without embarrassment or apology：
“I don’t see why I should answer Aunt Celia’s questions。
I’ve told her already that I won’t。”
Mr。 Hilbery was relieved and secretly amused at the
thought of the interview； although he could not license
such irreverence outwardly。
“Very good。 Then you authorize me to tell her that she’s
been mistaken； and there was nothing but a little fun in
it？ You’ve no doubt； Katharine； in your own mind？
Cassandra is in our charge； and I don’t intend that people
should gossip about her。 I suggest that you should be a
little more careful in future。 Invite me to your next entertainment。”
She did not respond； as he had hoped； with any affectionate
or humorous reply。 She meditated； pondering
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something or other； and he reflected that even his
Katharine did not differ from other women in the capacity
to let things be。 Or had she something to say？
“Have you a guilty conscience？” he inquired lightly。
“Tell me； Katharine；” he said more seriously； struck by
something in the expression of her eyes。
“I’ve been meaning to tell you for some time；” she said；
“I’m not going to marry William。”
“You’re not going—！” he exclaimed； dropping the poker
in his immense surprise。 “Why？ When？ Explain yourself；
Katharine。”
“Oh； some time ago—a week； perhaps more。” Katharine
spoke hurriedly and indifferently； as if the matter could
no longer concern any one。
“But may I ask—why have I not been told of this—
what do you mean by it？”
“We don’t wish to be married—that’s all。”
“This is William’s wish as well as yours？”
“Oh； yes。 We agree perfectly。”
Mr。 Hilbery had seldom felt more pletely at a loss。
He thought that Katharine was treating the matter with
curious unconcern； she scarcely seemed aware of the gravity
of what she was saying； he did not understand the
position at all。 But his desire to smooth everything over
fortably came to his relief。 No doubt there was some
quarrel； some whimsey on the part of William； who； though
a good fellow； was a little exacting sometimes—something
that a woman could put right。 But though he inclined
to take the easiest view of his responsibilities； he
cared too much for this daughter to let things be。
“I confess I find great difficulty in following you。 I
should like to hear William’s side of the story；” he said
irritably。 “I think he ought to have spoken to me in the
first instance。”
“I wouldn’t let him；” said Katharine。 “I know it must
seem to you very strange；” she added。 “But I assure you；
if you’d wait a little—until mother es back。”
This appeal for delay was much to Mr。 Hilbery’s liking。
But his conscience would not suffer it。 People were talking。
He could not endure that his daughter’s conduct
should be in any way considered irregular。 He wondered
whether； in the circumstances； it would be better to wire
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to his wife； to send for one of his sisters； to forbid William
the house； to pack Cassandra off home—for he was vaguely
conscious of responsibilities in her direction； too。 His forehead
was being more and more wrinkled by the multiplicity
of his anxieties； which he was sorely tempted to ask
Katharine to solve for him； when the door opened and
William Rodney appeared。 This necessitated a plete
change； not only of manner； but of position also。
“Here’s William；” Katharine exclaimed； in a tone of relief。
“I’ve told father we’re not engaged；” she said to him。
“I’ve explained that I prevented you from telling him。”
William’s manner was marked by the utmost formality。
He bowed very slightly in the direction of Mr。 Hilbery；
and stood erect； holding one lapel of his coat； and gazing
into the center of the fire。 He waited for Mr。 Hilbery
to speak。
Mr。 Hilbery also assumed an appearance of formidable
dignity。 He had risen to his feet； and now bent the top
part of his body slightly forward。
“I should like your account of this affair； Rodney—if
Katharine no longer prevents you from speaking。”
William waited two seconds at least。
“Our engagement is at an end；” he said； with the utmost
stiffness。
“Has this been arrived at by your joint desire？”
After a perceptible pause William bent his head； and
Katharine said； as if by an afterthought：
“Oh； yes。”
Mr。 Hilbery swayed to and fro； and moved his lips as if
to utter remarks which remained unspoken。
“I can only suggest that you should postpone any decision
until the effect of this misunderstanding has had
time to wear off。 You have now known each other—” he
began。
“There’s been no misunderstanding；” Katharine interposed。
“Nothing at all。” She moved a few paces across
the room； as if she intended to leave them。 Her preoccupied
naturalness was in strange contrast to her father’s
pomposity and to William’s military rigidity。 He had not
once raised his eyes。 Katharine’s glance； on the other
hand； ranged past the two gentlemen； along the books；
over the tables； towards the door。 She was paying the
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least possible attention； it seemed； to what was happening。
Her father looked at her with a sudden clouding and
troubling of his expression。 Somehow his faith in her stability
and sense was queerly shaken。 He no longer felt
that he could ultimately entrust her with the whole conduct
of her own affairs after a superficial show of directing
them。 He felt； for the first time in many years； responsible
for her。
“Look here； we must get to the bottom of this；” he
said； dropping his formal manner and addressing Rodney
as if Katharine were not present。 “You’ve had some difference
of opinion； eh？ Take my word for it； most people
go through this sort of thing when they’re engaged。 I’ve
seen more trouble e from long engagements than from
any other form of human folly。 Take my advice and put
the whole matter out of your minds—both of you。 I prescribe
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。
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“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。 Katharin