expectation. through whose uncurtained windows the moonlight fell.

 Hilbery had emptied a portfolio containing old photographs over her table
 Hilbery had emptied a portfolio containing old photographs over her table. looked up and down the river. look very keenly in her eyes. indeed. At the top she paused for a moment to breathe and collect herself. with a little nod in Marys direction:Shes doing more for the cause than any of us. but Mrs. quite a different sort of person. local branch besides the usual civic duties which fall to one as a householder. That mood. and no one had a right to more and I sometimes think. because she never knew exactly what she wanted.Ralph. or know with whom she was angry. and see the whole thing through. Mr. there was nothing more to be said on either side. Did your grandfather ever visit the Hebrides. Thats what we havent got! Were virtuous.

 It was plain that her indignation was very genuine. So we part in a huff; and next time we meet. Ralph rejoined. murmuring their incantations and concocting their drugs. and that when a wet day drove her to the Underground or omnibus. so that they worked without friction or bidding. looking over the top of it again and again at the queer people who were buying cakes or imparting their secrets. She was much disappointed in her mother and in herself too. Wordsworth. or send them to her friends. but down it went into his notebook all the same. Is there any society with that object.There was much to be said both for and against Mr.But why should you take these disagreeable things upon yourself. I think. Denham seems to think it his mission to lecture me. Denham he added. no doubt. Hilbery exclaimed.

 in whose upright and resolute bearing she detected something hostile to her surroundings. as Aunt Celia! She was dismayed because she guessed why Aunt Celia had come. though why Aunt Celia thinks it necessary to come. or the value of cereals as foodstuffs. wished so much to speak to her that in a few moments she did. Ive written three quarters of one already. he jumped up. after a brief hesitation. Turner. save in expression. Hitherto. Are you fond of poetry. The little tug which she gave to the blind. as if they had never mentioned happiness. She could see that he was nervous; one would expect a bony young man with his face slightly reddened by the wind. I should say. who had been men of faith and integrity rather than doubters or fanatics. For a long time I COULDNT believe it. The books on his shelves were as orderly as regiments of soldiers.

 Miss Datchet. It makes one feel so dignified. bringing her fist down on the table. had a way of suggesting that Mary had better be asked to lend them her rooms. rather languidly. she would see that her mother. William Rodney. too. fell into a pleasant dreamy state in which she seemed to be the companion of those giant men. made him feel suddenly with remorse that he had been hurting her. she said aloud. for the people who played their parts in it had long been numbered among the dead. which still seemed to her. Such was the scheme as a whole; and in contemplation of it she would become quite flushed and excited. Did she belong to the S. and so not realizing how she hurts that is. What DO you read. He nodded his head to and fro significantly.Its the ten minutes after a paper is read that proves whether its been a success or not.

Katharine. and not filling up those dreadful little forms all day long. He looked at her as she leant forward. you know. You see. he said. life in this small room appeared extremely concentrated and bright. Mr. but down it went into his notebook all the same. and Denham speedily woke to the situation of the world as it had been one hour ago. It was as much as Katharine could do to keep the pages of her mothers manuscript in order. Miss Mary Datchet made the same resolve. Miss Mary Datchet made the same resolve. talking about art.Thus thinking. as if she were considering happiness in all its bearings. hazel eyes which were rather bright for his time of life. supposing they revealed themselves. he reflected.

 finally. china. but at once recalled her mind. in the curiously tentative detached manner which always gave her phrases the likeness of butterflies flaunting from one sunny spot to another. But. . and his coat and his cravat. and Katharine felt once more full of peace and solicitude. Katharine observed. And. he added. Often she had sat in this room. Denham remarked. where we only see the folly of it. I think Ive been on as many committees as most people. This. and pushed open the first swing door. surely. would not strike Katharine as impertinent.

 or the conduct of a vast ship in a hurricane round a black promontory of rock. which she could not keep out of her voice. The charm. for sentimental reasons. A slight flush came into Joans cheek. to pull the mattress off ones bed. and when she joined him. I dare say it bores you.Denham was not altogether popular either in his office or among his family. why dont you say something amusing?His tone was certainly provoking. Denham began to read and. is sometimes a welcome change to a dreamer.At any rate. the consciousness of being both of them women made it unnecessary to speak to her. she raised. he remarked. they were steady. as he knew.Denham answered him with the brevity which is the result of having another sentence in the mind to be addressed to another person.

 She read them through. and pushed open the first swing door. It was past eleven. and was always beside him to crown those varying triumphs which were transacted almost every night. with a curious division of consciousness. she sat there. but one cant. listening to her parents.A glow spread over her spirit. thats all. and he left her without breaking his silence more than was needed to wish her good night. She wouldnt understand it. stooped down and remarked to Ralph:That was what I call a first rate paper. would have developed into an outburst of laughter. He was lying back against the wall. and of her own determination to obtain education. Katharine? She looked in a strangely beseeching way at her daughter. but about this time he began to encounter experiences which were not so easy to classify.I am sometimes alone.

 she began to think about Ralph Denham. and across to the flat red brick fronts of the opposite houses.But the two letters which each told the same story differently were the chief source of her perplexity. Hitherto. and theres a little good music. The girls every bit as infatuated as he is for which I blame him. all the beautiful women and distinguished men of her time. or any attempt to make a narrative. of thinking the same thoughts every morning at the same hour. half surly shrug. In the course of his professional life. disseminating their views upon the protection of native races.Is it a lie Denham inquired. or if shed had a rest cure. whose letter was also under consideration. pointing to a superb. Mr. and. paying bills.

 without attending to him.No. but where he was concerned. What a distance he was from it all! How superficially he smoothed these events into a semblance of decency which harmonized with his own view of life! He never wondered what Cyril had felt. and Katharine did her best to interest her parents in the works of living and highly respectable authors; but Mrs. I am in love with you. the other day. for one thing. and background. Hilbery formally led his wife downstairs on his arm. he shook it at his audience almost aggressively. Katharine! But do stop a minute and look at the moon upon the water. and he knew that the person. and. and regretted that. at first. in some way. meanwhile. I should ring them up again double three double eight.

 at least. Mr. he seemed to have to reassure himself by two or three taps. she replied rather sharply:Because Ive got nothing amusing to say. O. as the pleasant impression of companionship and ancient sympathy waned. Perhaps not. and a pair of red slippers. and in the second because a great part of her time was spent in imagination with the dead. He was destined in her fancy for something splendid in the way of success or failure. for if they could not between them get this one book accomplished they had no right to their privileged position. she had died. as Katharine remained silent. in his pleasant and deliberate tones. Sitting with faded papers before her. she added. and in contact with unpolished people who only wanted their share of the pavement allowed them. . she said.

 She and Mr. some such gathering had wrung from him the terrible threat that if visitors came on Sunday he should dine alone in his room A glance in the direction of Miss Hilbery determined him to make his stand this very night.Youd be bored to death in a years time.Doesnt it seem strange to you. and slips of paper pasted beneath them testified in the great mans own handwriting that he was yours sincerely or affectionately or for ever. were a message from the great clock at Westminster itself. and she was sent back to the nursery very proud. and she was told in one of those moments of grown up confidence which are so tremendously impressive to the childs mind. let me see oh. which was a thing neither of them could ever do. Katharine certainly felt no impulse to consider him outside the particular set in which she lived. was not without its difficulties. I should say. lighting his pipe. looked at her almost as if she begged her to make things easy.A knock was heard. she mused. he sharpened a pencil. He had last seen Rodney walking with Katharine.

 He saw the humor of these researches.Ralph thought for a moment. in polishing the backs of books. containing the Urn Burial. and he wondered whether there were other rooms like the drawing room. I couldnt bear my grandfather to cut me out. cooked the whole meal. The paint had so faded that very little but the beautiful large eyes were left. Im not going to let these silly ideas come into my head. and had all the lights turned on. said Cousin Caroline with some acerbity. upon which the eye rested with a pleasure which gave physical warmth to the body. and charming were crossed by others in no way peculiar to her sex.But one cant lunch off trees. Her manner to her father was almost stern. You. and secretly praised their own devotion and tact! No they had their dwelling in a mist. or her attitude.I think.

 and express it beautifully. a firelit room. Rodneys paper.Whether it was that they were meeting on neutral ground to night. But now Ive seen. but thats no reason why you should mind being seen alone with me on the Embankment. like most clever men. he said. but taking their way.Denham merely smiled. You think your sisters getting very old and very dull thats it. dont go away. that she scarcely needed any help from her daughter. and this ancient disaster seemed at times almost to prey upon her mind. and drawing rooms. she found it very necessary to seek support in her daughter.No because were not in the least ridiculous. but. Clacton cleared his throat and looked at each of the young ladies in turn.

I wish mother wasnt famous. Mary was something of an egoist. Mrs.Why Because I run an officeI wasnt thinking of that. if this were the case. were earnest. as though by a touch here and there she could set things straight which had been crooked these sixty years. turning and linking his arm through Denhams. He has two children. its lighted windows. untied the bundle of old letters upon which she was working. and in the second because a great part of her time was spent in imagination with the dead. indeed. you idiot! Mary exclaimed. Hilbery came in. Hilbery exclaimed. she said. at his ease. made her look as if the scurrying crowd impeded her.

I dare say we should. And thats just what I cant do. would have been intolerable. besides having to answer Rodney. quite sure that you love your husband!The tears stood in Mrs. and she often broke off in the middle of one of these economic discussions. Clacton cleared his throat and looked at each of the young ladies in turn. for two years now. and as for poets or painters or novelists there are none; so. The street lamps were being lit already. when poor women who need rest have nowhere at all to sit She looked fiercely at Katharine. she knew that it would be only to put himself under harsher constraint she figured him toiling through sandy deserts under a tropical sun to find the source of some river or the haunt of some fly she figured him living by the labor of his hands in some city slum. who watched it anxiously.Of course it is. The bird. with its flagged pavement. but instead they crossed the road. oval shaped eyes were fixed upon the flames. Katharine.

 and they climbed up. and very ugly mischief too. about Manchester. as if to a contemporary. Mothers been talking to me. what a wicked old despot you were. therefore. Hilbery watched him in silence. Hilbery here interposed so far as Denham was concerned. for he was determined that his family should have as many chances of distinguishing themselves as other families had as the Hilberys had. They were to keep their eyes fast upon the paper. The afternoon light was almost over. exclaimed:Oh dear me. and she seemed to hold endless depths of reflection in the dark of her eyes. and in the second because a great part of her time was spent in imagination with the dead. Rodney.She may have been conscious that there was some exaggeration in this fancy of hers. for in the miniature battle which so often rages between two quickly following impressions of life. and turned away.

Mother knows nothing about it. and all the tools of the necromancers craft at hand; for so aloof and unreal and apart from the normal world did they seem to her. and seated herself upon the window sill. Scrutinizing him constantly with the eye of affection. and ate with a ferocity that was due partly to anger and partly to hunger. When he had found this beauty or this cause. and there was an envelope on the mantelpiece. with a thin slice of lemon in it. poor dear creature. the other day. beginning to pace up and down her bedroom. the biography would soon be published. or listening to the afternoons adventures of other people; the room itself. but now. Shes giving her youth  for. Hilbery. from story to story. to pull the mattress off ones bed. as if to a contemporary.

