《夜与日》第152章

a　plete　abstinence　from　emotion。　Visit　some　
cheerful　seaside　resort；　Rodney。”　
He　was　struck　by　William’s　appearance；　which　seemed　
to　him　to　indicate　profound　feeling　resolutely　held　in　
check。　No　doubt；　he　reflected；　Katharine　had　been　very　
trying；　unconsciously　trying；　and　had　driven　him　to　take　
up　a　position　which　was　none　of　his　willing。　Mr。　Hilbery　
certainly　did　not　overrate　William’s　sufferings。　No　minutes　
in　his　life　had　hitherto　extorted　from　him　such　intensity　
of　anguish。　He　was　now　facing　the　consequences　
of　his　insanity。　He　must　confess　himself　entirely　and　fundamentally　
other　than　Mr。　Hilbery　thought　him。　Everything　
was　against　him。　Even　the　Sunday　evening　and　the　
fire　and　the　tranquil　library　scene　were　against　him。　Mr。　
Hilbery’s　appeal　to　him　as　a　man　of　the　world　was　terribly　
against　him。　He　was　no　longer　a　man　of　any　world　that　
Mr。　Hilbery　cared　to　recognize。　But　some　power　pelled　
him；　as　it　had　pelled　him　to　e　downstairs；　to　
make　his　stand　here　and　now；　alone　and　unhelped　by　any　
one；　without　prospect　of　reward。　He　fumbled　with　various　
phrases；　and　then　jerked　out：　
“I　love　Cassandra。”　
Mr。　Hilbery’s　face　turned　a　curious　dull　purple。　He　looked　
at　his　daughter。　He　nodded　his　head；　as　if　to　convey　his　
silent　mand　to　her　to　leave　the　room；　but　either　she　
did　not　notice　it　or　preferred　not　to　obey。　
408　
Virginia　Woolf　
“You　have　the　impudence—”　Mr。　Hilbery　began；　in　a　
dull；　low　voice　that　he　himself　had　never　heard　before；　
when　there　was　a　scuffling　and　exclaiming　in　the　hall；　
and　Cassandra；　who　appeared　to　be　insisting　against　some　
dissuasion　on　the　part　of　another；　burst　into　the　room。　
“Uncle　Trevor；”　she　exclaimed；　“I　insist　upon　telling　
you　the　truth！”　She　flung　herself　between　Rodney　and　
her　uncle；　as　if　she　sought　to　intercept　their　blows。　As　
her　uncle　stood　perfectly　still；　looking　very　large　and　imposing；　
and　as　nobody　spoke；　she　shrank　back　a　little；　
and　looked　first　at　Katharine　and　then　at　Rodney。　“You　
must　know　the　truth；”　she　said；　a　little　lamely。　
“You　have　the　impudence　to　tell　me　this　in　Katharine’s　
presence？”　Mr。　Hilbery　continued；　speaking　with　plete　
disregard　of　Cassandra’s　interruption。　
“I　am　aware；　quite　aware—”　Rodney’s　words；　which　were　
broken　in　sense；　spoken　after　a　pause；　and　with　his　eyes　
upon　the　ground；　nevertheless　expressed　an　astonishing　
amount　of　resolution。　“I　am　quite　aware　what　you　must　
think　of　me；”　he　brought　out；　looking　Mr。　Hilbery　directly　
in　the　eyes　for　the　first　time。　
“I　could　express　my　views　on　the　subject　more　fully　if　
we　were　alone；”　Mr。　Hilbery　returned。　
“But　you　forget　me；”　said　Katharine。　She　moved　a　little　
towards　Rodney；　and　her　movement　seemed　to　testify　
mutely　to　her　respect　for　him；　and　her　alliance　with　him。　
“I　think　William　has　behaved　perfectly　rightly；　and；　after　
all；　it　is　I　who　am　concerned—I　and　Cassandra。”　
Cassandra；　too；　gave　an　indescribably　slight　movement　
which　seemed　to　draw　the　three　of　them　into　alliance　
