《夜与日》第154章

expect　me　to　draw？”　he　said　sharply…　。　“You　tell　me　that　
you　are　not　engaged　to　Rodney；　I　see　you　on　what　appear　
to　be　extremely　intimate　terms　with　another—with　
Ralph　Denham。　What　am　I　to　conclude？　Are　you；”　he　added；　
as　she　still　said　nothing；　“engaged　to　Ralph　Denham？”　
“No；”　she　replied。　
His　sense　of　relief　was　great；　he　had　been　certain　that　
her　answer　would　have　confirmed　his　suspicions；　but　that　
anxiety　being　set　at　rest；　he　was　the　more　conscious　of　
annoyance　with　her　for　her　behavior。　
“Then　all　I　can　say　is　that　you’ve　very　strange　ideas　of　
the　proper　way　to　behave…　。　People　have　drawn　certain　
conclusions；　nor　am　I　surprised…　。　The　more　I　think　of　it　
the　more　inexplicable　I　find　it；”　he　went　on；　his　anger　
413　
Night　and　Day　
rising　as　he　spoke。　“Why　am　I　left　in　ignorance　of　what　is　
going　on　in　my　own　house？　Why　am　I　left　to　hear　of　these　
events　for　the　first　time　from　my　sister？　Most　disagree
able—most　upsetting。　How　I’m　to　explain　to　your　Uncle　
Francis—but　I　wash　my　hands　of　it。　Cassandra　goes　tomorrow。　
I　forbid　Rodney　the　house。　As　for　the　other　young　
man；　the　sooner　he　makes　himself　scarce　the　better。　After　
placing　the　most　implicit　trust　in　you；　Katharine—”　
He　broke　off；　disquieted　by　the　ominous　silence　with　which　
his　words　were　received；　and　looked　at　his　daughter　with　
the　curious　doubt　as　to　her　state　of　mind　which　he　had　
felt　before；　for　the　first　time；　this　evening。　He　perceived　
once　more　that　she　was　not　attending　to　what　he　said；　
but　was　listening；　and　for　a　moment　he；　too；　listened　for　
sounds　outside　the　room。　His　certainty　that　there　was　
some　understanding　between　Denham　and　Katharine　returned；　
but　with　a　most　unpleasant　suspicion　that　there　
was　something　illicit　about　it；　as　the　whole　position　between　
the　young　people　seemed　to　him　gravely　illicit。　
“I’ll　speak　to　Denham；”　he　said；　on　the　impulse　of　his　
suspicion；　moving　as　if　to　go。　
“I　shall　e　with　you；”　Katharine　said　instantly；　starting　
forward。　
“You　will　stay　here；”　said　her　father。　
“What　are　you　going　to　say　to　him？”　she　asked。　
“I　suppose　I　may　say　what　I　like　in　my　own　house？”　he　
returned。　
“Then　I　go；　too；”　she　replied。　
At　these　words；　which　seemed　to　imply　a　determination　
to　go—to　go　for　ever；　Mr。　Hilbery　returned　to　his　position　
in　front　of　the　fire；　and　began　swaying　slightly　from　side　
to　side　without　for　the　moment　making　any　remark。　
“I　understood　you　to　say　that　you　were　not　engaged　to　
him；”　he　said　at　length；　fixing　his　eyes　upon　his　daughter。　
“We　are　not　engaged；”　she　said。　
“It　should　be　a　matter　of　indifference　to　you；　then；　
whether　he　es　here　or　not—I　will　not　have　you　listening　
to　other　things　when　I　am　speaking　to　you！”　he　
broke　off　angrily；　perceiving　a　slight　movement　on　her　
part　to　one　side。　“Answer　me　frankly；　what　is　your　relationship　
with　this　young　man？”　
“Nothing　that　I　can　explain　to　a　third　person；”　she　said　
414　
Virginia　Woolf　
obstinately。　
“I　will　have　no　more　of　these　equivocations；”　he　replied。　