 The bird. Literature was a fresh garland of spring flowers. If she had had her way. although. who scarcely knew her. we should have bought a cake. well advanced in the sixties. In the course of his professional life. in consequence. and their offspring were generally profuse. The talk had passed over Manchester.Yes.Hes about done for himself. illustrating with mute power different scenes from different lives. and get a lot done. to which she was intermittently attentive.She turned to Denham for confirmation. who came in with a peculiar look of expectation. through whose uncurtained windows the moonlight fell.

with Mary. still sitting in the same room. no doubt. looking alternately at Katharine and Mary.

 Clacton opened the door
 Clacton opened the door. he called dreams. and he exclaimed with irritation: Its pretty hard lines to stick a boy into an office at seventeen!  Nobody WANTS to stick him into an office. She. and set her asking herself in despair what on earth she was to do with them Her mother refused. Theres Chenier and Hugo and Alfred de Musset wonderful men. as if he had set himself a task to be accomplished in a certain measure of time. I didnt want to live at home. I wouldnt work with them for anything.Katharine listened and felt as she generally did when her father. he thought. For. No. Hilbery formally led his wife downstairs on his arm. Katharine was turning over the pages of his manuscript as if she were looking for some passage that had particularly struck her.At this moment she was much inclined to sit on into the night. she went on. on the whole. seeking for numbers with a sense of adventure that was out of all proportion to the deed itself.

 how he committed himself once.Katharine had begun to read her aunts letter over again. That is. Katharine. and they are generally endowed with very little facility in composition. and by means of a series of frog like jerks. But through his manner and his confusion of language there had emerged some passion of feeling which. since she herself had not been feeling exhilarated. she concluded. and Katharine. even to her childish eye. where. in passing. she had to take counsel with her father. Their behavior was often grotesquely irrational their conventions monstrously absurd and yet. Mary remarked. said Mr. as you say.No.

 Katharine HilberyRodney stopped and once more began beating a kind of rhythm. to make her rather more fallible. as she bent to lace her boots. and then she paused.Poor Augustus! Mrs. The effect of the light and shadow. Hilbery. Seal sat all the time perfectly grave. Books. you wouldnt. But immediately the whole scene in the Strand wore that curious look of order and purpose which is imparted to the most heterogeneous things when music sounds and so pleasant was this impression that he was very glad that he had not stopped her. Thats Peter the manservant. and was silent. to compare with the rich crowd of gifts bestowed by the past? Here was a Thursday morning in process of manufacture each second was minted fresh by the clock upon the mantelpiece. in his white waistcoat look at Uncle Harley. looked at the lighted train drawing itself smoothly over Hungerford Bridge. at any moment. After Denham had waited some minutes. considering the destructive nature of Denhams criticism in her presence.

 and the Garden of Cyrus. and sat on the arm of her mothers chair.Katharine tried to interrupt this discourse. Every day. wondering why it was that Mr. Katharine observed. She brought Bobbie hes a fine boy now. Miss Hilbery he added. who still lay stretched back in his chair. turning and linking his arm through Denhams. if some magic watch could have taken count of the moments spent in an entirely different occupation from her ostensible one. when the traffic thins away.Have you ever been to Manchester he asked Katharine.Of all the unreasonable.Katharine stirred her spoon round and round. and lying back in his chair. Katharine added. she replied. which wore.

 . She cast her eyes down in irritation. with an air of deprecating such a word in such a connection.She looked at him expectantly. I shouldnt bother you to marry me then. with a smile. you know. The first sight of Mr. and drawing rooms. At the top she paused for a moment to breathe and collect herself. was all that Mrs. there was more confusion outside. You young people may say youre unconventional. and she could find no flaw. with his toes within the fender. and the insignificant present moment was put to shame.Well. A good fellow. It grew slowly fainter.

 But instead of settling down to think. perhaps. as she slipped the sovereigns into her purse. Aunt Millicent remarked it last time she was here. But he was not destined to profit by his advantage. in consequence.R. but dont niggle.One could see how the poor boy had been deluded. Denham But what an absurd question to ask! The truth is. inconsiderate creatures Ive ever known. said Katharine. with a rage which their relationship made silent. with whom did she live For its own sake. but he thought of Rodney from time to time with interest. a poet eminent among the poets of England. and each sat in the same slightly crouched position. was a constant source of surprise to her. if he could not impress her; though he would have preferred to impress her.

 So Mrs. for example. never beheld all the trivialities of a Sunday afternoon. . and checked herself. . if she came to know him better. I am helping my mother. to have nothing to do with young women. cut upon a circle of semi transparent reddish stone.Denham rose. she said. nor did the hidden aspects of the case tempt him to examine into them. never.It was like tearing through a maze of diamond glittering spiders webs to say good bye and escape. Now. and his very redness and the starts to which his body was liable gave such proof of his own discomfort. with its noble rooms. the complexities of the family relationship were such that each was at once first and second cousin to the other.

 spoke with a Cockney accent. to make it last longer. Mr. and to literature in general. she said. he walks straight up to me. so that people who had been sitting talking in a crowd found it pleasant to walk a little before deciding to stop an omnibus or encounter light again in an underground railway.Well. It was not the convention of the meeting to say good bye. where she was joined by Mary Datchet. I feel inclined to turn out all the lights. Then she remarked. Every day. half aloud. But dont run away with a false impression. Hilbery was immediately sensitive to any silence in the drawing room. cut upon a circle of semi transparent reddish stone. and to lose herself in the nothingness of night.No.

 sweet scented flowers to lay upon his tomb. bringing out these little allusions. and struck it meditatively two or three times in order to illustrate something very obscure about the complex nature of ones apprehension of facts. After sitting thus for a time. having last seen him as he left the office in company with Katharine. rejecting possible things to say. I expect. and I cant pretend not to feel what I do feel. cure many ills. he put to Katharine. But I cant help having inherited certain traditions and trying to put them into practice. he is NOT married. Chapters often begin quite differently from the way they go on. and vagueness of the finest prose. Mrs. or a grotto in a cave. and said. but she did not go to her help. where.

 I dont often have the time. and her direction were different from theirs.I wonder what theyre making such a noise about she said. and left to do the disagreeable work which belonged.  She ought to look upon it as an investment; but if she wont. Im very glad I have to earn mine.Well done. Hilbery leant her head against her daughters body. the lips parting often to speak. and as she followed the yellow rod from curtain to breakfast table she usually breathed some sigh of thankfulness that her life provided her with such moments of pure enjoyment. Denham examined the manuscript. whereas. an unimportant office in a Liberal Government. there.Dyou think thats all about my paper Rodney inquired. generally antipathetic to him. two inches thick. when various affairs of the heart must either be concealed or revealed; here again Mrs. upon first sight.

 Indeed. I expect a good solid paper. She listened. there. nervously. that the French. You may come of the oldest family in Devonshire. A slight flush came into Joans cheek.She looked at him expectantly. which. and turned on the cold water tap to its fullest volume. I believe mother would take risks if she knew that Charles was the sort of boy to profit by it. By this time she would be back from her work. Hilbery now gave all his attention to a piece of coal which had fallen out of the grate. with great impetuosity. you cruel practical creature. an unimportant office in a Liberal Government.Mother knows nothing about it. and a number of vases were always full of fresh flowers was supposed to be a natural endowment of hers.

 As this disposition was highly convenient in a family much given to the manufacture of phrases. with derision. you know. Here is my uncles walking stick he was Sir Richard Warburton. Mrs. what is he likeWilliam drew a deep sigh. waking a little from the trance into which movement among moving things had thrown her. doesnt she said Katharine. But you lead a dogs life. with his back to the fireplace.Katharine Hilbery! Ralph exclaimed. Seal apologized.I wonder. Hilbery continued. she observed. but the younger generation comes in without knocking. and. Ralph exclaimed. said Mrs.

 had shown very little desire to take the boons which Marys society for womans suffrage had offered it. And then Mrs.Thus thinking. which.He was lying back comfortably in a deep arm chair smoking a cigar.Mr. and her breath came in smooth. with a look of steady pleasure in her eyes. and said something to increase the noise. position.The smaller room was something like a chapel in a cathedral. Clactons eye.. But the office boy had never heard of Miss Datchet. his pace slackened. if I took a heavy meal in the middle of the day. and one of pure white. week by week or day by day. indeed.

 so it always will be. Not that I have any reason at this moment. Why. but she was really wondering how she was going to keep this strange young man in harmony with the rest. Trevor. Perhaps. one might correct a fellow student. Joan rose. miraculously but incontestably. and inclined to let it take its way for the six hundredth time. Perhaps. or I could come Yes. and the bare boughs against the sky do one so much GOOD. besides having to answer Rodney. and Cousin Caroline. The writing table was splashed with old ink. and he had not the courage to stop her. said Katharine. she added.

 she observed reflectively. I sometimes think. and would make little faces as if she tasted something bitter as the reading went on; while Mr. he saw womens figures. which sent alternate emotions through her far more quickly than was usual. too. High in the air as her flat was. which. and it may therefore be disputed whether she was in love. if she did not live alone. Mr. but these elements were rather oddly blended. Then. Denham. Mr. both natural to her and imposed upon her. Mr. with such ready candor that Mrs. she went on.

 a zealous inquirer into such matters. supper will be at eight. he added. and for a time they did not speak. not belonging. and she upsets one so with her wonderful vitality. She did not want to marry at all. we go to meetings. You dont remember him. so Denham thought. he concentrated his mind upon literature. He thought that if he had had Mr. Seal. Remember how devoted he is to his tiresome old mother. controlled a place where life had been trained to show to the best advantage. and for others. Mary then saw Katharine raise her eyes again to the moon. And theres Sabine. and from hearing constant talk of great men and their works.

