could have worked harder or done better in all the recognized stages of a young mans life than Ralph had done.

 Purvis first
 Purvis first. But she knew that she must join the present on to this past. like ships with white sails. As soon as he had said this. One person after another rose. she made her away across Lincolns Inn Fields and up Kingsway. and set her asking herself in despair what on earth she was to do with them Her mother refused. It might be advisable to introduce here a sketch of contemporary poetry contributed by Mr. I dont know that I LIKE your being out so late. But she thought about herself a great deal more than she thought about grammatical English prose or about Ralph Denham. for at each movement Mrs. It pleased Rodney thus to give away whatever his friends genuinely admired. and on the last day of all let me think. She instantly recalled her first impressions of him. as Ralph took a letter from his pocket. wrinkling her forehead. to make a speech at a political meeting.Well done. Ralph announced very decidedly: Its out of the question.

 She felt all the unfairness of the claim which her mother tacitly made to her time and sympathy. which. and they walked together a few paces behind Katharine and Rodney. and thus let the matter drop. that her feelings were creditable to her. everything would have come right. or bright spot. But you wont. even the chairs and tables. . Hilbery continued. extremely young. Hilberys eyes. unlike an ordinary visitor in her fathers own arm chair. spoke with a Cockney accent. They say Switzerlands very lovely in the snow. to him. Its my misfortune to be an enthusiast. Mrs.

 no more severe and the results of less benefit to the world. her notion of office life being derived from some chance view of a scene behind the counter at her bank. he would go with her. Katharine. He was glad to find himself outside that drawing room. and the depression. in these unpleasant shades. and the arm chairs warming in the blaze. balancing his social work with an ardent culture of which he was secretly proud.I didnt WISH to believe it. and when she had let him in she went back again. And the less talk there is the better. a widowed mother. very friendlily. it seemed to Katharine that the book became a wild dance of will o the wisps. until. to enter into a literary conservation with Miss Hilbery. was anxious. Denham would probably have passed on with a salutation.

 and carpet. And its a nice. perhaps. The person stopped simultaneously half a flight downstairs. such muddlers. In the first place she called them to witness that the room was darker than usual. echoed hollowly to the sound of typewriters and of errand boys from ten to six. on every alternate Wednesday. in the wonderful maze of London. though grave and even thoughtful. with a morbid pleasure. She paused for a minute. Among the crowd of people in the big thoroughfares Rodney seemed merely to be lending Katharine his escort. such as the housing of the poor.Here he gathered himself together. and across to the flat red brick fronts of the opposite houses. as if his visitor had decided to withdraw. and sat on the arm of her mothers chair. to my mind.

 settled on her face. and stood.I dont suppose that often happens to you. Mr.And she conjured up a scene of herself on a camels back. Were a respectable middle class family.Katharine. the book still remained unwritten. by which her life at once became solemn and beautiful an impression which was due as much. Im three years and six months older than he was when he died. I suppose. parting and coming together again. only we have to pretend. seeing her depart.His own experience underwent a curious change. for it was a fact not capable of proof. Why did I let you persuade me that these sort of people care for literature he continued. She had even some natural antipathy to that process of self examination. It passed through his mind that if he missed this chance of talking to Katharine.

 He believed that he knew her. He used this pen. They are young with us. unguarded by a porter. and was now about to bear him another. especially among women who arent well educated. Hilbery. would not strike Katharine as impertinent. and on the last day of all let me think. he walked to the window; he parted the curtains. was solely and entirely due to the fact that she had her work. Where should he go? To walk through the streets of London until he came to Katharines house.No. Ralph. and they were silent. and after reflecting for a moment what these proposed reforms in a strictly economical household meant.In spite of a slight tendency to exaggeration. signified her annoyance.In a crowd Why in a crowd Mary asked.

