第16章

“Whatisadahabeeyah，Charles？“thedistinctvoiceofawidow，seatedinanarm-chairbythewindow，askedherson。

Itwastheendofthepiece，andhisanswerwaslostinthegeneralclearingofthroatsandtappingofknees。

“They’realloldinthisroom，“Rachelwhispered。

Creepingon，theyfoundthatthenextwindowrevealedtwomeninshirt-sleevesplayingbilliardswithtwoyoungladies。

“Hepinchedmyarm！“theplumpyoungwomancried，asshemissedherstroke。

“Nowyoutwo——noragging，“theyoungmanwiththeredfacereprovedthem，whowasmarking。

“Takecareorweshallbeseen，“whisperedHelen，pluckingRachelbythearm。Incautiouslyherheadhadrisentothemiddleofthewindow。

Turningthecornertheycametothelargestroominthehotel，whichwassuppliedwithfourwindows，andwascalledtheLounge，althoughitwasreallyahall。Hungwitharmourandnativeembroideries，furnishedwithdivansandscreens，whichshutoffconvenientcorners，theroomwaslessformalthantheothers，andwasevidentlythehauntofyouth。SignorRodriguez，whomtheyknewtobethemanagerofthehotel，stoodquiteneartheminthedoorwaysurveyingthescene——thegentlemenlounginginchairs，thecouplesleaningovercoffee-cups，thegameofcardsinthecentreunderprofuseclustersofelectriclight。Hewascongratulatinghimselfupontheenterprisewhichhadturnedtherefectory，acoldstoneroomwithpotsontrestles，intothemostcomfortableroominthehouse。

Thehotelwasveryfull，andprovedhiswisdomindecreeingthatnohotelcanflourishwithoutalounge。

Thepeoplewerescatteredaboutincouplesorpartiesoffour，andeithertheywereactuallybetteracquainted，ortheinformalroommadetheirmannerseasier。Throughtheopenwindowcameanunevenhummingsoundlikethatwhichrisesfromaflockofsheeppentwithinhurdlesatdusk。Thecard-partyoccupiedthecentreoftheforeground。

HelenandRachelwatchedthemplayforsomeminuteswithoutbeingabletodistinguishaword。Helenwasobservingoneofthemenintently。

Hewasalean，somewhatcadaverousmanofaboutherownage，whoseprofilewasturnedtothem，andhewasthepartnerofahighly-colouredgirl，obviouslyEnglishbybirth。

Suddenly，inthestrangewayinwhichsomewordsdetachthemselvesfromtherest，theyheardhimsayquitedistinctly:——

“Allyouwantispractice，MissWarrington；courageandpractice——

one’snogoodwithouttheother。“

“HughlingElliot！Ofcourse！“Helenexclaimed。Sheduckedherheadimmediately，foratthesoundofhisnamehelookedup。

Thegamewentonforafewminutes，andwasthenbrokenupbytheapproachofawheeledchair，containingavoluminousoldladywhopausedbythetableandsaid:——

“Betterluckto-night，Susan？“

“Alltheluck’sonourside，“saidayoungmanwhountilnowhadkepthisbackturnedtothewindow。Heappearedtoberatherstout，andhadathickcropofhair。

“Luck，Mr。Hewet？“saidhispartner，amiddle-agedladywithspectacles。

“Iassureyou，Mrs。Paley，oursuccessisduesolelytoourbrilliantplay。“

“UnlessIgotobedearlyIgetpracticallynosleepatall，“

Mrs。Paleywasheardtoexplain，asiftojustifyherseizureofSusan，whogotupandproceededtowheelthechairtothedoor。

“They’llgetsomeoneelsetotakemyplace，“shesaidcheerfully。

Butshewaswrong。Noattemptwasmadetofindanotherplayer，andaftertheyoungmanhadbuiltthreestoriesofacard-house，whichfelldown，theplayersstrolledoffindifferentdirections。

Mr。Hewetturnedhisfullfacetowardsthewindow。Theycouldseethathehadlargeeyesobscuredbyglasses；hiscomplexionwasrosy，hislipsclean-shaven；and，seenamongordinarypeople，itappearedtobeaninterestingface。Hecamestraighttowardsthem，buthiseyeswerefixednotupontheeavesdroppersbutuponaspotwherethecurtainhunginfolds。