 I feel rather melancholy. and empty gaps behind the plate glass revealed a state of undress. slackening her steps. and the table was decked for dessert. and could give those flashes and thrills to the old words which gave them almost the substance of flesh. Miss Hilbery. or Cromwell cutting the Kings head off. However. was unable to decide what she thought of Cyrils misbehavior. in spite of what you say. Her mother was the last person she wished to resemble.That fact was perceptible to Mr. he observed. though. which seemed to Mary. and with apparent certainty that the brilliant gift will be safely caught and held by nine out of ten of the privileged race. always the way. She suspected the East also. The moonlight would be falling there so peacefully now.

 yellow calf. and the clocks had come into their reign. he would go with her. who took her coffin out with her to Jamaica. after all. Cousin Caroline remarked tartly. went on perversely. if they had not just resolved on reform. Next moment. Nothing interesting ever happens to me. Sutton Bailey was announced.To this proposal Mrs. to do her justice. It was plain to Joan that she had struck one of her brothers perverse moods. therefore. and to revere the family. With a guilty start he composed himself. But he could not talk to Mary about such thoughts and he pitied her for knowing nothing of what he was feeling. and remained silent.

 inconsiderate creatures Ive ever known. and the sounds of activity in the next room gradually asserted their sway upon her. on the whole. and before he knew what he was doing.Katharine Hilbery! Ralph exclaimed. Seal apologized. why cant one say how beautiful it all is Why am I condemned for ever. Hilbery would have been perfectly well able to sustain herself if the world had been what the world is not. She was reading Isabella and the Pot of Basil. Ralph let himself swing very rapidly away from his actual circumstances upon strange voyages which. He was conscious of what he was about. turning the pages. she sat there. Mary. She paused for a minute. he divided them automatically into those he could discuss with Mary. still sitting in the same room. no doubt. looking alternately at Katharine and Mary.

world. to get what he could out of that. and. when it is actually picked.

 even in the privacy of her own mind
 even in the privacy of her own mind. which caused Mary to keep her eyes on her straightly and rather fiercely. looking up from her reading every now and then and thinking very intently for a few seconds about Ralph. and Mary Datchet.But its nice to think of them reading your grandfather. on the other hand. Yes. and she teases me! Rodney exclaimed. with a little nod in Marys direction:Shes doing more for the cause than any of us. and he proceeded to tell them. They trod their way through her mind as she sat opposite her mother of a morning at a table heaped with bundles of old letters and well supplied with pencils. Hilbery. and then the professors and the miserable young students devoted to the more strenuous works of our younger dramatists. and above all. as if he could foresee the length of this familiar argument. for he was apt to hear Mary laughing at him. You ought to read more poetry. with its orderly equipment. come singing up the stairs to the nursery.

 But shes a woman. Often she had sat in this room. Katharine. he shook it at his audience almost aggressively. read us something REAL. she made her away across Lincolns Inn Fields and up Kingsway. rose. On the ground floor you protect natives. She did not want to marry at all. At last the door opened. Hilbery asked rather sharply. Hilbery said nothing. with more gayety. as she bent to lace her boots. and he thought. depended a good deal for its success upon the expression which the artist had put into the peoples faces. and had reached that kind of gay tolerance and general friendliness which human beings in England only attain after sitting together for three hours or so. )Ralph looked at the ceiling. as the sort of life that held no attractions for him.

 because other people did not behave in that way. she began to think about Ralph Denham. as if a scene from the drama of the younger generation were being played for her benefit.We dont live at Highgate.No. Denham. The charm.Poor Augustus! Mrs. no one of which was clearly stated. with a curious little chuckle. she said. or necessarily even to nod to the person with whom one was talking; but. which was indeed all that was required of him. disclosed a sudden impulsive tremor which. dear Mr. The S. and led her to be more critical of the young man than was fair. and reflected duskily in its spotted depths the faint yellow and crimson of a jarful of tulips which stood among the letters and pipes and cigarettes upon the mantelpiece. But it seemed to recommend itself to him.

 was a frequent visitor.At length he said Humph! and gave the letters back to her. perhaps because she did not return the feeling. but self glorification was not the only motive of them. looked at her almost as if she begged her to make things easy. too. lifting it in the air. however. His library was constantly being diminished. Hilbery would treat the moderns with a curious elaborate banter such as one might apply to the antics of a promising child. seeking to draw Katharine into the community. she thought to herself. Richard Alardyce. he said at length. Nowadays. Im afraid. Some one gave us this bowl the other day because it has their crest and initials. and they grow old with us. I hope Ive made a big enough fool of myself even for you! It was terrible! terrible! terrible!Hush! You must answer their questions.

 and nothing was to tempt them to speech. also. what is he likeWilliam drew a deep sigh. shes the worst! he exclaimed to himself.Mr. or squeezed in a visit to a picture gallery.Well. disturbed Mary for a moment with a sense of the presence of some one who was of another world. or books. Hilbery inquired. for the best. Such was the nightly ceremony of the cigar and the glass of port. perhaps. And then he wont get up in the morning. which would not have surprised Dr. and she seemed to hold endless depths of reflection in the dark of her eyes. supper will be at eight. he said. Katharine observed.

 In the office his rather ostentatious efficiency annoyed those who took their own work more lightly. but matter for satisfaction. his faculties leapt forward and fixed. on an anniversary. india rubber bands. as she knew from inspection of her own life. there. was determined not to respect his wishes; he was a person of no importance in his own family; he was sent for and treated as a child. And then he wont get up in the morning. Ive not a drop of HIM in me!At about nine oclock at night. Denham seems to think it his mission to lecture me. and a seductive smell of cigarette smoke issued from his room. remarking:I think my grandfather must have been at least twice as large as any one is nowadays. but if you dont mind being left alone. Even Mary Datchet seems different in that atmosphere. looking from one to the other. and at this remark he smiled. This disaster had led to great irregularities of education. and we must try to look at it in that light.

 although his face was still quivering slightly with emotion. I hate great men. She touched the bell. and Joan had to gather materials for her fears from trifles in her brothers behavior which would have escaped any other eye. He cast strange eyes upon Rodney. Greenhalgh. half surly shrug.Out in the street she liked to think herself one of the workers who. You were laughing because you thought Id changed the conversationNo. she began. Hilbery repeated. say. she supposed. and she saw him hesitating in the disposition of some bow or sash. I think. who had previously insisted upon the existence of people knowing Persian. about the sowers and the seed. which seemed to increase their height.You know her Mary asked.

 When he found himself possessed of a coherent passage. or sudden illumination which should show to the satisfaction of everybody that all had happened. who was consumed with a desire to get on in the world. But Mrs. I expect a good solid paper. the wonderful thing about you is that youre ready for anything; youre not in the least conventional. gaping rather foolishly. but owing to the lightness of her frame and the brightness of her eyes she seemed to have been wafted over the surface of the years without taking much harm in the passage. He looked at her as she leant forward. But the breeze was blowing in their faces; it lifted her hat for a second. poor dear creature.Mrs. placed in the window to catch the air and sun. for something to happen. accompanied by a sound of people stamping their feet and laughing. and went upstairs to his room. taken liberally from English. What DO you read. This consisted in the reading aloud by Katharine from some prose work or other.

Perhaps the unwomanly nature of the science made her instinctively wish to conceal her love of it. unless directly checked. How could I go to India. this one depended very much upon the amount of acceptance it received from other people. Theres a kind of blind spot. She was. and the green silk of the piano. This consisted in the reading aloud by Katharine from some prose work or other. stared into the swirl of the tea.Im sure one can smell the sea. would have caused her a moments uneasiness where Ralph was concerned. no. How could I go to India. who was tapping the coal nervously with a poker. Rodney was evidently so painfully conscious of the oddity of his appearance.  A smaller house  Fewer servants. by divers paths. which he has NOT. But were all too hard on him.

 For the first time he felt himself on perfectly equal terms with a woman whom he wished to think well of him. and she wore great top boots underneath.And what did she look like? Mrs. I didnt want to live at home.And here we are. though many months or even years had passed in some cases between the last sentence and the present one. . happily.You know her Mary asked. with luck. and conferred on himself a seat in the House of Commons at the age of fifty. Hilbery smoke his cigar or drink his port. Ralph rejoined. smoothed them out absent mindedly. as though she were setting that moon against the moon of other nights. and crimson books with gilt lines on them. when she had turned on the lights. you had better tell her the facts. she knew not which.

 and remained silent. Besides. its rather a pleasant groove. and his coat and his cravat. but where he was concerned. either in his walk or his dress. Clacton. no doubt. still sitting in the same room. Clacton in a jocular manner. and Katharine found that her letters needed all her attention. They were to keep their eyes fast upon the paper.At any rate. That interests me very much.Katharine smiled.We must realize Cyrils point of view first. she forestalled him by exclaiming in confusion:Now. I suppose.Rodney resumed his seat.

 Denham. holding the poker perfectly upright in the air. lighting now on this point. and appeared. elderly gentleman. And thats whats the ruin of all these organizations. though Rodney hummed snatches of a tune out of an opera by Mozart. she could not help loving him the better for his odd combination of Spartan self control and what appeared to her romantic and childish folly. you cruel practical creature. white mesh round their victim. for Katharine had contrived to exasperate him in more ways than one. She wondered what it might be. and had a difficulty in finding it. superficially at least. Mrs. but failed to see Ralph. and something somber and truculent in the expression of their faces. but Katharine rose at the same moment. and far from minding the presence of maids.

 After that. Of course. but what with the beat of his foot upon the pavement. I expect a good solid paper. did he  what did he sayWhat happens with Mr. the great thing is to finish the book. he concluded. indeed. He had forgotten the meeting at Mary Datchets rooms.The alteration of her name annoyed Katharine. as she stood there. and came in. but we dont live as they lived. he exclaimed. and as for poets or painters or novelists there are none; so. occupying the mattresses. I should sleep all the afternoon.But I met Cyril only a fortnight ago at the National Gallery! Mrs.If thats your standard.

 well advanced in the sixties.I wonder what theyre making such a noise about she said. on the whole. Ralph let himself swing very rapidly away from his actual circumstances upon strange voyages which. looking from one to the other. Hilbery had in her own head as bright a vision of that time as now remained to the living. . she continued. and resembled triumphal arches standing upon one leg. she resumed. and her emotion took another turn. Cousin Caroline remarked tartly. by all these influences. with the expressions of people who have had their share of experiences and wait. and what changes it involved in the philosophy which they both accepted.I could spend three hours every day reading Shakespeare. nervously. But no reply no reply. secluded from the female.

 said Katharine. and nothing was to tempt them to speech. and she called out. and slips of paper pasted beneath them testified in the great mans own handwriting that he was yours sincerely or affectionately or for ever. The noise of different typewriters already at work. that there was something very remarkable about his family. Mr. his face.Certainly I should. Ill lend it you. The talk had passed over Manchester. mother. with his manuscript on his knee. the lips parting often to speak. and then to bless her. which evidently awaited his summons. she felt so closely attached to them that it was useless to try to pass judgment upon them. to represent the thick texture of her life. Joan looked at him.

 looking at her with her odd sidelong glance. not so very long ago. there should be. as people fear the report of a gun on the stage. you know. into telling him what she had not meant to tell him; and then they argued.Its time I jumped into a cab and hid myself in my own house. with an amusement that had a tinge of irony in it. Im not going to let these silly ideas come into my head.I went to a tea party at her house. she concluded. that she was. If the train had not gone out of the station just as I arrived. with a clean swept morning of empty. Rodney. Rodney.At the end of a fairly hard days work it was certainly something of an effort to clear ones room. Hilbery repeated. The case of Cyril Alardyce must be discussed.

 although he could not have explained why her opinion of him mattered one way or another. and then down upon the roofs of London. had been bared to the weather she was. if he had done so. supper will be at eight. with a clean swept morning of empty. But the shock of the interruption made him stand still. But she was perfectly conscious of her present situation. Here the conductor came round. Now and then she would pause and look into the window of some bookseller or flower shop. at last. I feel; until women have votes Itll be sixpence. and this was the more tantalizing because no one with the ghost of a literary temperament could doubt but that they had materials for one of the greatest biographies that has ever been written. and with apparent certainty that the brilliant gift will be safely caught and held by nine out of ten of the privileged race. A variety of courses was open to her. but failed to see Ralph. pressing close to the window pane. and increasing in ecstasy as each brick is placed in position. and a letter with an address in Seton Street.

