霍华德庄园 英文版 Howards End
爱德华.摩根.福斯特 Edward Morgan Forster
Chapter 39
Charles and Tibby met at Ducie Street, where the latter wasstaying. Their interview was short and absurd. They hadnothing in common but the English language, and tried by itshelp to express what neither of them understood. Charlessaw in Helen the family foe. He had singled her out as themost dangerous of the Schlegels, and, angry as he was,looked forward to telling his wife how right he had been.His mind was made up at once: the girl must be got out ofthe way before she disgraced them farther. If occasionoffered she might be married to a villain or, possibly, to afool. But this was a concession to morality, it formed nopart of his main scheme. Honest and hearty was Charles'sdislike, and the past spread itself out very clearly beforehim; hatred is a skilful compositor. As if they were headsin a note-book, he ran through all the incidents of theSchlegels' campaign: the attempt to compromise his brother,his mother's legacy, his father's marriage, the introductionof the furniture, the unpacking of the same. He had not yetheard of the request to sleep at Howards End; that was to betheir master-stroke and the opportunity for his. But healready felt that Howards End was the objective, and, thoughhe disliked the house, was determined to defend it.
Tibby, on the other hand, had no opinions. He stoodabove the conventions: his sister had a right to do what shethought right. It is not difficult to stand above theconventions when we leave no hostages among them; men canalways be more unconventional than women, and a bachelor ofindependent means need encounter no difficulties at all.Unlike Charles, Tibby had money enough; his ancestors hadearned it for him, and if he shocked the people in one setof lodgings he had only to move into another. His was theleisure without sympathy--an attitude as fatal as thestrenuous: a little cold culture may be raised on it, but noart. His sisters had seen the family danger, and had neverforgotten to discount the gold islets that raised them fromthe sea. Tibby gave all the praise to himself, and sodespised the struggling and the submerged.
Hence the absurdity of the interview; the gulf betweenthem was economic as well as spiritual. But several factspassed: Charles pressed for them with an impertinence thatthe undergraduate could not withstand. On what date hadHelen gone abroad? To whom? (Charles was anxious to fastenthe scandal on Germany.) Then, changing his tactics, he saidroughly: "I suppose you realize that you are your sister'sprotector?"
"In what sense?"
"If a man played about with my sister, I'd send a bulletthrough him, but perhaps you don't mind."
"I mind very much," protested Tibby.
"Who d'ye suspect, then? Speak out, man. One alwayssuspects someone."
"No one. I don't think so." Involuntarily he blushed.He had remembered the scene in his Oxford rooms.
Basts?"found himself alone.'s wedding."are the Basts.
"You are hiding something," said Charles. As interviewsgo, he got the best of this one. "When you saw her last,did she mention anyone's name? Yes, or no!" he thundered,so that Tibby started.
"In my rooms she mentioned some friends, called the Basts--"
"Who are the Basts?"
"People--friends of hers at Evie's wedding."
"I don't remember. But, by great Scott! I do. My aunttold me about some tag-rag. Was she full of them when yousaw her? Is there a man? Did she speak of the man?Or--look here--have you had any dealings with him?"
Tibby was silent. Without intending it, he had betrayedhis sister's confidence; he was not enough interested inhuman life to see where things will lead to. He had astrong regard for honesty, and his word, once given, hadalways been kept up to now. He was deeply vexed, not onlyfor the harm he had done Helen, but for the flaw he haddiscovered in his own equipment.
"I see--you are in his confidence. They met at yourrooms. Oh, what a family, what a family! God help the poorpater--"
And Tibby found himself alone.