Chapter 115

Philipspentthefewweeksthatremainedbeforethebeginningofthewintersessionintheout-patients’department,andinOctobersettleddowntoregularwork.Hehadbeenawayfromthehospitalforsolongthathefoundhimselfverylargelyamongnewpeople;themenofdifferentyearshadlittletodowithoneanother,andhiscontemporarieswerenowmostlyqualified:somehadlefttotakeupassistantshipsorpostsincountryhospitalsandinfirmaries,andsomeheldappointmentsatSt.Luke’s.Thetwoyearsduringwhichhismindhadlainfallowhadrefreshedhim,hefancied,andhewasablenowtoworkwithenergy.

TheAthelnysweredelightedwithhischangeoffortune.Hehadkeptasideafewthingsfromthesaleofhisuncle’seffectsandgavethemallpresents.HegaveSallyagoldchainthathadbelongedtohisaunt.Shewasnowgrownup.ShewasapprenticedtoadressmakerandsetouteverymorningateighttoworkalldayinashopinRegentStreet.Sallyhadfrankblueeyes,abroadbrow,andplentifulshininghair;shewasbuxom,withbroadhipsandfullbreasts;andherfather,whowasfondofdiscussingherappearance,warnedherconstantlythatshemustnotgrowfat.

Sheattractedbecauseshewashealthy,animal,andfeminine.Shehadmanyadmirers,buttheyleftherunmoved;shegaveonetheimpressionthatshelookeduponlove-makingasnonsense;anditwaseasytoimaginethatyoungmenfoundherunapproachable.Sallywasoldforheryears:shehadbeenusedtohelphermotherinthehouseholdworkandinthecareofthechildren,sothatshehadacquiredamanagingair,whichmadehermothersaythatSallywasabittoofondofhavingthingsherownway.Shedidnotspeakverymuch,butasshegrewoldersheseemedtobeacquiringaquietsenseofhumour,andsometimesutteredaremarkwhichsuggestedthatbeneathherimpassiveexteriorshewasquietlybubblingwithamusementatherfellow-creatures.PhilipfoundthatwithherhenevergotonthetermsofaffectionateintimacyuponwhichhewaswiththerestofAthelny’shugefamily.Nowandthenherindifferenceslightlyirritatedhim.Therewassomethingenigmaticinher.

WhenPhilipgaveherthenecklaceAthelnyinhisboisterouswayinsistedthatshemustkisshim;butSallyreddenedanddrewback.

“No,I’mnotgoingto,”shesaid.

“Ungratefulhussy!”criedAthelny.“Whynot?”

“Idon’tlikebeingkissedbymen,”shesaid.

Philipsawherembarrassment,and,amused,turnedAthelny’sattentiontosomethingelse.Thatwasneveraverydifficultthingtodo.Butevidentlyhermotherspokeofthematterlater,fornexttimePhilipcameshetooktheopportunitywhentheywerealoneforacoupleofminutestorefertoit.

“Youdidn’tthinkitdisagreeableofmelastweekwhenIwouldn’tkissyou?”

“Notabit,”helaughed.

“It’snotbecauseIwasn’tgrateful.”Sheblushedalittleassheutteredtheformalphrasewhichshehadprepared.“Ishallalwaysvaluethenecklace,anditwasverykindofyoutogiveitme.”

Philipfounditalwaysalittledifficulttotalktoher.Shedidallthatshehadtodoverycompetently,butseemedtofeelnoneedofconversation;yettherewasnothingunsociableinher.OneSundayafternoonwhenAthelnyandhiswifehadgoneouttogether,andPhilip,treatedasoneofthefamily,satreadingintheparlour,Sallycameinandsatbythewindowtosew.Thegirls’clothesweremadeathomeandSallycouldnotaffordtospendSundaysinidleness.Philipthoughtshewishedtotalkandputdownhisbook.

“Goonreading,”shesaid.“IonlythoughtasyouwerealoneI’dcomeandsitwithyou.”

“You’rethemostsilentpersonI’veeverstruck,”saidPhilip.

“Wedon’twantanotheronewho’stalkativeinthishouse,”shesaid.

Therewasnoironyinhertone:shewasmerelystatingafact.ButitsuggestedtoPhilipthatshemeasuredherfather,alas,nolongertheherohewastoherchildhood,andinhermindjoinedtogetherhisentertainingconversationandthethriftlessnesswhichoftenbroughtdifficultiesintotheirlife;shecomparedhisrhetoricwithhermother’spracticalcommonsense;andthoughthelivelinessofherfatheramusedhershewasperhapssometimesalittleimpatientwithit.Philiplookedatherasshebentoverherwork;shewashealthy,strong,andnormal;itmustbeoddtoseeheramongtheothergirlsintheshopwiththeirflatchestsandanaemicfaces.Mildredsufferedfromanaemia.

AfteratimeitappearedthatSallyhadasuitor.Shewentoutoccasionallywithfriendsshehadmadeinthework-room,andhadmetayoungman,anelectricalengineerinaverygoodwayofbusiness,whowasamosteligibleperson.Onedayshetoldhermotherthathehadaskedhertomarryhim.

“Whatdidyousay?”saidhermother.

“Oh,ItoldhimIwasn’tover-anxioustomarryanyonejustyetawhile.”Shepausedalittleaswasher

habitbetweenobservations.“HetookonsothatIsaidhemightcometoteaonSunday.”

ItwasanoccasionthatthoroughlyappealedtoAthelny.Herehearsedalltheafternoonhowheshouldplaytheheavyfatherfortheyoungman’sedificationtillhereducedhischildrentohelplessgiggling.JustbeforehewasdueAthelnyroutedoutanEgyptiantarbooshandinsistedonputtingiton.

