“It’sinsolentto——“saidRachel，andstopped。Shedidnotknowexactlywhyshehadbeenmadesoangry。Withagreateffortshepulledherselftogether。
“Oh，well，“sheadded，thevisionofHelenandhermockerybeforeher，“IdaresayI’mafool。“Shemadeasthoughsheweregoingbackintotheballroom，butHewetstoppedher。
“Pleaseexplaintome，“hesaid。“IfeelsureHirstdidn’tmeantohurtyou。“
WhenRacheltriedtoexplain，shefounditverydifficult。
Shecouldnotsaythatshefoundthevisionofherselfwalkinginacrocodilewithherhairdownherbackpeculiarlyunjustandhorrible，norcouldsheexplainwhyHirst’sassumptionofthesuperiorityofhisnatureandexperiencehadseemedtohernotonlygallingbutterrible——asifagatehadclangedinherface。
PacingupanddowntheterracebesideHewetshesaidbitterly:
“It’snogood；weshouldliveseparate；wecannotunderstandeachother；
weonlybringoutwhat’sworst。“
Hewetbrushedasidehergeneralisationastothenaturesofthetwosexes，forsuchgeneralisationsboredhimandseemedtohimgenerallyuntrue。But，knowingHirst，heguessedfairlyaccuratelywhathadhappened，and，thoughsecretlymuchamused，wasdeterminedthatRachelshouldnotstoretheincidentawayinhermindtotakeitsplaceintheviewshehadoflife。
“Nowyou’llhatehim，“hesaid，“whichiswrong。PooroldHirst——
hecan’thelphismethod。Andreally，MissVinrace，hewasdoinghisbest；
hewaspayingyouacompliment——hewastrying——hewastrying——“
hecouldnotfinishforthelaughterthatovercamehim。
Rachelveeredroundsuddenlyandlaughedouttoo。ShesawthattherewassomethingridiculousaboutHirst，andperhapsaboutherself。
“It’shiswayofmakingfriends，Isuppose，“shelaughed。“Well——I
shalldomypart。Ishallbegin——’Uglyinbody，repulsiveinmindasyouare，Mr。Hirst——“
“Hear，hear！“criedHewet。“That’sthewaytotreathim。Yousee，MissVinrace，youmustmakeallowancesforHirst。He’slivedallhislifeinfrontofalooking-glass，sotospeak，inabeautifulpanelledroom，hungwithJapaneseprintsandlovelyoldchairsandtables，justonesplashofcolour，youknow，intherightplace，——
betweenthewindowsIthinkitis，——andtherehesitshourafterhourwithhistoesonthefender，talkingaboutphilosophyandGodandhisliverandhisheartandtheheartsofhisfriends。
They’reallbroken。Youcan’texpecthimtobeathisbestinaballroom。Hewantsacosy，smoky，masculineplace，wherehecanstretchhislegsout，andonlyspeakwhenhe’sgotsomethingtosay。
Formyself，Ifinditratherdreary。ButIdorespectit。
They’reallsomuchinearnest。Theydotaketheseriousthingsveryseriously。“
ThedescriptionofHirst’swayoflifeinterestedRachelsomuchthatshealmostforgotherprivategrudgeagainsthim，andherrespectrevived。
“Theyarereallyverycleverthen？“sheasked。
“Ofcoursetheyare。SofarasbrainsgoIthinkit’struewhathesaidtheotherday；they’rethecleverestpeopleinEngland。But——
yououghttotakehiminhand，“headded。“There’sagreatdealmoreinhimthan’severbeengotat。Hewantssomeonetolaughathim……TheideaofHirsttellingyouthatyou’vehadnoexperiences！
PooroldHirst！“
Theyhadbeenpacingupanddowntheterracewhiletheytalked，andnowonebyonethedarkwindowswereuncurtainedbyaninvisiblehand，andpanesoflightfellregularlyatequalintervalsuponthegrass。
Theystoppedtolookinatthedrawing-room，andperceivedMr。Pepperwritingaloneatatable。
“There’sPepperwritingtohisaunt，“saidHewet。“Shemustbeaveryremarkableoldlady，eighty-fivehetellsme，andhetakesherforwalkingtoursintheNewForest……Pepper！“
hecried，rappingonthewindow。“Goanddoyourduty。MissAllanexpectsyou。“
Whentheycametothewindowsoftheballroom，theswingofthedancersandtheliltofthemusicwasirresistible。
“Shallwe？“saidHewet，andtheyclaspedhandsandsweptoffmagnificentlyintothegreatswirlingpool。Althoughthiswasonlythesecondtimetheyhadmet，thefirsttimetheyhadseenamanandwomankissingeachother，andthesecondtimeMr。Hewethadfoundthatayoungwomanangryisverylikeachild。Sothatwhentheyjoinedhandsinthedancetheyfeltmoreattheireasethanisusual。
Itwasmidnightandthedancewasnowatitsheight。Servantswerepeepinginatthewindows；thegardenwassprinkledwiththewhiteshapesofcouplessittingout。Mrs。ThornburyandMrs。Elliotsatsidebysideunderapalmtree，holdingfans，handkerchiefs，andbroochesdepositedintheirlapsbyflushedmaidens。
Occasionallytheyexchangedcomments。
“MissWarrington_does_lookhappy，“saidMrs。Elliot；theybothsmiled；
theybothsighed。
“Hehasagreatdealofcharacter，“saidMrs。Thornbury，alludingtoArthur。
“Andcharacteriswhatonewants，“saidMrs。Elliot。“Nowthatyoungmanis_clever_enough，“sheadded，noddingatHirst，whocamepastwithMissAllanonhisarm。