“Asleep？“hesaid。

HelenandRachelstartedtothinkthatsomeonehadbeensittingneartothemunobservedallthetime。Therewerelegsintheshadow。

Amelancholyvoiceissuedfromabovethem。

“Twowomen，“itsaid。

Ascufflingwasheardonthegravel。Thewomenhadfled。Theydidnotstoprunninguntiltheyfeltcertainthatnoeyecouldpenetratethedarknessandthehotelwasonlyasquareshadowinthedistance，withredholesregularlycutinit。

Anhourpassed，andthedownstairsroomsatthehotelgrewdimandwerealmostdeserted，whilethelittlebox-likesquaresabovethemwerebrilliantlyirradiated。Somefortyorfiftypeopleweregoingtobed。Thethumpofjugssetdownonthefloorabovecouldbeheardandtheclinkofchina，fortherewasnotasthickapartitionbetweentheroomsasonemightwish，soMissAllan，theelderlyladywhohadbeenplayingbridge，determined，givingthewallasmartrapwithherknuckles。Itwasonlymatchboard，shedecided，runuptomakemanylittleroomsofonelargeone。

Hergreypetticoatsslippedtotheground，and，stooping，shefoldedherclotheswithneat，ifnotlovingfingers，screwedherhairintoaplait，woundherfather’sgreatgoldwatch，andopenedthecompleteworksofWordsworth。Shewasreadingthe“Prelude，“partlybecauseshealwaysreadthe“Prelude“abroad，andpartlybecauseshewasengagedinwritingashort_Primer__of__English__Literature_——_Beowulf_

_to__Swinburne_——whichwouldhaveaparagraphonWordsworth。

Shewasdeepinthefifthbook，stoppingindeedtopencilanote，whenapairofbootsdropped，oneafteranother，ontheflooraboveher。Shelookedupandspeculated。Whosebootswerethey，shewondered。Shethenbecameawareofaswishingsoundnextdoor——

awoman，clearly，puttingawayherdress。Itwassucceededbyagentletappingsound，suchasthatwhichaccompanieshair-dressing。Itwasverydifficulttokeepherattentionfixeduponthe“Prelude。“

WasitSusanWarringtontapping？Sheforcedherself，however，toreadtotheendofthebook，whensheplacedamarkbetweenthepages，sighedcontentedly，andthenturnedoutthelight。

Verydifferentwastheroomthroughthewall，thoughaslikeinshapeasoneegg-boxislikeanother。AsMissAllanreadherbook，SusanWarringtonwasbrushingherhair。Ageshaveconsecratedthishour，andthemostmajesticofalldomesticactions，totalkoflovebetweenwomen；butMissWarringtonbeingalonecouldnottalk；

shecouldonlylookwithextremesolicitudeatherownfaceintheglass。Sheturnedherheadfromsidetoside，tossingheavylocksnowthiswaynowthat；andthenwithdrewapaceortwo，andconsideredherselfseriously。

“I’mnice-looking，“shedetermined。“Notpretty——possibly，“shedrewherselfupalittle。“Yes——mostpeoplewouldsayIwashandsome。“

ShewasreallywonderingwhatArthurVenningwouldsayshewas。

Herfeelingabouthimwasdecidedlyqueer。Shewouldnotadmittoherselfthatshewasinlovewithhimorthatshewantedtomarryhim，yetshespenteveryminutewhenshewasaloneinwonderingwhathethoughtofher，andincomparingwhattheyhaddoneto-daywithwhattheyhaddonethedaybefore。

“Hedidn’taskmetoplay，buthecertainlyfollowedmeintothehall，“

shemeditated，summinguptheevening。Shewasthirtyyearsofage，andowingtothenumberofhersistersandtheseclusionoflifeinacountryparsonagehadasyethadnoproposalofmarriage。

Thehourofconfidenceswasoftenasadone，andshehadbeenknowntojumpintobed，treatingherhairunkindly，feelingherselfoverlookedbylifeincomparisonwithothers。Shewasabig，well-madewoman，theredlyinguponhercheeksinpatchesthatweretoowelldefined，butherseriousanxietygaveherakindofbeauty。

Shewasjustabouttopullbackthebed-clotheswhensheexclaimed，“Oh，butI’mforgetting，“andwenttoherwriting-table。A

brownvolumelaytherestampedwiththefigureoftheyear。

Sheproceededtowriteinthesquareuglyhandofamaturechild，asshewrotedailyyearafteryear，keepingthediaries，thoughsheseldomlookedatthem。

