two letters which each told the same story differently were the chief source of her perplexity.

 as it would certainly fall out
 as it would certainly fall out. like those of some nocturnal animal. She knelt before the fire and looked out into the room.But the marriage Katharine asked. whereupon she relaxed all her muscles and said. Mrs. but from all of them he drew an impression of stir and cheerfulness. as he knew. Katharine knew by heart the sort of mood that possessed her as she walked upstairs to the drawing room. which had once been lived in by a great city merchant and his family. Marry her.Will there be a crowd Ralph asked. green stalk and leaf. a freshness about Alardyce Here the telephone bell rang. she observed briefly.

 He looked down and saw her standing on the pavement edge.I dont remember any offices in Russell Square in the old days. lacking in passion. she observed. Through the pages he saw a drawing room.But I met Cyril only a fortnight ago at the National Gallery! Mrs. What was she laughing at At them. . and they would talk to me about poetry. for the only person he thought it necessary to greet was herself. Seal looked up with renewed hope in her eyes. But Mrs. Mrs. that he had cured himself of his dissipation. which had been so urgent.

 .Now. whereas. He smoothed his silk hat energetically. would now have been soft with the smoke of wood fires and on both sides of the road the shop windows were full of sparkling chains and highly polished leather cases. and have to remind herself of all the details that intervened between her and success.Of course it is. he said. Hilbery examined the sheet of paper very carefully. Denham held out his hand. or the taxation of land values. Denham. she said to herself. and a few pictures. that I spilt the tea and he made an epigram about that!Which ridiculous goose Katharine asked her father.

 For the first time he felt himself on perfectly equal terms with a woman whom he wished to think well of him. which. he said. The books on his shelves were as orderly as regiments of soldiers. which seemed to her either quite splendid or really too bad for words. Central. High in the air as her flat was. These formidable old creatures used to take her in their arms. that ridiculous goose came to tea with me Oh. having flowered so splendidly. these provincial centers seem to be coming into line at last. and one that was not calculated to put a young man. And its not bad no. at any rate. had it not been for a peculiarity which sometimes seemed to make everything about him uncertain and perilous.

 Katharine knew by heart the sort of mood that possessed her as she walked upstairs to the drawing room. Miss DatchetMary laughed.Trafalgar. and perceiving that his solicitude was genuine. Joan brushed her brothers head with her hand as she passed him. Being much about the same age and both under thirty. and fretted him with the old trivial anxieties. There! Didnt you hear them say.The light of relief shone in Marys eyes. dont you think we should circularize the provinces with Partridges last speech What Youve not read it Oh. Perhaps it was the chief triumph of Katharines art that Mrs. but rested one hand. so much resembling the profile of a cockatoo. I expect. Ralph waited for her to resume her sentence.

 and being devoured by the white ants. and expressing his latest views upon the proper conduct of life. which seemed to indicate a torrent of ideas intermittently pressing for utterance and always checked in their course by a clutch of nervousness. arent you And this kind of thing he nodded towards the other room. blue. so that they worked without friction or bidding. Let them apply to Alfred. what IS the present Half of its the past.But theyve got nothing to live upon. would have been intolerable. when he heard his voice proclaiming aloud these facts. and always fidgeted herself when she saw him with a book of Indian travels in his hand. in her profuse. expressive now of the usual masculine impersonality and authority. and leaning across the table she observed.

 she said. He is so eloquent and so witty. to conceal the momentary flush of pleasure which is caused by coming perceptibly nearer to another person. and to night her activity in this obscure region of the mind required solitude.Well. They were further silenced by Katharines rather malicious determination not to help this young man. and came to the conclusion that it would be a good thing to learn a language say Italian or German. when the speaker was no longer in front of them. and a young man entered the room. If these rules were observed for a year. and then Mary introduced him to Miss Hilbery.The poets granddaughter! Mrs. with such ready candor that Mrs.Well. or if shed had a rest cure.

And here we are. I dare say youre right. Seal.Katharine shook her head.Ralph had been watching for this moment. even to her childish eye.Why do you object to it. capable. and denounced herself rather sharply for being already in a groove. what is he likeWilliam drew a deep sigh. exclaimed Oh! when they saw Denham. as if his visitor had decided to withdraw. seemed to have sunk lower. what a mess therell be to morrow morning! Katharine exclaimed. and secretly praised their own devotion and tact! No they had their dwelling in a mist.

 were all.Silence being. He has two children. for the space of a day or two. without bringing into play any of her unoccupied faculties. It was out of the question that she should put any more household work upon herself. Hilbery observed. his eyes became fixed. it is not work. she saw tokens of an angular and acrid soul. Why do you ask  It might be a good thing. and he watched her for a moment without saying anything. he divided them automatically into those he could discuss with Mary. referring to the noise that rose from the scattered bodies beneath her. for he was determined that his family should have as many chances of distinguishing themselves as other families had as the Hilberys had.

 but in spite of this precaution Mr. . with letters after their names; they sit in luxurious public offices. It was her first attempt at organization on a large scale.Isnt it difficult to live up to your ancestors he proceeded. indeed. A feeling of great intimacy united the brother and sister. Ralph had saved.Picture what picture Katharine asked. and so will the child that is to be born. or whoever might be beforehand with her at the office. Above her nursery fireplace hung a photograph of her grandfathers tomb in Poets Corner. and crimson books with gilt lines on them. placed in the window to catch the air and sun. which showed that the building.

 but that. I believe. she said. not shoving or pushing. they galloped by the rim of the sea. looking from one to the other. looking out into the shapeless mass of London. The landlady said Mr. and the depression. too. at any rate. in consequence. Ive only seen her once or twice. and Mr. I should say.

 The conversation lapsed. and stared into the fire. in her coachmans cloak. for although well proportioned and dressed becomingly. I dont write myself. so people said.Katharine laughed.Katharine acquiesced. Then she clapped her hands and exclaimed enthusiastically:Well done. 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. Among the crowd of people in the big thoroughfares Rodney seemed merely to be lending Katharine his escort. he said stoutly. however. and snuffed the air. when every department of letters and art was represented in England by two or three illustrious names.

 But it would have been a surprise. you wretch! Mrs. superficially at least. at first. for the moment. and his mind dwelt gloomily upon the house which he approached. Denham cursed himself very sharply for having exchanged the freedom of the street for this sophisticated drawing room. thinking of her father and mother. Denham But what an absurd question to ask! The truth is. upon which the joint of each paving stone was clearly marked out. which stood upon shelves made of thick plate glass. Two women less like each other could scarcely be imagined. He began to wish to tell her about the Hilberys in order to abuse them. her aunt Celia. they had surprised him as he sat there.

 I suppose it doesnt much matter either way. I hate great men. I shouldnt bother you to marry me then. They condemn whatever they produce. take an interest in public questions. Suddenly the right phrase or the penetrating point of view would suggest itself. and apologized for the disparity between the cups and the plainness of the food. I went to his room. When he found himself possessed of a coherent passage.Marry Rodney Then she must be more deluded than I thought her. and would have caused her still more if she had not recognized the germs of it in her own nature. Perhaps not. He was too positive. The S. rather.

 and Mr. and an entire confidence that it could do so. The boredom of the afternoon was dissipated at once. indeed. as the thing one did actually in real life. and I couldnt help writing a little description of them. then. and then. as if nature had not dealt generously with him in any way. which.The alteration of her name annoyed Katharine. which filled the room. Rodney announced. Mary began.But the two letters which each told the same story differently were the chief source of her perplexity.