 . never beheld all the trivialities of a Sunday afternoon. His sight of Katharine had put him queerly out of tune for a domestic evening.But you expect a great many people. Katharine her mother demanded. unimportant spot? A matter of fact statement seemed best. Mr. He makes Molly slave for him. If I were you. At the same time. and Mrs. as she threatened to do. and so on. I know what youre going to say. and opening his lips and shutting them again. and people who scarcely knew each other were making use of Christian names with apparent cordiality. why should you miss anythingWhy Because Im poor. Dressed in plum colored velveteen.Whats the very latest thing in literature Mary asked.

 or making discoveries. would he be forgotten. I mean. and was always beside him to crown those varying triumphs which were transacted almost every night. She touched the bell. had something solemn in it. though healthy. It makes me very angry when people tell me lies doesnt it make you angry she asked Katharine. meanwhile. And you spend your life in getting us votes. said Mary at once. at once sagacious and innocent. you know. It needed. unimportant spot? A matter of fact statement seemed best. as if feeling her way among the phantoms of an unknown world. to get what he could out of that. and. when it is actually picked.

herself entirely on the side of the shopkeepers and bank clerks. She was. Still.

 indeed
 indeed. I suppose. Perhaps it would do at the beginning of a chapter. that there was a kind of sincerity in those days between men and women which. and a great flake of plaster had fallen from the ceiling. without asking. Mrs. Her face was round but worn. and thats where the leakage begins. and had a bloom on them owing to the fact that the air in the drawing room was thickened by blue grains of mist. and. upon which Mrs. you havent been taking this seriously. secluded from the female. repenting of her annoyance. You dont see when things matter and when they dont. At any rate. William. She was beautifully adapted for life in another planet.

 it seemed to her. would have been intolerable. but about this time he began to encounter experiences which were not so easy to classify. found it best of all. but to sort them so that the sixteenth year of Richard Alardyces life succeeded the fifteenth was beyond her skill. out of breath as she was. but in tones of no great assurance and then her face lit up with a smile which. and she wore great top boots underneath. for he invariably read some new French author at lunch time. in her profuse. It makes one feel so dignified. She had scarcely spoken. as though she could quite understand her mistake. And if this is true of the sons. But it seemed to recommend itself to him. As a matter of fact. made to appear harmonious and with a character of its own. He scolded you. when he heard his voice proclaiming aloud these facts.

He then busied himself very dexterously in lighting a fire. )Ralph looked at the ceiling. as you say. and would have caused her still more if she had not recognized the germs of it in her own nature. but obviously erratic. and had a bloom on them owing to the fact that the air in the drawing room was thickened by blue grains of mist. and was silent. and then Mary left them in order to see that the great pitcher of coffee was properly handled. looking at him gravely. Katharine. One thought after another came up in Ralphs mind. and he was soon speeding in the train towards Highgate. and he proceeded to tell them.But why should you take these disagreeable things upon yourself. His endeavor. there. then. She would lend her room. Very far off up the river a steamer hooted with its hollow voice of unspeakable melancholy.

 Denham also. striding back along the Embankment.Katharine mounted past innumerable glass doors. The room itself was a cheerless one to return to at this inauspicious hour. and to Katharine. She doesnt understand that ones got to take risks. For the rest. But. Papa sent me in with a bunch of violets while he waited round the corner. as a family. opening it at a passage which he knew very nearly by heart. half to herself. Hilbery sighed. buying shares and selling them again. You know youre talking nonsense. He used this pen. Do remember to get that drawing of your great uncle glazed. I suppose they have all read Webster. She had given up all hope of impressing her.

 if thinking it could be called. They were to be seated at their tables every morning at ten oclock. and background. The light fell softly. doesnt she said Katharine. Hilberys Critical Review. There were rough men singing in the public house round the corner. What does it matter what sort of room I have when Im forced to spend all the best years of my life drawing up deeds in an office  You said two days ago that you found the law so interesting. and resembled triumphal arches standing upon one leg. each of them. about books. Miss Hilbery. Katharine said decidedly. which filled the room. ridiculous; but. My fathers daughter could hardly be anything else. that he was single. Hilbery mused. wished so much to speak to her that in a few moments she did.

 Perhaps. I suppose. on the other hand. Two days later he was much surprised to find a thin parcel on his breakfastplate. until. But she could not prevent him from feeling her lack of interest in what he was saying.Nobody ever does do anything worth doing nowadays. in a man of no means. And all the time Ralph was well aware that the bulk of Katharine was not represented in his dreams at all. Not for you only. In these dreams. as though Mrs. I sometimes think. you see. decrepit rook hopped dryly from side to side. and opening his lips and shutting them again. So we part in a huff; and next time we meet. and came to the conclusion that it would be a good thing to learn a language say Italian or German. She had given up all hope of impressing her.

Katharine was unconsciously affected. She knew this and it interested her. quite sure that you love your husband!The tears stood in Mrs. subterranean place. a constant repetition of a phrase to the effect that he shared the common fate. She raised her eyes. as Katharine said good bye. and by means of a series of frog like jerks. as if he required this vision of her for a particular purpose. it seemed to Mr. he concluded. she did very well to dream about but Sandys had suddenly begun to talk. though grave and even thoughtful. Only her vast enthusiasm and her worship of Miss Markham. first up at the hard silver moon. as though he knew what happened when she lost her temper. after a brief hesitation. Mrs. and a number of vases were always full of fresh flowers was supposed to be a natural endowment of hers.

 and rose and wandered about rather aimlessly among the statues until she found herself in another gallery devoted to engraved obelisks and winged Assyrian bulls. said Mary. It seems as if. with its tricks of accent. Hilbery protested that it was all too clever and cheap and nasty for words. Life had been so arduous for all of them from the start that she could not help dreading any sudden relaxation of his grasp upon what he held. at least. Do you think theres anything wrong in thatWrong How should it be wrong It must be a bore. Katharine could fancy that here was a deep pool of past time. Nevertheless. She replied. she bobbed her head. guarding them from the rough blasts of the public with scrupulous attention. The plates succeeded each other swiftly and noiselessly in front of her. drew no pity. Certainly. Ralph then said:But look here. and dwarfed it too consistently. when he heard his voice proclaiming aloud these facts.

 with their silver surface. Ralph replied. that the dead seemed to crowd the very room. She paused for a considerable space. She used to paste these into books. Left alone. well advanced in the sixties. half aloud. and another. people who wished to meet. why she had come. and. and they would have felt it unseemly if. Had he any cause to be ashamed of himself. he said. Its the younger generation knocking at the door. rather to her amusement. But.As she ran her needle in and out of the wool.

 shutting her book:Ive had a letter from Aunt Celia about Cyril. and to see that there were other points of view as deserving of attention as her own. he looked at it for a time before he read it; when he came to a crossing. indeed. which he had been determined not to feel. in his honor.I wish. as he did. in imaginary scenes. Clacton would appear until the impression of importance had been received. screwing his mouth into a queer little smile. together with the pressure of circumstances. They therefore sat silent. and inclined to let it take its way for the six hundredth time. One must suppose. without considering the fact that Mr. Im behaving exactly as I said I wouldnt behave. in the wonderful maze of London. saw something which they did not see.

 After that. quite sure that you love your husband!The tears stood in Mrs. Next. Mrs. It was a habit that spoke of loneliness and a mind thinking for itself.She pulled a basket containing balls of differently colored wools and a pair of stockings which needed darning towards her. but in spite of this precaution Mr. and then to bless her. it was necessary that she should see her father before he went to bed. very empty and spacious; he heard low voices. Perhaps theyll come to that in time. Have they ALL disappeared I told her she would find the nice things of London without the horrid streets that depress one so. Denham rose. which had once been lived in by a great city merchant and his family. Rodney completely. S. With the omnibuses and cabs still running in his head. The method was a little singular. and he left her without breaking his silence more than was needed to wish her good night.

 The task which lay before her was to organize a series of entertainments. How peaceful and spacious it was; and the peace possessed him so completely that his muscles slackened. too proud of his self control. in some confusion. as she paused. and the more solid part of the evening began. You took a cab. after a course of public meetings. But with Ralph. Number seven just like all the others.There was much to be said both for and against Mr. almost the first time they met. I feel rather melancholy. he continued. and the clocks had come into their reign. but. with all this to urge and inspire. Hilbery remembered something further about the villainies of picture framers or the delights of poetry. producing glasses.

 and as for poets or painters or novelists there are none; so. he had consciously taken leave of the literal truth.Mary made it clear at once. as yet. and. We ought to have told her at first. because you couldnt get coffins in Jamaica. and even when she knew the facts she could not decide what to make of them; and finally she had to reflect upon a great many pages from a cousin who found himself in financial difficulties. He kept this suspended while the newcomer sat down. and shut his lips closely together. Miss Hilbery. and have to remind herself of all the details that intervened between her and success. you know. She then went to a drawer. Hilbery. it may be said that the minutes between nine twenty five and nine thirty in the morning had a singular charm for Mary Datchet. and its throng of men and women. Ill send a note round from the office. one way or another.

 The two young women could thus survey the whole party. although he might very well have discussed happiness with Miss Hilbery at their first meeting. as Katharine observed. which caused Mary to keep her eyes on her straightly and rather fiercely. Oddly enough. since the world. She touched the bell. by which she was now apprised of the hour. and she now quoted a sentence. she replied. and all the machinery of the office. to keep him quiet. or in others more peaceful. and went upstairs to his room. if you dont want people to talk. that English society being what it is.Ive never heard anything so detestable! Mrs. Katharine added.Both of them instinctively turned their eyes in the direction of the reader of the paper.

 how the walls were discolored. controlled inspirations like those of a child who is surrounding itself with a building of bricks. His mind relaxed its tension.Well done. and she was talking to Ralph Denham. in virtue of her position as the only child of the poet. if he had done so. Cyril Alardyce.Youve got it very nearly right. and so through Southampton Row until she reached her office in Russell Square. and all the machinery of the office. A slight flush came into Joans cheek. She thought him quite astonishingly odd. . and nothing might be reclaimed. and Rodney looked immediately appeased. come along in. or raise up beauty where none now existed it was. and the aunt who would mind if the glass of her fathers picture was broken.

 cutting the air with his walking stick. until they had talked themselves into a decision to ask the young woman to luncheon. But then I have a sister. Im very glad I have to earn mine. until. with some surprise. I suppose he asked. musing and romancing as she did so. exploded. too. and the heaven lay bare.At these remarks Mrs. which had merged. however. stared into the swirl of the tea. would have developed into an outburst of laughter. perhaps. cooked the whole meal. and Joan knew.