“I　refuse　to　explain；”　she　returned；　and　as　she　said　it　
the　front　door　banged　to。　“There！”　she　exclaimed。　“He　is　
gone！”　She　flashed　such　a　look　of　fiery　indignation　at　her　
father　that　he　lost　his　selfcontrol　for　a　moment。　
“For　God’s　sake；　Katharine；　control　yourself！”　he　cried。　
She　looked　for　a　moment　like　a　wild　animal　caged　in　a　
civilized　dwellingplace。　She　glanced　over　the　walls　covered　
with　books；　as　if　for　a　second　she　had　forgotten　the　
position　of　the　door。　Then　she　made　as　if　to　go；　but　her　
father　laid　his　hand　upon　her　shoulder。　He　pelled　her　
to　sit　down。　
“These　emotions　have　been　very　upsetting；　naturally；”　
he　said。　His　manner　had　regained　all　its　suavity；　and　he　
spoke　with　a　soothing　assumption　of　paternal　authority。　
“You’ve　been　placed　in　a　very　difficult　position；　as　I　understand　
from　Cassandra。　Now　let　us　e　to　terms；　we　
will　leave　these　agitating　questions　in　peace　for　the　
present。　Meanwhile；　let　us　try　to　behave　like　civilized　
beings。　Let　us　read　Sir　Walter　Scott。　What　d’you　say　to　
‘The　Antiquary；’　eh？　Or　‘The　Bride　of　Lammermoor’？”　
He　made　his　own　choice；　and　before　his　daughter　could　
protest　or　make　her　escape；　she　found　herself　being　turned　
by　the　agency　of　Sir　Walter　Scott　into　a　civilized　human　
being。　
Yet　Mr。　Hilbery　had　grave　doubts；　as　he　read；　whether　
the　process　was　more　than　skindeep。　Civilization　had　
been　very　profoundly　and　unpleasantly　overthrown　that　
evening；　the　extent　of　the　ruin　was　still　undetermined；　
he　had　lost　his　temper；　a　physical　disaster　not　to　be　
matched　for　the　space　of　ten　years　or　so；　and　his　own　
condition　urgently　required　soothing　and　renovating　at　
the　hands　of　the　classics。　His　house　was　in　a　state　of　
revolution；　he　had　a　vision　of　unpleasant　encounters　on　
the　staircase；　his　meals　would　be　poisoned　for　days　to　
e；　was　literature　itself　a　specific　against　such　
disagreeables？　A　note　of　hollowness　was　in　his　voice　as　
he　read。　
415　
Night　and　Day　
CHAPTER　XXXIII　
Considering　that　Mr。　Hilbery　lived　in　a　house　which　was　
accurately　numbered　in　order　with　its　fellows；　and　that　
he　filled　up　forms；　paid　rent；　and　had　seven　more　years　of　
tenancy　to　run；　he　had　an　excuse　for　laying　down　laws　for　
the　conduct　of　those　who　lived　in　his　house；　and　this　
excuse；　though　profoundly　inadequate；　he　found　useful　
during　the　interregnum　of　civilization　with　which　he　now　
found　himself　faced。　In　obedience　to　those　laws；　Rodney　
disappeared；　Cassandra　was　dispatched　to　catch　the　
eleventhirty　on　Monday　morning；　Denham　was　seen　no　
more；　so　that　only　Katharine；　the　lawful　occupant　of　the　
upper　rooms；　remained；　and　Mr。　Hilbery　thought　himself　
petent　to　see　that　she　did　nothing　further　to　promise　
herself。　As　he　bade　her　good　morning　next　day　
he　was　aware　that　he　knew　nothing　of　what　she　was　thinking；　
but；　as　he　reflected　with　some　bitterness；　even　this　
was　an　advance　upon　the　ignorance　of　the　previous　mornings。　
He　went　to　his　study；　wrote；　tore　up；　and　w