“Goonwithyou,Athelny,”saidhiswife,whowasinherbest,whichwasofblackvelvet,and,sinceshewasgrowingstoutereveryyear,verytightforher.“You’llspoilthegirl’schances.”

Shetriedtopullitoff,butthelittlemanskippednimblyoutofherway.

“Unhandme,woman.Nothingwillinducemetotakeitoff.Thisyoungmanmustbeshownatoncethatitisnoordinaryfamilyheispreparingtoenter.”

“Lethimkeepiton,mother,”saidSally,inhereven,indifferentfashion.“IfMr.Donaldsondoesn’ttakeitthewayit’smeanthecantakehimselfoff,andgoodriddance.”

Philipthoughtitwasasevereordealthattheyoungmanwasbeingexposedto,sinceAthelny,inhisbrownvelvetjacket,flowingblacktie,andredtarboosh,wasastartlingspectacleforaninnocentelectricalengineer.WhenhecamehewasgreetedbyhishostwiththeproudcourtesyofaSpanishgrandeeandbyMrs.Athelnyinanaltogetherhomelyandnaturalfashion.Theysatdownattheoldironing-tableinthehigh-backedmonkishchairs,andMrs.AthelnypouredteaoutofalustreteapotwhichgaveanoteofEnglandandthecountry-sidetothefestivity.Shehadmadelittlecakeswithherownhand,andonthetablewashome-madejam.Itwasafarm-housetea,andtoPhilipveryquaintandcharminginthatJacobeanhouse.AthelnyforsomefantasticreasontookitintohisheadtodiscourseuponByzantinehistory;hehadbeenreadingthelatervolumesoftheDeclineandFall;and,hisforefingerdramaticallyextended,hepouredintotheastonishedearsofthesuitorscandalousstoriesaboutTheodoraandIrene.Headdressedhimselfdirectlytohisguestwithatorrentofrhodomontade;andtheyoungman,reducedtohelplesssilenceandshy,noddedhisheadatintervalstoshowthathetookanintelligentinterest.Mrs.AthelnypaidnoattentiontoThorpe’sconversation,butinterruptednowandthentooffertheyoungmanmoreteaortopressuponhimcakeandjam.PhilipwatchedSally;shesatwithdowncasteyes,calm,silent,andobservant;andherlongeye-lashescastaprettyshadowonhercheek.Youcouldnottellwhethershewasamusedatthesceneorifshecaredfortheyoungman.Shewasinscrutable.Butonethingwascertain:theelectricalengineerwasgood-looking,fairandclean-shaven,withpleasant,regularfeatures,andanhonestface;hewastallandwell-made.Philipcouldnothelpthinkinghewouldmakeanexcellentmateforher,andhefeltapangofenvyforthehappinesswhichhefanciedwasinstoreforthem.

Presentlythesuitorsaidhethoughtitwasabouttimehewasgettingalong.Sallyrosetoherfeetwithoutawordandaccompaniedhimtothedoor.Whenshecamebackherfatherburstout:

“Well,Sally,wethinkyouryoungmanverynice.Wearepreparedtowelcomehimintoourfamily.LetthebannsbecalledandIwillcomposeanuptialsong.”

Sallysetaboutclearingawaythetea-things.Shedidnotanswer.SuddenlysheshotaswiftglanceatPhilip.

“Whatdidyouthinkofhim,Mr.Philip?”

ShehadalwaysrefusedtocallhimUnclePhilastheotherchildrendid,andwouldnotcallhimPhilip.

“Ithinkyou’dmakeanawfullyhandsomepair.”

Shelookedathimquicklyoncemore,andthenwithaslightblushwentonwithherbusiness.

“Ithoughthimaverynicecivil-spokenyoung

fellow,”saidMrs.Athelny,“andIthinkhe’sjustthesorttomakeanygirlhappy.”

Sallydidnotreplyforaminuteortwo,andPhiliplookedathercuriously:itmightbethoughtthatshewasmeditatinguponwhathermotherhadsaid,andontheotherhandshemightbethinkingofthemaninthemoon.

“Whydon’tyouanswerwhenyou’respokento,Sally?”remarkedhermother,alittleirritably.

“Ithoughthewasasilly.”

“Aren’tyougoingtohavehimthen?”

“No,I’mnot.”

“Idon’tknowhowmuchmoreyouwant,”saidMrs.Athelny,anditwasquiteclearnowthatshewasputout.“He’saverydecentyoungfellowandhecanaffordtogiveyouathoroughgoodhome.We’vegotquiteenoughtofeedherewithoutyou.Ifyougetachancelikethatit’swickednottotakeit.AndIdaresayyou’dbeabletohaveagirltodotheroughwork.”

PhiliphadneverbeforeheardMrs.Athelnyrefersodirectlytothedifficultiesofherlife.Hesawhowimportantitwasthateachchildshouldbeprovidedfor.

“It’snogoodyourcarryingon,mother,”saidSallyinherquietway.“I’mnotgoingtomarryhim.”

“Ithinkyou’reaveryhard-hearted,cruel,selfishgirl.”

“Ifyouwantmetoearnmyownliving,mother,Icanalwaysgointoservice.”

“Don’tbesosilly,youknowyourfatherwouldneverletyoudothat.”

PhilipcaughtSally’seye,andhethoughttherewasinitaglimmerofamusement.Hewonderedwhattherehadbeenintheconversationtotouchhersenseofhumour.Shewasanoddgirl.