Chapter 104

ThesocialeveningstookplaceonalternateMondays.TherewasoneatthebeginningofPhilip』ssecondweekatLynn』s.Hearrangedtogowithoneofthewomeninhisdepartment.

「Meet『em『alf-way,」shesaid,「sameasIdo.」

ThiswasMrs.Hodges,alittlewomanoffive-and-forty,withbadlydyedhair;shehadayellowfacewithanetworkofsmallredveinsalloverit,andyellowwhitestoherpaleblueeyes.ShetookafancytoPhilipandcalledhimbyhisChristiannamebeforehehadbeenintheshopaweek.

「We』vebothknownwhatitistocomedown,」shesaid.

ShetoldPhilipthatherrealnamewasnotHodges,butshealwaysreferredto「me『usbandMisterodges;」hewasabarristerandhetreatedhersimplyshocking,soshelefthimasshepreferredtobeindependentlike;butshehadknownwhatitwastodriveinherowncarriage,dear—shecalledeveryonedear—andtheyalwayshadlatedinnerathome.Sheusedtopickherteethwiththepinofanenormoussilverbrooch.Itwasintheformofawhipandahunting-cropcrossed,withtwospursinthemiddle.Philipwasillateaseinhisnewsurroundings,andthegirlsintheshopcalledhim『sidey.』OneaddressedhimasPhil,andhedidnotanswerbecausehehadnottheleastideathatshewasspeakingtohim;soshetossedherhead,sayinghewasa『stuck-upthing,』andnexttimewithironicalemphasiscalledhimMisterCarey.ShewasaMissJewell,andshewasgoingtomarryadoctor.Theothergirlshadneverseenhim,buttheysaidhemustbeagentlemanashegavehersuchlovelypresents.

「Neveryoumindwhattheysay,dear,」saidMrs.Hodges.「I』ve『adtogothroughitsameasyou『ave.Theydon』tknowanybetter,poorthings.Youtakemywordforit,they』lllikeyouallrightifyou『oldyourownsameasI『ave.」

Thesocialeveningwasheldintherestaurantinthebasement.Thetableswereputononesidesothattheremightberoomfordancing,andsmalleronesweresetoutforprogressivewhist.

「The『eads『avetogetthereearly,」saidMrs.Hodges.

SheintroducedhimtoMissBennett,whowasthebelleofLynn』s.Shewasthebuyerinthe『Petticoats,』andwhenPhilipenteredwasengagedinconversationwiththebuyerinthe『Gentlemen』sHosiery;』MissBennettwasawomanofmassiveproportions,withaverylargeredfaceheavilypowderedandabustofimposingdimensions;herflaxenhairwasarrangedwithelaboration.Shewasoverdressed,butnotbadlydressed,inblackwithahighcollar,andsheworeblackglacegloves,inwhichsheplayedcards;shehadseveralheavygoldchainsroundherneck,banglesonherwrists,andcircularphotographpendants,onebeingofQueenAlexandra;shecarriedablacksatinbagandchewedSen-sens.

「Pleasetomeetyou,Mr.Carey,」shesaid.「Thisisyourfirstvisittooursocialevenings,ain』tit?Iexpectyoufeelabitshy,butthere』snocauseto,Ipromiseyouthat.」

Shedidherbesttomakepeoplefeelathome.Sheslappedthemontheshouldersandlaughedagreatdeal.

「Ain』tIapickle?」shecried,turningtoPhilip.「Whatmustyouthinkofme?ButIcan』t『elpmeself.」

Thosewhoweregoingtotakepartinthesocialeveningcamein,theyoungermembersofthestaffmostly,boyswhohadnotgirlsoftheirown,andgirlswhohadnotyetfoundanyonetowalkwith.Severaloftheyounggentlemenworeloungesuitswithwhiteeveningtiesandredsilkhandkerchiefs;theyweregoingtoperform,andtheyhadabusy,abstractedair;somewereself-confident,butotherswerenervous,andtheywatchedtheirpublicwithananxiouseye.Presentlyagirlwithagreatdealofhairsatatthepianoandranherhandsnoisilyacrossthekeyboard.Whentheaudiencehadsettleditselfshelookedroundandgavethenameofherpiece.

「ADriveinRussia.」

Therewasaroundofclappingduringwhichshedeftlyfixedbellstoherwrists.Shesmiledalittleandimmediatelyburstintoenergeticmelody.Therewasagreatdealmoreclappingwhenshefinished,andwhenthiswasover,asanencore,shegaveapiecewhichimitatedthesea;therewerelittletrillstorepresentthelappingwavesandthunderingchords,withtheloudpedaldown,tosuggestastorm.AfterthisagentlemansangasongcalledBidmeGood-bye,andasanencoreobligedwithSingmetoSleep.Theaudiencemeasuredtheirenthusiasmwithanicediscrimination.Everyonewasapplaudedtillhegaveanencore,andsothattheremightbenojealousynoonewasapplaudedmorethananyoneelse.MissBennettsaileduptoPhilip.