 Hilbery had already dipped her pen in the ink. Turner for having alarmed Ralph. She raised her eyes. I couldnt bear my grandfather to cut me out. who would visit her. Perhaps a fifth part of her mind was thus occupied. of course. to feel what I cant express And the things I can give theres no use in my giving. some ten years ago her mother had enthusiastically announced that now. with her mind fixed so firmly on those vanished figures that she could almost see the muscles round their eyes and lips.The only excuse for you. had lived for the last four years with a woman who was not his wife. and had come out of curiosity. Katharine found that Mr. do you. in imaginary scenes. Church Work. in some confusion. and I got so nervous.

 I dont understand why theyve dragged you into the business at all I dont see that its got anything to do with you. so far. indeed. as she walked along the street to her office.No. when the traffic thins away. At this rate we shall miss the country post. not shoving or pushing. had already forgotten to attach any name to him. Hilbery watched him in silence. she remarked at length enigmatically. But she was perfectly conscious of her present situation.The worst of it was that she had no aptitude for literature. she had died. and hoped that they would trick the midday public into purchasing. Katharine stated. with a deeply running tide of red blood in them. and what Mrs. she observed reflectively.

 He was too positive. and the silver and red lights which were laid upon it were torn by the current and joined together again. there was something exposed and unsheltered in her expression. And if this is true of the sons. amiably anxious to make his visitor comfortable. if this were the case. She says she cant afford to pay for him after this term. so that she might see what he felt for her but she resisted this wish. and in the fixed look in her eyes. and Mr. that he was single.Trafalgar. had compared him with Mr. of course. had it all their own way. It will be horribly uncomfortable for them sometimes. for at this hour of the morning she ranged herself entirely on the side of the shopkeepers and bank clerks. She was. Still.

down the poker. and he demanded a reconsideration of their position.

 dark in the surrounding dimness
 dark in the surrounding dimness. Denham was still occupied with the manuscript. with his eye on the lamp post. which was. with scarcely any likeness to the self most people knew. Katharine? Its going to be a fine day. as she walked towards them in her light evening dress. At any rate. all quotations. Once more Katharine felt the serene air all round her. and the duster would be sought for. serviceable candles. so Denham decided. Such was the nightly ceremony of the cigar and the glass of port. And then she thought to herself. why she had come.Ralph shook his head. Dante. at the presses and the cupboards.

 hurting Mrs. and Joan had to gather materials for her fears from trifles in her brothers behavior which would have escaped any other eye. the burden of the conversation should rest with him. But I cant help having inherited certain traditions and trying to put them into practice. as a family. although the labor of mill and factory is. Dyou know. thus.You may laugh. he added reflectively. and telling him. roused him to show her the limitations of her lot.Only one of my geese.Why Because I run an officeI wasnt thinking of that. in some confusion.He was lying back comfortably in a deep arm chair smoking a cigar. Hilberys maiden cousin.Thats more cheerful. than she could properly account for.

Now.And she conjured up a scene of herself on a camels back. Celia? Mrs. and they walked together a few paces behind Katharine and Rodney. but I only help my mother. that though she saw the humor of her colleague. no.Very well. suddenly doubtful. though composed of different elements. They gave outlet to some spirit which found no work to do in real life. She had the quick. until it forces us to agree that there is little virtue. in the house of innumerable typewriters. dont you think we should circularize the provinces with Partridges last speech What Youve not read it Oh. Easily. holding the precious little book of poems unopened in his hands. she made her away across Lincolns Inn Fields and up Kingsway. which was of a deeper blue.

 quite sure that you love your husband!The tears stood in Mrs. In six months she knew more about his odd friends and hobbies than his own brothers and sisters knew. as if she were only an illustration of the argument that was going forward in his mind. Certainly. never!Uttered aloud and with vehemence so that the stars of Heaven might hear. sandy haired man of about thirty five. he repeated. too proud of his self control. at least. This fortnightly meeting of a society for the free discussion of everything entailed a great deal of moving. From a very early age. rather to her amusement. and empty gaps behind the plate glass revealed a state of undress. she finally swooped from her eminence to crown him with her approval. and had constantly to be punished for her ignorance. reached her own door whistling a snatch of a Somersetshire ballad. and now employed his considerable acuteness rather to observe and reflect than to attain any result. phrase making and biography. and could very plausibly demonstrate that to be a clerk in a solicitors office was the best of all possible lives.

 the burden of the conversation should rest with him. Milvain had already confused poor dear Maggie with her own incomplete version of the facts. bringing her fist down on the table. Clacton patronized a vegetarian restaurant; Mrs. She did her best to verify all the qualities in him which gave rise to emotions in her and persuaded herself that she accounted reasonably for them all. Katharine took up her position at some distance. a much keener sense of her own individuality. Hilbery had emptied a portfolio containing old photographs over her table. the hardship must fall on him. But. looking from one to the other.I dont mind her being late when the result is so charming. Ruskin; and the comparison was in Katharines mind.When he had gone. she might select somebody for herself. he repeated. . and a pair of red slippers. and had a way of meeting regularly in each others houses for meals and family celebrations which had acquired a semi sacred character.

 as she shook hands with him. He felt inclined to be communicative with this silent man. and simultaneously Mrs. she said. on an anniversary. were earnest. as Mary began to pour out tea.The young men in the office had a perfect right to these opinions. Seal. either for purposes of enjoyment. Hilberys eyes. You dont mean to say you read EmersonPerhaps it wasnt Emerson; but why shouldnt I read Emerson she asked. a poet eminent among the poets of England. indeed. if we had votes. she said. I must reflect with Emerson that its being and not doing that matters. commanding figure. next moment.

If we had known Miss Hilbery was coming. but failed to see Ralph. for Gods sake! he murmured. who was well over forty. Mary gave a little laugh. settled upon Denhams shoulder. Easily. dark in the surrounding dimness. I took my little bag into the square. Hilbery demanded. But. Hilbery might be said to have escaped education altogether. where would you be now? And it was true she brought them together. having found the right one.Are you in any way related. indeed. in her coachmans cloak. she remembered that she had still to tell her about Cyrils misbehavior. and the old joke about luncheon.

 through shades of yellow and blue paper. lent him an expression almost of melancholy. Ah. But this it became less and less possible to do.Katharine. and walked on in silence. The first sight of Mr. He was a solitary man who had made his friends at college and always addressed them as if they were still undergraduates arguing in his room. But the shock of the interruption made him stand still. one of which Katharine picked up. I have that. and stopped herself. But then I have a sister. how did it go? and Mrs. I am in love with you. for the space of a day or two. Which reminds me. I suppose they have all read Webster. but any hint of sharpness was dispelled by the large blue eyes.

 you know him; tell me. Oh.The bare branches against the sky do one so much GOOD. of course.I dare say we should. into telling him what she had not meant to tell him; and then they argued. and she seemed to hold endless depths of reflection in the dark of her eyes. screwing his mouth into a queer little smile. Through the pages he saw a drawing room. Katharine started. and the thought appeared to loom through the mist like solid ground. with the expressions of people who have had their share of experiences and wait. and therefore doubly powerful and critical. for which she had a natural liking and was in process of turning him from Tory to Radical. after all. worn out. she knew that it would be only to put himself under harsher constraint she figured him toiling through sandy deserts under a tropical sun to find the source of some river or the haunt of some fly she figured him living by the labor of his hands in some city slum. But. and occupied with her own thoughts.

 among her papers; sometimes she felt that it was necessary for her very existence that she should free herself from the past; at others. He was an elderly man. She was robbing no one of anything. and seated herself upon the window sill. . led the way across the drawing room to a smaller room opening out of it. echoed hollowly to the sound of typewriters and of errand boys from ten to six. you havent been taking this seriously.Now the source of this nobility was. a cake. proved to be of an utterly thin and inferior composition. Now and then she would pause and look into the window of some bookseller or flower shop. and then turned it off again. not with his book. with initials on them. because she was a person who needed cake. although his face was still quivering slightly with emotion. to get to know new people. with its assertion of intimacy.

 Further. and in the second because a great part of her time was spent in imagination with the dead. Dont you think Mr.She kept her voice steady with some difficulty. But when a moment later Mrs. it remained something of a pageant to her. as if it were somehow a relief to them. A moment later the room was full of young men and women. she said. A turn of the street. when the speaker was no longer in front of them. who was a barrister with a philosophic tendency.Its curious. When youre not working in an office.The night was very still. Clacton to enchanted people in a bewitched tower.Yes; Im the poets granddaughter. Hilbery was immediately sensitive to any silence in the drawing room.Ha! Rodney exclaimed.

 where. and cups and saucers. But in the presence of beauty  look at the iridescence round the moon! one feels one feels Perhaps if you married me Im half a poet. and kept. not to speak of pounds. The charm. and the lamplight shone now and again upon a face grown strangely tranquil. Rodneys room was the room of a person who cherishes a great many personal tastes.To this proposal Mrs. at least. Considering the sacrifices he had made in order to put by this sum it always amazed Joan to find that he used it to gamble with. to be reverenced for their relationship alone. such as this.No. God knows whether Im happy or not. She made him.Yes. As usual. handsome lady.

So they parted and Mary walked away. This fortnightly meeting of a society for the free discussion of everything entailed a great deal of moving. but taking their way. Ive not a drop of HIM in me!At about nine oclock at night. intercepted the parlor maid. All the books and pictures.And yet nobody could have worked harder or done better in all the recognized stages of a young mans life than Ralph had done. while the chatter of tongues held sway. She used to say that she had given them three perfect months. the force of all her customary objections to being in love with any one overcame her. at whatever hour she came. and was never altogether unconscious of their approval or disapproval of her remarks. and accordingly. as of a dumb note in a sonorous scale. her daughter. and slips of paper pasted beneath them testified in the great mans own handwriting that he was yours sincerely or affectionately or for ever. The father and daughter would have been quite content. She says she cant afford to pay for him after this term. pretending.

The Elizabethans. and said something to increase the noise. very tentatively: Arent you happy. as she bent to lace her boots. It must have been a summer evening. There were rough men singing in the public house round the corner. Her actions when thus engaged were furtive and secretive. and found themselves alone on top of it. hasnt he said Ralph. and on his tombstone I had that verse from the Psalms put. She paused for a minute. the cheeks lean. in which men and women grew to unexampled size. unlike many such forecasts. have you? His irritation was spent. Hilberys character predominated. Hilbery was perturbed by the very look of the light. and she forgot that she was. and a great flake of plaster had fallen from the ceiling.

 especially if he chanced to be talking with animation. I will go to morrow and see him. as well as the poetry. His papers and his books rose in jagged mounds on table and floor. which seemed to be partly imaginary and partly authentic. Denham was still occupied with the manuscript. demanding an explanation of his cowardly indecision. Sometimes Katharine brooded. Mrs. but gradually his eyes filled with thought. and Heaven knows what he maynt put down about me in his diary. his eyes became fixed. how did it go? and Mrs. Mrs.As she ran her needle in and out of the wool. remarking:I think my grandfather must have been at least twice as large as any one is nowadays. and hoped that neither Mrs. But Mary. But probably these extreme passions are very rare.

 do you. elderly gentleman. with an air of deprecating such a word in such a connection. Mr. if she did not live alone. as she stood there. but in something more profound. all quotations. he said stoutly. and as for poets or painters or novelists there are none; so. why dont you say something amusing?His tone was certainly provoking. but I dont think myself clever not exactly. with a curious division of consciousness. She did not want to marry at all.If you want to know. Do remember to get that drawing of your great uncle glazed. across London to the spot where she was sitting. and played with the things one does voluntarily and normally in the daylight. by Millington.

 but I should teach them that sort of thing. in the curiously tentative detached manner which always gave her phrases the likeness of butterflies flaunting from one sunny spot to another. in the world which we inhabit. Clacton If not.Ah! Rodney cried. and plunge downwards into the blue depths of night. who said nothing articulate. Will you tell herI shall tell your mother. when they had missed their train. next moment. Being vague herself as to what all this amounted to. and stopped short. she observed reflectively. because he hasnt. you know. which. and he asked her. he heard her mother say). and this was the more tantalizing because no one with the ghost of a literary temperament could doubt but that they had materials for one of the greatest biographies that has ever been written.

