly
she
had
touched
his
emotions
.
A
woman
and
two
men
—
they
had
formed
the
magic
triangle
of
sex
,
and
the
male
was
thrilled
to
jealousy
,
in
case
the
female
was
attracted
by
another
male
.
Love
,
say
the
ascetics
,
reveals
our
shameful
kinship
with
the
beasts
.
Be
it
so
:
one
can
bear
that
;
jealousy
is
the
real
shame
.
It
is
jealousy
,
not
love
,
that
connects
us
with
the
farmyard
intolerably
,
and
calls
up
visions
of
two
angry
cocks
and
a
complacent
hen
.
Margaret
crushed
complacency
down
because
she
was
civilized
.
Mr.
Wilcox
,
uncivilized
,
continued
to
feel
anger
long
after
he
had
rebuilt
his
defences
,
and
was
again
presenting
a
bastion
to
the
world
.
"
Miss
Schlegel
,
you
're
a
pair
of
dear
creatures
,
but
you
really
must
be
careful
in
this
uncharitable
world
.
What
does
your
brother
say
?
"
"
I
forget
.
"
"
Surely
he
has
some
opinion
?
"
"
He
laughs
,
if
I
remember
correctly
.
"
"
He
's
very
clever
,
is
n't
he
?
"
said
Evie
,
who
had
met
and
detested
Tibby
at
Oxford
.
"
Yes
,
pretty
well
—
but
I
wonder
what
Helen
's
doing
.
"
"
She
is
very
young
to
undertake
this
sort
of
thing
,
"
said
Mr.
Wilcox
.
Margaret
went
out
into
the
landing
.
She
heard
no
sound
,
and
Mr.
Bast
's
topper
was
missing
from
the
hall
.
"
Helen
!
"
she
called
.
"
Yes
!
"
replied
a
voice
from
the
library
.
"
You
in
there
?
"
"
Yes
—
he
's
gone
some
time
.
"
Margaret
went
to
her
.
"
Why
,
you
're
all
alone
,
"
she
said
.
"
Yes
—
it
's
all
right
,
Meg
—
Poor
,
poor
creature
—
"
"
Come
back
to
the
Wilcoxes
and
tell
me
later
—
Mr.
W
.
much
concerned
,
and
slightly
titillated
.
"
"
Oh
,
I
've
no
patience
with
him
.
I
hate
him
.
Poor
dear
Mr.
Bast
!
he
wanted
to
talk
literature
,
and
we
would
talk
business
.
Such
a
muddle
of
a
man
,
and
yet
so
worth
pulling
through
.
I
like
him
extraordinarily
.
"
"
Well
done
,
"
said
Margaret
,
kissing
her
,
"
but
come
into
the
drawing-room
now
,
and
do
n't
talk
about
him
to
the
Wilcoxes
.
Make
light
of
the
whole
thing
.
"
Helen
came
and
behaved
with
a
cheerfulness
that
reassured
their
visitor
—
this
hen
at
all
events
was
fancy-free
.
"
He
's
gone
with
my
blessing
,
"
she
cried
,
"
and
now
for
puppies
.
"
As
they
drove
away
,
Mr.
Wilcox
said
to
his
daughter
:
"
I
am
really
concerned
at
the
way
those
girls
go
on
.
They
are
as
clever
as
you
make
'
em
,
but
unpractical
—
God
bless
me
!
One
of
these
days
they
'll
go
too
far
.
Girls
like
that
ought
n't
to
live
alone
in
London
.
Until
they
marry
,
they
ought
to
have
someone
to
look
after
them
.
We
must
look
in
more
often
—
we
're
better
than
no
one
.
You
like
them
,
do
n't
you
,
Evie
?
"
Evie
replied
:
"
Helen
's
right
enough
,
but
I
ca
n't
stand
the
toothy
one
.
And
I
should
n't
have
called
either
of
them
girls
.
"
Evie
had
grown
up
handsome
.
Dark-eyed
,
with
the
glow
of
youth
under
sunburn
,
built
firmly
and
firm-lipped
,
she
was
the
best
the
Wilcoxes
could
do
in
the
way
of
feminine
beauty
.
For
the
present
,
puppies
and
her
father
were
the
only
things
she
loved
,
but
the
net
of
matrimony
was
being
prepared
for
her
,
and
a
few
days
later
she
was
attracted
to
a
Mr.
Percy
Cahill
,
an
uncle
of
Mrs.
Charles
,
and
he
was
attracted
to
her
.
Chapter
17
The
Age
of
Property
holds
bitter
moments
even
for
a
proprietor
.
When
a
move
is
imminent
,
furniture
becomes
ridiculous
,
and
Margaret
now
lay
awake
at
nights
wondering
where
,
where
on
earth
they
and
all
their
belongings
would
be
deposited
in
September
next
.
Chairs
,
tables
,
pictures
,
books
,
that
had
rumbled
down
to
them
through
the
generations
,
must
rumble
forward
again
like
a
slide
of
rubbish
to
which
she
longed
to
give
the
final
push
,
and
send
toppling
into
the
sea
.
But
there
were
all
their
father
's
books
—
they
never
read
them
,
but
they
were
their
father
's
,
and
must
be
kept
.
There
was
the
marble-topped
chiffonier
—
their
mother
had
set
store
by
it
,
they
could
not
remember
why
.
Round
every
knob
and
cushion
in
the
house
sentiment
gathered
,
a
sentiment
that
was
at
times
personal
,
but
more
often
a
faint
piety
to
the
dead
,
a
prolongation
of
rites
that
might
have
ended
at
the
grave
.
It
was
absurd
,
if
you
came
to
think
of
it
;
Helen
and
Tibby
came
to
think
of
it
:
Margaret
was
too
busy
with
the
house-agents
.
The
feudal
ownership
of
land
did
bring
dignity
,
whereas
the
modern
ownership
of
movables
is
reducing
us
again
to
a
nomadic
horde
.
We
are
reverting
to
the
civilization
of
luggage
,
and
historians
of
the
future
will
note
how
the
middle
classes
accreted
possessions
without
taking
root
in
the
earth
,
and
may
find
in
this
the
secret
of
their
imaginative
poverty
.
The
Schlegels
were
certainly
the
poorer
for
the
loss
of
Wickham
Place
.
It
had
helped
to
balance
their
lives
,
and
almost
to
counsel
them
.
Nor
is
their
ground-landlord
spiritually
the
richer
.
He
has
built
flats
on
its
site
,
his
motor-cars
grow
swifter
,
his
exposures
of
Socialism
more
trenchant
.
But
he
has
spilt
the
precious
distillation
of
the
years
,
and
no
chemistry
of
his