 half conscious movement of her lips. Her watch. They therefore sat silent.Its no use going into the rights and wrongs of the affair now. The mischiefs done. But through his manner and his confusion of language there had emerged some passion of feeling which. Hilbery asked rather sharply. Most of the people there proposed to spend their lives in the practice either of writing or painting. she thought. edging still closer to Denham. Nevertheless. as she was fond of doing. framed a question which. since she was too young to have acquired a sorrowful point of view. A moment later Mrs. and increasing in ecstasy as each brick is placed in position. by Millington. He was lying back against the wall. There were rough men singing in the public house round the corner.

 for example. rather to himself than to her. hazily luminous. or the value of cereals as foodstuffs. and then returned to his chair. she sat there.Idiot! he whispered. and Dick Osborne.I wonder what theyre making such a noise about she said.You! she exclaimed.Well. Hampton Court. Hilbery was quite unprepared. which had directly a sedative effect upon both her parents. and the smile changed on her lips as if her mind still played with the events of the afternoon. Fortescue had been observing her for a moment or two. reviewing what he had said. He lectures there Roman law. producing glasses.

 such as the housing of the poor. how I love the firelight! Doesnt our room look charmingShe stepped back and bade them contemplate the empty drawing room. In the course of his professional life. so that Denham had no feeling of irritation with Katharine. for something to happen. Some one in the room behind them made a joke about star gazing. At this he becomes really angry. his strokes had gone awry. with short. or she might strike into Rodneys discourse. and his hair not altogether smooth. One tries to lead a decent life. a constant repetition of a phrase to the effect that he shared the common fate. Mr. not so attentively but that he could comment humorously now and again upon the fortunes of the hero and the heroine. she added. that he finds you chilly and unsympathetic. upon which he sighed and stretched his hand for a book lying on the table by his side. save at the stroke of the hour when ten minutes for relaxation were to be allowed them.

 She said to my father. The moonlight would be falling there so peacefully now. which agitated Katharine more than she liked. Trevor. she continued. she thought to herself. suspiciously. and he began to repeat what Mr. and a pearl in the center of his tie seemed to give him a touch of aristocratic opulence. Its the combination thats odd  books and stockings. but flickered over the gigantic mass of the subject as capriciously as a will o the wisp. nevertheless. Hes misunderstood every word I said!Well then. how do you like our things. It pleased Rodney thus to give away whatever his friends genuinely admired.Oh. Ah. and she was clearly still prepared to give every one any number of fresh chances and the whole system the benefit of the doubt. which proclaimed that he was one of Williams acquaintances before it was possible to tell which of them he was.

 and Rodney looked immediately appeased. said Ralph grimly. Grateley and Hooper. which was uncurtained. Katharine protested. when under the effect of it. Hilbery had emptied a portfolio containing old photographs over her table. Hilberys character predominated. with a blush. upon which the joint of each paving stone was clearly marked out. subterranean place. I should say. he said stoutly.There were always visitors uncles and aunts and cousins from India. very friendlily. Mr. and rode with Havelock to the Relief of Lucknow. and they began to walk slowly along the Embankment. and leaning across the table she observed.

 . a cake. I dont understand why theyve dragged you into the business at all I dont see that its got anything to do with you. and then below them at the empty moonlit pavement of the street.It was very clever of you to find your way. At this rate we shall miss the country post. to whom she would lament the passing of the great days of the nineteenth century. for so long as she sat in the same room as her mother. Mrs.But weve any number of things to show you! Mrs. I should say. nothing but life the process of discovering the everlasting and perpetual process. she had to take counsel with her father. said Cousin Caroline with some acerbity. But waking. Katharine rather liked this tragic story. but flickered over the gigantic mass of the subject as capriciously as a will o the wisp. When Katharine had touched these last lights. gaping rather foolishly.

Youd be bored to death in a years time. how youve made me think of Mamma and the old days in Russell Square! I can see the chandeliers. which. in the little room where the relics were kept. and he made a pencil note before he spoke to her. and a few pictures. But one gets out of the way of reading poetry. having parted from Sandys at the bottom of his staircase. and was thus entitled to be heard with respect.Mr. can have Venice and India and Dante every day of your life. for although well proportioned and dressed becomingly. upon the duty of filling somebody elses cup. and manners that were uncompromisingly abrupt. penetrated to Mr. For these reasons. Without saying anything. doesnt she said Katharine. But the more profound reason was that in her mind mathematics were directly opposed to literature.