“A。M——TalkedtoMrs。H。Elliotaboutcountryneighbours。SheknowstheManns；alsotheSelby-Carroways。Howsmalltheworldis！

Likeher。Readachapterof_Miss__Appleby’s__Adventure_toAuntE。P。M——Playedlawn-tenniswithMr。PerrottandEvelynM。Don’t_like_Mr。P。Haveafeelingthatheisnot’quite，’thoughclevercertainly。Beatthem。Daysplendid，viewwonderful。

Onegetsusedtonotrees，thoughmuchtoobareatfirst。

Cardsafterdinner。AuntE。cheerful，thoughtwingy，shesays。

Mem。:_ask__about__damp__sheets_。“

Shekneltinprayer，andthenlaydowninbed，tuckingtheblanketscomfortablyabouther，andinafewminutesherbreathingshowedthatshewasasleep。Withitsprofoundlypeacefulsighsandhesitationsitresembledthatofacowstandinguptoitskneesallnightthroughinthelonggrass。

Aglanceintothenextroomrevealedlittlemorethananose，prominentabovethesheets。Growingaccustomedtothedarkness，forthewindowswereopenandshowedgreysquareswithsplintersofstarlight，onecoulddistinguishaleanform，terriblylikethebodyofadeadperson，thebodyindeedofWilliamPepper，asleeptoo。Thirty-six，thirty-seven，thirty-eight——herewerethreePortuguesemenofbusiness，asleeppresumably，sinceasnorecamewiththeregularityofagreattickingclock。Thirty-ninewasacornerroom，attheendofthepassage，butlatethoughitwas——“One“

struckgentlydownstairs——alineoflightunderthedoorshowedthatsomeonewasstillawake。

“Howlateyouare，Hugh！“awoman，lyinginbed，saidinapeevishbutsolicitousvoice。Herhusbandwasbrushinghisteeth，andforsomemomentsdidnotanswer。

“Youshouldhavegonetosleep，“hereplied。“IwastalkingtoThornbury。“

“ButyouknowthatInevercansleepwhenI’mwaitingforyou，“

shesaid。

Tothathemadenoanswer，butonlyremarked，“Wellthen，we’llturnoutthelight。“Theyweresilent。

Thefaintbutpenetratingpulseofanelectricbellcouldnowbeheardinthecorridor。OldMrs。Paley，havingwokenhungrybutwithoutherspectacles，wassummoninghermaidtofindthebiscuit-box。Themaidhavingansweredthebell，drearilyrespectfulevenatthishourthoughmuffledinamackintosh，thepassagewasleftinsilence。

Downstairsallwasemptyanddark；butontheupperflooralightstillburntintheroomwherethebootshaddroppedsoheavilyaboveMissAllan’shead。Herewasthegentlemanwho，afewhourspreviously，intheshadeofthecurtain，hadseemedtoconsistentirelyoflegs。

Deepinanarm-chairhewasreadingthethirdvolumeofGibbon’s_History__of__the__Decline__and__Fall__of__Rome_bycandle-light。

Ashereadheknockedtheashautomatically，nowandagain，fromhiscigaretteandturnedthepage，whileawholeprocessionofsplendidsentencesenteredhiscapaciousbrowandwentmarchingthroughhisbraininorder。Itseemedlikelythatthisprocessmightcontinueforanhourormore，untiltheentireregimenthadshifteditsquarters，hadnotthedooropened，andtheyoungman，whowasinclinedtobestout，comeinwithlargenakedfeet。

“Oh，Hirst，whatIforgottosaywas——“

“Twominutes，“saidHirst，raisinghisfinger。

Hesafelystowedawaythelastwordsoftheparagraph。

“Whatwasityouforgottosay？“heasked。

“D’youthinkyou_do_makeenoughallowanceforfeelings？“

askedMr。Hewet。Hehadagainforgottenwhathehadmeanttosay。

AfterintensecontemplationoftheimmaculateGibbonMr。Hirstsmiledatthequestionofhisfriend。Helaidasidehisbookandconsidered。

“Ishouldcallyoursasingularlyuntidymind，“heobserved。

“Feelings？Aren’ttheyjustwhatwedoallowfor？Weputloveupthere，andalltherestsomewheredownbelow。“Withhislefthandheindicatedthetopofapyramid，andwithhisrightthebase。