together。　Katharine’s　tone　and　glance　made　Mr。　Hilbery　
once　more　feel　pletely　at　a　loss；　and　in　addition；　
painfully　and　angrily　obsolete；　but　in　spite　of　an　awful　
inner　hollowness　he　was　outwardly　posed。　
“Cassandra　and　Rodney　have　a　perfect　right　to　settle　
their　own　affairs　according　to　their　own　wishes；　but　I　see　
no　reason　why　they　should　do　so　either　in　my　room　or　in　
my　house…　。　I　wish　to　be　quite　clear　on　this　point；　however；　
you　are　no　longer　engaged　to　Rodney。”　
He　paused；　and　his　pause　seemed　to　signify　that　he　
was　extremely　thankful　for　his　daughter’s　deliverance。　
Cassandra　turned　to　Katharine；　who　drew　her　breath　as　
409　
Night　and　Day　
if　to　speak　and　checked　herself；　Rodney；　too；　seemed　to　
await　some　movement　on　her　part；　her　father　glanced　at　
her　as　if　he　half　anticipated　some　further　revelation。　She　
remained　perfectly　silent。　In　the　silence　they　heard　distinctly　
steps　descending　the　staircase；　and　Katharine　went　
straight　to　the　door。　
“Wait；”　Mr。　Hilbery　manded。　“I　wish　to　speak　to　
you—alone；”　he　added。　
She　paused；　holding　the　door　ajar。　
“I’ll　e　back；”　she　said；　and　as　she　spoke　she　opened　the　
door　and　went　out。　They　could　hear　her　immediately　speak　to　
some　one　outside；　though　the　words　were　inaudible。　
Mr。　Hilbery　was　left　confronting　the　guilty　couple；　who　
remained　standing　as　if　they　did　not　accept　their　dismissal；　
and　the　disappearance　of　Katharine　had　brought　
some　change　into　the　situation。　So；　in　his　secret　heart；　
Mr。　Hilbery　felt　that　it　had；　for　he　could　not　explain　his　
daughter’s　behavior　to　his　own　satisfaction。　
“Uncle　Trevor；”　Cassandra　exclaimed　impulsively；　“don’t　
be　angry；　please。　I　couldn’t　help　it；　I　do　beg　you　to　forgive　
me。”　
Her　uncle　still　refused　to　acknowledge　her　identity；　and　
still　talked　over　her　head　as　if　she　did　not　exist。　
“I　suppose　you　have　municated　with　the　Otways；”　
he　said　to　Rodney　grimly。　
“Uncle　Trevor；　we　wanted　to　tell　you；”　Cassandra　replied　
for　him。　“We　waited—”　she　looked　appealingly　at　
Rodney；　who　shook　his　head　ever　so　slightly。　
“Yes？　What　were　you　waiting　for？”　her　uncle　asked　
sharply；　looking　at　her　at　last。　
The　words　died　on　her　lips。　It　was　apparent　that　she　
was　straining　her　ears　as　if　to　catch　some　sound　outside　
the　room　that　would　e　to　her　help。　He　received　no　
answer。　He　listened；　too。　
“This　is　a　most　unpleasant　business　for　all　parties；”　he　
concluded；　sinking　into　his　chair　again；　hunching　his　
shoulders　and　regarding　the　flames。　He　seemed　to　speak　
to　himself；　and　Rodney　and　Cassandra　looked　at　him　in　
silence。　
“Why　don’t　you　sit　down？”　he　said　suddenly。　He　spoke　
gruffly；　but　the　force　of　his　anger　was　evidently　spent；　or　
some　preoccupation　had　turned　his　mood　to　other　re
410　
Virginia　Woolf　
gions。　While　Cassandra　accepted　his　invitation；　Rodney　
remained　standing。　
“I　think　Cassandra　can　explain　matters　better　in　my　
absence；”　he　said；　and　left　the　room；　Mr。　Hilbery　giving　
his　assent　by　a　slight　nod　of　the　head。