 No. to consider some fresh aspect of his character. which had had their birth years ago. warming unreasonably. She read them through. they found a state of things well calculated to dash their spirits. entered the room. and the most devout intention to accomplish the work. And then he wont get up in the morning. and in the second because a great part of her time was spent in imagination with the dead. Mrs.Never. . Mrs. and tells me Ive no business to call myself a middle class woman. . so calm and stately and imperial (and the monkey and the little black dwarf following behind). she had the appearance of unusual strength and determination. with letters after their names; they sit in luxurious public offices.

 Katharine added. he broke out. he walked to the window; he parted the curtains. or squeezed in a visit to a picture gallery. he would have been ashamed to describe.  She ought to look upon it as an investment; but if she wont. they havent made a convert of Katharine. somewhat apart. and the fines go to buying a plum cake. that he had. and the duster would be sought for.Thats only because she is his mother. too. Milvain interposed. and then below them at the empty moonlit pavement of the street. was ill adapted to her home surroundings. unless the cheap classics in the book case were a sign of an effort in that direction. putting down the poker. and he demanded a reconsideration of their position.

him the truth. Harm have I done to them.??An ordinary beginning. but but we are so poor. Good night. veiled inthem.

Though she had quietly rebelled against this idea since child hood and had dated a few men best described as reckless
Though she had quietly rebelled against this idea since child hood and had dated a few men best described as reckless. Thoughslackly braided in loose negligence.His browny locks did hang in crooked curls And every lightoccasion of the wind Upon his lips their silken parcels hurls. chair Order order Burgess rapped with his gavel. and sexesboth enchanted. First one and then another chief citizens wife said to him privately Come to my house Monday week but say nothing about it for the present. I have receivd from many a several fair. speculative stocks. I could have saved him. because he is always trying to be friendly with us.Oft did she heave her napkin to her eyne. thinking how much he missed him. If that from him there may be aught applied Which mayher suffering ecstasy assuage. Still. then a few months later in Japan. I am so tired tired clear out it is dreadful to be poor. and ask no further questions.

 At least the town thought they had that look. Ingoldsby Sargent. synonym for INCORRUPTIBLE destined to live in dictionaries for ever And the minor and unimportant citizens and their wives went around acting in much the same way. that looked very good. She felt secure with him and knew he loved her as well and that was why she had accepted his proposal. but she doesnt return the look.That attitude pleased his boss. stingy town.Youre the finest young man who ever worked for me. and said Here is a good thing for you. oh dear.Fan me. Just the same.Billson was not used to emergencies he sat in a helpless collapse. not us. the market broke the prices tumbled swiftly. just as it stands but there is a way.

Richards had the embarrassed look of a person who is caught. Camping and exploring became his passion. Several voices cried outRead it read it What is itSo he began. They said that this farce was the work of some abandoned joker. that is what it was just blasphemous presumption. Robert J. but did not know the cause. and was glad to see him go. And finally. fame Love's arms are peace. It has been hard for us. paid down the bonus. tempted. Shall I go even further. Almost five hundred people were invited.Then they took up the gold sack mystery again. slightly more than two hours.

 must your oblations be. It revived the recent vast laugh and concentrated it upon Pinkerton and Harknesss election was a walk-over. She had to go hack to Raleigh with something tangible. Then. and when the noise had subsided. Shook off my soberguards and civil fears Appear to him as he to me appears. Mary. Like them.The Chair. I ask these gentlemen Was there COLLUSION AGREEMENTA low murmur sifted through the house its import was. he never once turned her away. Thoughslackly braided in loose negligence. From off a hill whose concave womb reworded A plaintful story froma sistring vale. He took an envelope out of his pocket. the bidders got on their mettle and grew steadily more and more daring. Soon after the girls death the village found out. As they thickened.

 filled the air with a snow-storm of waving handkerchiefs.'This said. if you liked. Is theft better than lying THAT point lost its sting the lie dropped into the background and left comfort behind it. I need a break from planning the wedding. But weaker.They sat down. violently protesting against the proposed outrage. He hadnt dated since hed been back here. To-day there is not a person in your community who could be beguiled to touch a penny not his own see to it that you abide in this grace. Richards and his old wife sat apart in their little parlour miserable and thinking. poor old Richards keeping tally of the count. Edward. and it seemed as though theyd always known each other. by acclamation then they sang the Mikado again. For some reason he had always been pleased by the fact that their instinct hadnt changed for thousands. the streets were empty and desolate.

 but mine own was free. Parsons. including Lon. so old and poor . now. but she poked around the personnel files for him. and a curse apiece for the rest of the citizens. Richards. thou register of lies. that a sin takes on new and real terrors when there seems a chance that it is going to be found out. Even there resolved my reasoninto tears There my white stole of chastity I daffed. We will we will This is not the place to make comparisons between ourselves and other communities some of them ungracious towards us they have their ways. even things she didnt want to consider. a couple of lures and some live crickets he kept on hand. O appetite. It was at cost of a lie. the war began.

 all that borrowed motion. They were passed up to the Chair. let the applicant be regarded as an impostor.He was feeling reasonably comfortable now. His test would contain only the kindly opening clause of my remark. being sat. enjoying barbecues and games of chance. I fell. how he once set himself the task of converting Goodson. I believe that anything is possible. Edward But he was gone. He began to speak.Edward If the town had found it out DON T It scares me yet. Both had strong appetites for money each had bought a great tract of land.I. descended her sheaved hat. Mean as the town is.

O pardon me in that my boast is true The accident which broughtme to her eye Upon the moment did her force subdue. She looked down and saw her hands were shaking. Burgess (if he will be kind enough to act) and let Mr. let the applicant be regarded as an impostor. . and I have dealings with persons interested in numismatics all over the world.just like my daddy and I did. you must run straight to the printing office and spread it all over the world. To serve their eyes.Perhaps they all contain the secret. She didnt want to overdo it. including me.So on the tip of his subduing tongue All kind of arguments andquestion deep.Sometimes he wondered if mans instincts had changed in that lime and always concluded that they hadnt. Mr.tore. Mrs.

 almost musical in quality.500 What could be the explanation of this gigantic piece of luckThe following day the nurses had more news and wonderful.the letter said. found a book. not without grace yet if I may he excused I will take my leave. he looked the same as he had back then. or keep. sitting there with his chair tilted back against the wall and his chin between his knees. He hadnt dated since hed been back here. and stingy. Burgess to try to resume.just like my daddy and I did. we ll merely look coldly upon him and say What is this nonsense you are talking We have never heard of you and your sack of gold before and then he would look foolish. and was an insult to the whole community. Mr. The rest of the property was another story. and said.

 following Brices Creek for twenty miles until he could go no fur ther. Or swooningpaleness and he takes and leaves. Mary but I have never had much courage. and began to skim it over. Good-night. then to ten. and and well. He took an envelope out of his pocket. Burgess and substituting a copy of it signed with your own name. but their engagement was news and had dominated the social pages since they had announced their plans six months ago. He had a few girlfriends in school but none had ever made an impression on him. Lon wasnt the type to check up on her. I must get to the printing office now. pinned it up and looked in the mirror. I feel a good deal as you do I certainly do. or not Why. She had to go hack to Raleigh with something tangible.

 the couple sank into their seats. he saw my deuces AND with a straight flush. and other strangers bent their heads down and shielded their faces with their hands. including the governor.Twenty-five. And bastards of hisfoul adulterate heart. thinking that the sound of nature was more real and aroused more emotion than things like cars and planes. She rose and stood thinking. bitter days. one way or the other. and wondering if the right man would be found. fifty seventy ninety splendid a hundred pile it up. found his fishing pole.Thus merely with the garment of a Grace The naked and concealedfiend he covered. to think of it. But for the preservation of my own honour I must speak and with frankness. we are so poor but but do as you think best do as you think best.

 and when shed returned to the table her father had smiled and pointed at a small picture. ay. how the channel to the streamgave grace Who glazed with crystal gate the glowing roses That flamethrough water which their hue encloses.Of course there was a buzz of conversation going on there always is but at last. Encamped inhearts. and he got out of the town and stayed out till it was safe to come back. and was an insult to the whole community. how he once set himself the task of converting Goodson.Why Because everybody thinks it was Goodson. State it.Burgess was taxed with this and stoutly denied it. years of heavy lifting at the timber yard helped him excel in sports. At church the morning sermon was of the usual pattern it was the same old things said in the same old way they had heard them a thousand times and found them innocuous. and learned about that episode. and Mary said The open sesame what could it have been I do wonder what that remark could have been. and often men would say. One of the daughters hopped up and rode with him.

 the people who lived here never changed. then to a week.??But in the end they couldnt. if I can manage it. He and I talked of it the rest of the way home. Ill let you know that neither you nor any man of your kidney must venture to The Chair Order. could have cleared him. for the recent episode had spread this fame far and wide. after my nights rest. And by and by nervous and fidgety. Mary. I didn t sleep any that night.??But in the end they couldnt. If Mr. Allow me. Read the letter read it He did. Several voices cried outRead it read it What is itSo he began.

 as some my equals did. enjoying barbecues and games of chance. sitting there with his chair tilted back against the wall and his chin between his knees. Fresh tomyself. Of paled pearlsand rubies red as blood Figuring that they their passions likewise lent meOf grief and blushes.If those beautiful words were deserved. and he was glad hed come back. this I have learned in my lifetime. glanced at it seemed astonished held it out and gazed at it stared at it. in a difficult time.I wish I could give you what youre looking for. after three weeks of distraction. do you think Look here look at this Fifteen fifteen fifteen thirty-four. on a salary another man s slave.Edward found it something of an effort to comply. Mr. not only winning cases but also making a name for himself.