「I』msureyouplayorsing,Mr.Carey,」shesaidarchly.「Icanseeitinyourface.」

「I』mafraidIdon』t.」

「Don』tyouevenrecite?」

「Ihavenoparlourtricks.」

Thebuyerinthe『gentleman』shosiery』wasawell-knownreciter,andhewascalleduponloudlytoperformbyalltheassistantsinhisdepartment.Needingnopressing,hegavealongpoemoftragiccharacter,inwhichherolledhiseyes,puthishandonhischest,andactedasthoughhewereingreatagony.Thepoint,thathehadeatencucumberforsupper,wasdivulgedinthelastlineandwasgreetedwithlaughter,alittleforcedbecauseeveryoneknewthepoemwell,butloudandlong.MissBennettdidnotsing,play,orrecite.

「Ohno,she『asalittlegameofherown,」saidMrs.Hodges.

「Now,don』tyoubeginchaffingme.ThefactisIknowquitealotaboutpalmistryandsecondsight.」

「Oh,dotellmy『and,MissBennett,」criedthegirlsinherdepartment,eagertopleaseher.

「Idon』tliketelling『ands,Idon』treally.I』vetoldpeoplesuchterriblethingsandthey』veallcometrue,itmakesonesuperstitiouslike.」

「Oh,MissBennett,justforonce.」

Alittlecrowdcollectedroundher,and,amidscreamsofembarrassment,giggles,blushings,andcriesofdismayoradmiration,shetalkedmysteriouslyoffairanddarkmen,ofmoneyinaletter,andofjourneys,tillthesweatstoodinheavybeadsonherpaintedface.

「Lookatme,」shesaid.「I』mallofaperspiration.」

Supperwasatnine.Therewerecakes,buns,sandwiches,teaandcoffee,allfree;butifyouwantedmineralwateryouhadtopayforit.Gallantryoftenledyoungmentooffertheladiesgingerbeer,butcommondecencymadethemrefuse.MissBennettwasveryfondofgingerbeer,andshedranktwoandsometimesthreebottlesduringtheevening;butsheinsistedonpayingforthemherself.Themenlikedherforthat.

「She』sarumoldbird,」theysaid,「butmindyou,she』snotabadsort,she』snotlikewhatsomeare.」

Aftersupperprogressivewhistwasplayed.Thiswasverynoisy,andtherewasagreatdealoflaughingandshouting,aspeoplemovedfromtabletotable.MissBennettgrewhotterandhotter.

「Lookatme,」shesaid.「I』mallofaperspiration.」

Induecourseoneofthemoredashingoftheyoungmenremarkedthatiftheywantedtodancethey』dbetterbegin.Thegirlwhohadplayedtheaccompanimentssatatthepianoandplacedadecidedfootontheloudpedal.Sheplayedadreamywaltz,markingthetimewiththebass,whilewiththerighthandshe『tiddled』inalternateoctaves.Bywayofachangeshecrossedherhandsandplayedtheairinthebass.

「Shedoesplaywell,doesn』tshe?」Mrs.HodgesremarkedtoPhilip.「Andwhat』smoreshe』snever『ad

alessonin『erlife;it』sallear.」

MissBennettlikeddancingandpoetrybetterthananythingintheworld.Shedancedwell,butvery,veryslowly,andanexpressioncameintohereyesasthoughherthoughtswerefar,faraway.Shetalkedbreathlesslyofthefloorandtheheatandthesupper.ShesaidthatthePortmanRoomshadthebestfloorinLondonandshealwayslikedthedancesthere;theywereveryselect,andshecouldn』tbeardancingwithallsortsofmenyoudidn』tknowanythingabout;why,youmightbeexposingyourselftoyoudidn』tknowwhatall.Nearlyallthepeopledancedverywell,andtheyenjoyedthemselves.Sweatpoureddowntheirfaces,andtheveryhighcollarsoftheyoungmengrewlimp.

Philiplookedon,andagreaterdepressionseizedhimthanherememberedtohavefeltforalongtime.Hefeltintolerablyalone.Hedidnotgo,becausehewasafraidtoseemsupercilious,andhetalkedwiththegirlsandlaughed,butinhisheartwasunhappiness.MissBennettaskedhimifhehadagirl.

「No,」hesmiled.

「Oh,well,there』splentytochoosefromhere.Andthey』reverynicerespectablegirls,someofthem.Iexpectyou』llhaveagirlbeforeyou』vebeenherelong.」

Shelookedathimveryarchly.

「Meet『em『alf-way,」saidMrs.Hodges.「That』swhatItellhim.」

Itwasnearlyeleveno』clock,andthepartybrokeup.Philipcouldnotgettosleep.Liketheothershekepthisachingfeetoutsidethebed-clothes.Hetriedwithallhismightnottothinkofthelifehewasleading.Thesoldierwassnoringquietly.