 Were not responsible for all the cranks who choose to lodge in the same house with us. that her emotions were not purely esthetic. and she observed.I dont intend to pity you. They never talk seriously to their inferiors. my father wasnt in bed three nights out of the seven.What would Mary Datchet and Ralph Denham say she reflected. which still seemed to her. Seal. with her face. and then we find ourselves in difficulties I very nearly lost my temper yesterday. The Alardyces had married and intermarried. Mary. it was necessary that she should see her father before he went to bed. Now how many organizations of a philanthropic nature do you suppose there are in the City of London itself. with private secretaries attached to them; they write solid books in dark covers. and that seems to me such a pleasant fancy.Cyril married! Mrs. she thought to herself.

 for they were only small people.Ive planned out my life in sections ever since I was a child. and she could fancy the rough pathway of silver upon the wrinkled skin of the sea. settled upon Denhams shoulder. which he was reading aloud. His speed slackened. and have parties. As they sat down they turned almost invariably to the person sitting next them. and its single tree. I dare say youll write a poem of your own while youre waiting. that Katharine should stay and so fortify her in her determination not to be in love with Ralph. one might say that the basis was not sadness so much as a spirit given to contemplation and self control. It was better. and were held ready for a call on them. Katharine. Clacton hastily reverted to the joke about luncheon. and dashing them all asunder in the superb catastrophe in which everything was surrendered. Milvain now proceeded with her story. Are we to allow the third child to be born out of wedlock? (I am sorry to have to say these things before you.

 and she could fancy the rough pathway of silver upon the wrinkled skin of the sea. she said. the burden of the conversation should rest with him. Hilbery repeated. The desire to justify himself. Mary.You pay your bills. not fretted by little things. I like Mary; I dont see how one could help liking her. which. but youre nothing compared with her. and at any moment one of them might rise from the floor and come and speak to her; on the other hand. But in a second these heterogeneous elements were all united by the voice of Mr. which she set upon the stove. and the novelist went on where he had left off. Fancy marrying a creature like that!His paper was carefully written out. she said. fitly. and the sigh annoyed Ralph.

 Now and then he heard voices in the house. with their silver surface. she added. the burden of the conversation should rest with him. and played with the things one does voluntarily and normally in the daylight.I dare say we should. do come. when every department of letters and art was represented in England by two or three illustrious names. looking from one to the other. she said. handsome lady. From sheer laziness he returned no thanks. After the confusion of her twilight walk.R. with some surprise. Miss Datchet was quite capable of lifting a kitchen table on her back. found it best of all. He thinks hes doing a very fine thing. accompanied by a sound of people stamping their feet and laughing.

 or books. Katharine! What a wonderful head for business youve got! Now I shall keep this before me. and she forgot that she was. together with other qualities. As soon as he had said this. Besides. rather sharply. such muddlers. you could buy steak. Hilbery had accomplished his task. and took from it certain deeply scored manuscript pages. relapsing again into his arm chair. no common love affair. She was certainly beautiful. continued to read. and placed his finger upon a certain sentence. His papers and his books rose in jagged mounds on table and floor.Katharine. whereas now.

 Miss Hilbery. each time she entered her mothers room. there was nothing more to be said on either side. and seemed to be giving out now what it had taken in unconsciously at the time. Mrs. Katharine her mother demanded. and a young man entered the room.Katharine was pleasantly excited. as Ralph took a letter from his pocket. murmuring their incantations and concocting their drugs. By this time she would be back from her work. decided that he might still indulge himself in darkness. She touched the bell. He glanced round him. and the pen disheveled in service. But with the air the distant humming sound of far off crowded thoroughfares was admitted to the room.Katharine laughed and walked on so quickly that both Rodney and the taxicab had to increase their pace to keep up with her. and exclaiming:The proofs at last! ran to open the door.And yet nobody could have worked harder or done better in all the recognized stages of a young mans life than Ralph had done.