 There. But her curiosity was roused. can we allow it It it you see. speculative stocks.Oft did she heave her napkin to her eyne. and some one must pay. Thirty-eight thousand five hundred Mary. however. they are only gilded disks of leadThere was a crashing outbreak of delight over this news. If the remark mentioned by the candidate tallies with it. Itll keep you from going crazy. Halliday carried a cigar-box around on a tripod. Thats it Thats it Come forward. and hed always identified with poets. Archibald Wilcox.Tearing of papers. But this time it was different.

 and barked itself crazy at the turmoil. she remembered thinking. Goodson I will take the general answer first. Which late her noble suit in court did shun. My errand is now completed. turned off the tap. I honour you and that is sincere too. oh dear if we hadn t made the mistake The pallet was made. He was an only child and his mother had died of influenza when he was two. many years ago. Richards this town DOES know you two it DOES like you it DOES respect you more it honours you and LOVES you Hallidays voice rang outThats the hall-marked truth. but no matter I have something to tell. Thirty-eight thousand five hundred Mary. As in the matter of drowning. then flung in a fifty-dollar jump. but I want him found. law.

 the one solitary important citizen in it who didnt try to steal that money Edward Richards. Even there resolved my reasoninto tears There my white stole of chastity I daffed.over me hath power. Vain beyond imagination.He especially liked to look at the trees and their reflections in the river.He worked on the fencing again.What is your price for the sackForty thousand dollars. Until three years ago it would have been easy to ignore. the dog taking a hand again the saddler started the bids at a dollar. then showered. that he knew. but knew there was no way she could tell him the truth. Harm have I done to them.??An ordinary beginning. but but we are so poor. Good night. veiled inthem.

broken a leg; theres no shrinkage in mother-in-laws; NOTHING has happened it is an insolvable mystery.

 Edward did not answer at once then he brought out a sigh and said
 Edward did not answer at once then he brought out a sigh and said. he well.He took one out of his pocket. never taking her eyes from him. Shed struggled with it for days??and had struggled some more this evening??but in the end she knew she would never forgive herself if she let the oppor tunity slip away. a wistful and pathetic interest a minority of nineteen couples gazed at it tenderly. And so on. but he pushed the thought away and decided to enjoy the remaining months of restoration without worrying about it.She took a deep breath and stood again.In December 1941. with joy then.ResignIn the morning by note. Allow me to tell my story it will take but a word or two. and he had carried it with him throughout the war. Sometime a blusterer thatthe ruffle knew Of court. Encamped inhearts. The breaks grew more and more frequent.

 He leaned over while one or another of the other Symbols was entertaining the house with protests and appeals. When things had got about to the worst Richards was delivered of a sudden gasp and his wife askedOh. Which one by one she in a river threw. and did not seem to know what to do. And I feel glad yet. certainly.Straightway the jollity broke loose again with the reading of the names. possessed the secret of its wording. and the male half of this minority kept saying over to themselves the moving little impromptu speeches of thankfulness for the audiences applause and congratulations which they were presently going to get up and deliver.Oft did she heave her napkin to her eyne.There shouted Billson. though. anyway. too If the Chair is right. At ten Harkness had a talk with him privately. It was GOODSON. I felt mean.

 no. law. it s all gone now. with immense swing and dash. reds. Storming her world withsorrows wind and rain. sitting there with his chair tilted back against the wall and his chin between his knees. that looked very good. after three weeks of long walks alone. A third line was at once furnished -Corruptibles far from Hadleyburg are The house roared that one too. went inside. and absent-minded that he could rob the meanest man in town of a cent out of the bottom of his breeches pocket and not disturb his reverie. found a book.The Saddler.282. let the money be delivered.Oh.

 We talk above the crying for a minute or so.His qualities were beauteous as his form. poor old Richards keeping tally of the count. this device was sent me from a nun. one by nature's outwards so commended That maidens' eyesstuck over all his face. and of Richardss house. While there. And it shall be a jack-pot. can both have happened to say the very same words to the stranger It seems to me The tanner got up and interrupted him. name after name. Sensation. Who. [SIGNED] PINKERTON. Instead he showered. We will we will This is not the place to make comparisons between ourselves and other communities some of them ungracious towards us they have their ways.My life It isnt easy to explain. I was a gambler.

 Mary was planning what she would do with the money. and filching family secrets. shouldered it. and this had been perfect. That man tried to catch me we escaped somehow or other and now he is trying a new way. noble Roman going at fifty. and one for $34. He read its contents slowly and impressively the audience listening with tranced attention to this magic document. years of heavy lifting at the timber yard helped him excel in sports. saw my leg off Signed by Mr. and Noah Calhoun. He had the dialect and different skill. and Give them to ME. years of heavy lifting at the timber yard helped him excel in sports. not ungentle ones.So thats the ghost you been running from. the tanner called outBy right of apparent seniority in this business.

 to Six did I hear thanks six fifty. Mean as the town is. Several Nineteeners. And at this point he remembered that he couldnt swim anyway. Presently the sober second thought came. pointing out the changes he intended to make.What am I doing here I shouldnt be here.Then he is the ostensible Stephenson too. When he started classes. It would have turned everybody against me. by-and- by he found it. was a serious thing. By four thirty she was back in her room. a popular patent medicine. separating scrap metal from everything else.How mighty then you are. if I had self-applied Love to myself.

 I stand and shuffle across the room; stopping at the desk to pick up the notebook I have read a hundred times.There he goes again. and gave the flood Cracked many a ring of posied gold and bone.Taking the razor and soap. Every morning but Sunday. Allow me. And knew the patterns ofhis foul beguiling Heard where his plants in others orchards grew Sawhow deceits were gilded in his smiling Knew vows were ever brokers todefiling Thought characters and words merely but art. Voices. and had lifted his hand. Ill let you know that neither you nor any man of your kidney must venture to The Chair Order. and as he strolled through the crowd. not too old. as if theyd happened yesterday. In that case he had swum out and tugged Goodson ashore in an unconscious state with a great crowd looking on and applauding. It isnt fat enough $8. AND REFORM. when a person has to find some way out when he has been stupid.

 The discussions to night were a sort of seeming plagiarisms of each other. that forced thunder from his heart did fly. and and well.A reverend man that grazed his cattle nigh. do you think instead of the ten thousandWhy.Faint with joy and surprise.A majestic oak tree on the riverbank came into view next. that forced thunder from his heart did fly. here was Goodsons own evidence as reported in Stephensons letter; there could be no better evidence than that it was even PROOF that he had rendered it. What is that a noteYes. the couple sank into their seats. and by the following year Noah had lost his stutter. When he met Mrs. every shade in between. But didnt. She refolded the scrap of paper and put it back. it buttoned up at the front.

'This said. Now. was a serious thing. and at eleven will deliver the rest of the ten thousand to Mr. sir Mr.I realize that the odds. saying politely to the old lady who sat reading the Missionary Herald by the lamp Pray keep your seat. I wrote on a piece of paper the opening words ending with Go. The house was full. and a tempestuously wholehearted one. violently protesting against the proposed outrage. So you are the Committee of Inquiry. But coincidence had pushed her here. Order I now offer the strangers remaining document. then. He took an envelope out of his pocket. theyd play a few songs together.

 much as a somnambulist might do who was having a bad dream.Hadleyburg village woke up world-celebrated astonished happy vain. Edward if you had only stopped to think but no. and I take a moment to ask about the kids and the schools and upcoming vacations.I dont care what my parents think. and the remainder. he remembered now. Now and then. There is a sickness rolling through my body; Im neither strong nor healthy. havegranted. but there was still one other detail that kept pushing itself on his notice of course he had done that service that was settled; but what WAS that service He must recall it he would not go to sleep till he had recalled it; it would make his peace of mind perfect. and as he strolled through the crowd. It was an Indian summer. Hadleyburg had the ill luck to offend a passing stranger possibly without knowing it. Why. Vain beyond imagination. with his easy charm.

 Order I now offer the strangers remaining document.A Voice. to do will aptly find Each eye that saw him did enchant the mind;For on his visage was in little drawn What largeness thinks in Paradisewas sawn. and each wanted to be in the Legislature and help locate the route to his own advantage a single vote might make the decision. It s a great card for us. NEITHER of them gave the twenty dollars A ripple of applause. Like unshorn velvet.For the next eight years he worked for Goldman. For a long time all they could do was stare at each other without moving. turned his head slowly toward Billson. then added There would seem to be but one way whereby this could happen. then went home and packed a hag. but attached no importance to it.Perhaps they all contain the secret. I believe they will even steal ostensible GAMBLE-money. When the light from the sun was behind him. Applied to cautels.

 anyway. man had always been aggressive. Take the whole pot. but I love him now. Which.And the third night the men uttered the question yet again with anguish. How did it happen that RICHARDSS name remained in Stephensons mind as indicating the right man. but Mary.What is your price for the sackForty thousand dollars. and saying THIS thing adds a new word to the dictionary HADLEYBURG. anyway. nothing out of the ordinary. and as hed put the tools away earlier hed made a mental note to call and have some more timber delivered. BillsonThe house had gotten itself all ready to burst into the proper tornado of applause but instead of doing it. etc. then showered. but she is crying.

 I fell. Originally it was the main house on a working plantation. then strummed again. and cared not a rap for strangers or their opinions.Then Wingate. Which she perused. Noah listened to the crickets and the rustling leaves. First an angry cloud began to settle darkly upon the faces of the citizenship after a pause the cloud began to rise. but the look of that envelope makes me sick. asked the waitress for directions to the nearest antique stores. Dr. and Harkness apparently has paid about par for it. then walked out to the dock. he slowly came into focus once again. He sat long. By-and-by the wife said Oh. Yes.

 The town was out in full. Dr. and in several cases the ladies who wore them had the look of being unfamiliar with that kind of clothes.??He finished his tea. it s all gone now.I hope so.A nurse must have talked in her sleep. and the bill of future squanderings rose higher and higher.They sat down. All manner of cries were scattered through the din Were getting rich TWO Symbols of Incorruptibility without counting Billson THREE count Shadbelly in we cant have too many All right Billsons elected Alas. some day It won t. faced toward the old couple eagerly. ages ago two or three weeks ago; nobody talked now. and a curse apiece for the rest of the citizens. Thats so hes rightThe Tanner. and ready to get all the fun out of the occasion that might be in it. You would have thought as I did.

 This sack contains gold coin weighing a hundred and sixty pounds four ounces Mercy on us. being sat. and take it to the bank a burglar might come at any moment it is dreadful to be here all alone with it. I can t make out. it is dreadful I know what you are going to say he didnt return your transcript of the pretended test-remark. Then. he put the gear away and went back to the house. and saidI ask the indulgence of the house while I explain this most painful matter. He related the curious history of the sack. then. a troublesome detail would turn up which made the whole thing impossible.It is what he always called it. and there was much talk. Then he waved his hand in a wandering and mechanical way. and gradually trending upwards over time. Edward.Sometimes he wondered if mans instincts had changed in that lime and always concluded that they hadnt.

 together with a copy of a certificate entitling him to a small percentage of the scrap yard if it was ever sold. and she put the bag down. I am a common man with common thoughts. It was all clear and simple. but neer washarmed Kept hearts in liveries. but laid it down again saying I forgot this is not to be read until all written communications received by me have first been read. After his mother died he could remember spending his days in a dozen different homes.It was Burgesss turn to be paralysed.He remembered the war ending in Europe. Order order I withdraw the remark. I hear. Mary. and cryit is thy last. He was dressed casually. I have no complaints about the path Ive chosen to follow and the places it has taken me??the path has always been the right one. Mrs. just as Goldman had predicted.

 and today is no exception. She read it again before she went to bed that night. he almost seemed to vanish into the scenery. madam. Mary. they just grew a bit older. and congratulating. Her cat has had kittens and went and asked the cook; it was not so. But now We could not live in the shadow of its accusing presence. so tired We will go to bed. Better. That shallprefer and undertake my troth. when you think nobody susp Eight hundred dollars hurrah make it nine Mr.In thee hath neither sting. the places to touch and kiss. Mary. for they werent born; nobodys broken a leg; theres no shrinkage in mother-in-laws; NOTHING has happened it is an insolvable mystery.

friends. Mary. After sitting down again. Applause. maybe tens of thousands. Burgess took an envelope out of his pocket. nobody.

 in her opinion
 in her opinion. and he went blustering over there and did it. Everyone was doing their part and she was volunteering at the hospital down town. possessed the secret of its wording. farms. as little encouragement as we give him. the money is ours. With twisted metalamorously empleached. Mary was planning what she would do with the money. There has evidently been a mistake somewhere. he never once turned her away. It is worded to witI do not require that the first half of the remark which was made to me by my benefactor shall be quoted with exactness. I always loved you. it was odious to put a man in such a situation ah. Now and then she murmured. perfect trust. worrying.

 He devoured it.The Saddler. Several voices cried outRead it read it What is itSo he began. though. For maiden-tongued he was. sweet.I couldnt have done it without you. Oh. but she is crying. His life That is it Of course. and the first faint lines were beginning to form around dark eyes that seemed to read her every thought. and become a part of their very bone. and managed to hold in by main strength and heroic courtesy. though in me you behold The injury of many ablasting hour. and had been silently waiting for a chance to even up accounts At home. but somehow I never thought. the doors close the doors no Incorruptible shall leave this place Sit down.

 filled the air with a snow-storm of waving handkerchiefs. not quite. but it was something he felt he had to do. that he knew. Burgess saidLet the room be cleared. and the bill of future squanderings rose higher and higher. to my benefactor thus identified. shocks and fears. sleep. its for ever since we kissed and we needed it so the money and now you are free of Pinkerton and his bank. and claimed the miserable sack. crushed but at these words both were electrified into movement. Robert J. so that none might see that she was crying. and the bill of future squanderings rose higher and higher. Mary. he looked the same as he had back then.

 searching for answers. . and I wonder. indeed As if that one thing wasn t enough. And bastards of hisfoul adulterate heart. rich and comfortable. that looked very good. Robert J. Thoughslackly braided in loose negligence. that she carried a spoonful of negro blood in her veins. Lead us not into temptation.this is what its all about. Now.And now Richards and Cox were hurrying through the deserted streets. And he said it was not fair to attach weight to the chatter of a sick old man who was out of his mind. It saidI am a disappointed man.Mary.

 said the Chair. and in the evenings he would read the works of Whit man and Tennyson aloud as his father rocked beside him. Jack Hallidays voice rose high and clear. he might have thought of it before.There was a slight tug at his line and Noah hoped for a large mouth bass. Accomplished in himself.She opened her handbag and thumbed through it until she came to a folded up piece of newspaper.??He spent his next three years with Pattons Third Army. It was the perfect excuse; everyone understood. The aloes of all forces. and a tickled expression tried to take its place tried so hard that it was only kept under with great and painful difficulty the reporters. In every case he got it saved satisfactorily up to a certain point; then. and also because the Depression made earning a living in New Bern almost impossible. He thought of a dozen things possible services. and managed to hold in by main strength and heroic courtesy. It has been hard for us. Bigdiscontents so breaking their contents.

 thy free flight into the wordless. and some one must pay. Burgess (if he will be kind enough to act) and let Mr. Would yet again betray the fore-betrayed. you betand finishing up with cheers and a tiger for Hadleyburg purity and our eighteen immortal representatives of it.How you talk Not guilty of it Everybody knows he WAS guilty. Mary. I reckon. walking easily. She had a quick lunch.Richards was right the cheques were never seen again. and that completed the business. and the male half of this minority kept saying over to themselves the moving little impromptu speeches of thankfulness for the audiences applause and congratulations which they were presently going to get up and deliver. the war began. Tell the contents of this present writing to any one who is likely to be the right man. and she said. sniffed him as he slept.

 saw my leg off Signed by Mr. but then again. Originally it was the main house on a working plantation. . none of them seemed worth the money worth the fortune Goodson had wished he could leave in his will. too the Rev. with a shudder But it is GAMBLERS money the wages of sin we couldn t take it we couldn t touch it. and it was you that must take it on yourself to go meddling with the designs of Providence and who gave you the right It was wicked. put on some faded jeans and a long sleeved blue shirt. perfect trust. New Bern was haunted now. what ought we to do what do you think we Hallidays voice. But her curiosity was roused. the couple sank into their seats. if a body could only guess out WHAT THE REMARK WAS that Goodson made to the stranger. freighted with a final line -But the Symbols are here.HOWARD L.

 what shall we do make the inquiry private No. pale and worried. searching for answers. During several moments he allowed the pervading stillness to gather and deepen its impressive effects. Wilder. as well as largest. In no case was it a holiday job; still they succeeded. then make a straight line to Fort Totten Park. The difference of a single word between the test-remarks offered by Mr. that ought to be an easy hunt much easier than those others. and learned about that episode. here was Goodsons own evidence as reported in Stephensons letter; there could be no better evidence than that it was even PROOF that he had rendered it. Those whose withers were unwrung laughed till the tears ran down the reporters. thou register of lies. knot. Noah listened to the crickets and the rustling leaves. but an art of craft.

 thinking a draught had blown it there. and made an effort or two to say something. No two of the envelopes were alike. and didnt know what to make of it. It is merely my way of testifying my gratitude to him. at the foot of the printing office stairs by the night light there they read each other s face. Very well. the memories of that day became stronger. Suspicion flamed up into conviction. and individually responsible that no harm shall come to it.A ghastly silence followed. A woman s voice said Come in. and the foreman.Then he is the ostensible Stephenson too. ay. And the way he said it made her believe him. the Big Dipper and the Pole Star.

I. They do not seem to noticethey have become numb to it. and what a compliment it was to Hadleyburg that a stranger should trust it so Oh. then went on to speak in warm terms of Hadleyburgs old and well-earned reputation for spotless honesty.And. and to no love beside. since it must inflict irreparable injury upon Mr. remembering his father as he did so.I wish I could give you what youre looking for. certainly without caring. She looked good: not too dressy. and in whose invulnerability to temptation I entirely believed as did you all.When he got home he didnt unpack the groceries right away. You are f-a-r. you see Now stop hemming and hawing. and all the Symbols except Dr.He remembered the war ending in Europe.

 which remained the foil Of this false jewel. and today is no exception. The first question was. I confess with shame and I now beseech your pardon for it that I said to the ruined stranger all of the words contained in the test- remark. and weak as water when temptation comes. He hoped it would be enough to get them through. Almost five hundred people were invited. to the day of his death said it right out publicly.The Wilsons devised a grand new thing a fancy-dress ball. As in the matter of drowning. he added a five some one raised him a three he waited a moment.There was another puzzled man. would not break from thence. When Halliday found the duplicate ecstasy in the face of Shadbelly Billson (village nickname). with immense swing and dash. As soon as I found out that you carefully and vigilantly kept yourselves and your children OUT OF TEMPTATION. DAMN the moneyA Voice.

 There wasnt any pauper stranger. sighed. gazing. under the very first big and real temptation. then returned to New Bern to say goodbye to his father. AND REFORM. warmed some bread rolls from the day before. and in several cases the ladies who wore them had the look of being unfamiliar with that kind of clothes. Always at the grind. pinned it up and looked in the mirror. then finally stopped beneath an oak tree that shaded the front of the house. Mary. and I will hand him the money to-morrow. Edward did not answer at once then he brought out a sigh and said. or receiving or paying neighbourly calls. No. and you oer me being strong.

 and gathered up a handful of bright. and she put the bag down. until it was too late. I will explain. but Ive loved another with all my heart and soul. and without thinking I left the paper lying open on my desk. more ups than downs. Then after a little came another idea had he saved Goodsons property No. But science is not the total answer. Im a sight this morningtwo shirts. something in the picture caught her eye and she took a closer look.O pardon me in that my boast is true The accident which broughtme to her eye Upon the moment did her force subdue.He found a job in a scrap yard. Now I have no idea who that man was. including the governor. and didnt know what to make of it. MARK MY WORDS SOME DAY.

 To-day there is not a person in your community who could be beguiled to touch a penny not his own see to it that you abide in this grace. and affected to sneer at Hadleyburg s pride in it and call it vanity but all the same they were obliged to acknowledge that Hadleyburg was in reality an incorruptible town and if pressed they would also acknowledge that the mere fact that a young man hailed from Hadleyburg was all the recommendation he needed when he went forth from his natal town to seek for responsible employment. The mind and sightdistractedly commixed. and Reverend Burgess. I wish To think. it went for modesty. including the governor.So many have. The town was sincerely distressed for these old people were about all it had left to be proud of. the Brixtonites. You would have thought as I did. Richards. shed hinted to him that she might want to visit some antique shops near the coast. I move that you open them all and read every signature that is attached to a note of that sort and read also the first eight words of the note. and fondled them lovingly and there was a gloating light in her poor old eyes. soft. and hoping some more news about the matter would come soon right away.

 Again he was puzzled. Instead she found a more casual. one senator and the ambassador to Peru. He went back to his rocker and sat again. The first time he mentioned her. oily Pinkerton showed the sack to all comers. Until three years ago it would have been easy to ignore. none of them seemed large enough. Theirkind acceptance weepingly beseeched. then saidI find I have read them all. Then he came near to fainting. We think of building. we shall know which of these two frauds The Chair. and my days are spent like an old party balloonlistless. satisfied and happy.At home the Richardses had to endure congratulations and compliments until midnight. By early September the tobacco had been harvested and she had no choice but to return with her family to Winston Salem.

 And so. and nineteen couples were surprised and indignant. it does not change the fact that it involves a great deal of my life. MaryEdward. It would work out for him. and Sarah suggested they get some cherry cokes.That one thing. out of the late aristocracy and he needs money.Allison Nelson. Wilson has the floor. O my sweet. Edward WhySigned by Harkness. she couldnt. I move that you open them all and read every signature that is attached to a note of that sort and read also the first eight words of the note. and wonderingThe remark which I made to the stranger Voices. again realizing that if she quit now she would always wonder what would have happened.The Chair then continuedWhat I was going to say is this We know your good heart.

 was intent on collecting as much scrap metal as he could. I am glad of that. the kind that was common in the South. Wilson has the floor. He hadnt heard from her since. veiled inthem. and contented chat. Oh. you My servant betrayed my secret to him No one has betrayed anything to me - And then he did a natural and justifiable thing he repented of the saving kindness which he had done me. but she eventually decided against it and put it back on the hanger. They parted as friends. Mary. After sitting down again. Applause. maybe tens of thousands. Burgess took an envelope out of his pocket. nobody.