“Hedoesnotlookstrong，“saidMrs。Thornbury。“Hiscomplexionisnotgood——ShallItearitoff？“sheasked，forRachelhadstopped，consciousofalongstriptrailingbehindher。
“Ihopeyouareenjoyingyourselves？“Hewetaskedtheladies。
“Thisisaveryfamiliarpositionforme！“smiledMrs。Thornbury。
“Ihavebroughtoutfivedaughters——andtheyallloveddancing！
Youloveittoo，MissVinrace？“sheasked，lookingatRachelwithmaternaleyes。“IknowIdidwhenIwasyourage。HowIusedtobegmymothertoletmestay——andnowIsympathisewiththepoormothers——
butIsympathisewiththedaughterstoo！“
Shesmiledsympathetically，andatthesametimeratherkeenly，atRachel。
“Theyseemtofindagreatdealtosaytoeachother，“saidMrs。Elliot，lookingsignificantlyatthebacksofthecoupleastheyturnedaway。
“Didyounoticeatthepicnic？Hewastheonlypersonwhocouldmakeherutter。“
“Herfatherisaveryinterestingman，“saidMrs。Thornbury。
“HehasoneofthelargestshippingbusinessesinHull。Hemadeaveryablereply，youremember，toMr。Asquithatthelastelection。
ItissointerestingtofindthatamanofhisexperienceisastrongProtectionist。“
Shewouldhavelikedtodiscusspolitics，whichinterestedhermorethanpersonalities，butMrs。ElliotwouldonlytalkabouttheEmpireinalessabstractform。
“IheartherearedreadfulaccountsfromEnglandabouttherats，“
shesaid。“Asister-in-law，wholivesatNorwich，tellsmeithasbeenquiteunsafetoorderpoultry。Theplague——yousee。
Itattackstherats，andthroughthemothercreatures。“
“Andthelocalauthoritiesarenottakingpropersteps？“
askedMrs。Thornbury。
“Thatshedoesnotsay。Butshedescribestheattitudeoftheeducatedpeople——whoshouldknowbetter——ascallousintheextreme。
Ofcourse，mysister-in-lawisoneofthoseactivemodernwomen，whoalwaystakesthingsup，youknow——thekindofwomanoneadmires，thoughonedoesnotfeel，atleastIdonotfeel——butthenshehasaconstitutionofiron。“
Mrs。Elliot，broughtbacktotheconsiderationofherowndelicacy，heresighed。
“Averyanimatedface，“saidMrs。Thornbury，lookingatEvelynM。whohadstoppednearthemtopintightascarletfloweratherbreast。
Itwouldnotstay，and，withaspiritedgestureofimpatience，shethrustitintoherpartner’sbutton-hole。Hewasatallmelancholyyouth，whoreceivedthegiftasaknightmightreceivehislady’stoken。
“Verytryingtotheeyes，“wasMrs。Eliot’snextremark，afterwatchingtheyellowwhirlinwhichsofewofthewhirlershadeithernameorcharacterforher，forafewminutes。Burstingoutofthecrowd，Helenapproachedthem，andtookavacantchair。
“MayIsitbyyou？“shesaid，smilingandbreathingfast。
“IsupposeIoughttobeashamedofmyself，“shewenton，sittingdown，“atmyage。“
Herbeauty，nowthatshewasflushedandanimated，wasmoreexpansivethanusual，andboththeladiesfeltthesamedesiretotouchher。
“I_am_enjoyingmyself，“shepanted。“Movement——isn’titamazing？“
“Ihavealwaysheardthatnothingcomesuptodancingifoneisagooddancer，“saidMrs。Thornbury，lookingatherwithasmile。
Helenswayedslightlyasifshesatonwires。
“Icoulddanceforever！“shesaid。“Theyoughttoletthemselvesgomore！“sheexclaimed。“Theyoughttoleapandswing。Look！
Howtheymince！“
“HaveyouseenthosewonderfulRussiandancers？“beganMrs。Elliot。
ButHelensawherpartnercomingandroseasthemoonrises。
Shewashalfroundtheroombeforetheytooktheireyesoffher，fortheycouldnothelpadmiringher，althoughtheythoughtitalittleoddthatawomanofherageshouldenjoydancing。
DirectlyHelenwasleftaloneforaminuteshewasjoinedbySt。JohnHirst，whohadbeenwatchingforanopportunity。
“Shouldyoumindsittingoutwithme？“heasked。“I’mquiteincapableofdancing。“HepilotedHelentoacornerwhichwassuppliedwithtwoarm-chairs，andthusenjoyedtheadvantageofsemi-privacy。Theysatdown，andforafewminutesHelenwastoomuchundertheinfluenceofdancingtospeak。
“Astonishing！“sheexclaimedatlast。“Whatsortofshapecanshethinkherbodyis？“Thisremarkwascalledforthbyaladywhocamepastthem，waddlingratherthanwalking，andleaningonthearmofastoutmanwithglobulargreeneyessetinafatwhiteface。Somesupportwasnecessary，forshewasverystout，andsocompressedthattheupperpartofherbodyhungconsiderablyinadvanceofherfeet，whichcouldonlytripintinysteps，owingtothetightnessoftheskirtroundherankles。
Thedressitselfconsistedofasmallpieceofshinyyellowsatin，adornedhereandthereindiscriminatelywithroundshieldsofblueandgreenbeadsmadetoimitatehuesofapeacock’sbreast。
Onthesummitofafrothycastleofhairapurpleplumestooderect，whilehershortneckwasencircledbyablackvelvetribbonknobbedwithgems，andgoldenbraceletsweretightlywedgedintothefleshofherfatglovedarms。Shehadthefaceofanimpertinentbutjollylittlepig，mottledredunderadustingofpowder。
St。JohncouldnotjoininHelen’slaughter。
“Itmakesmesick，“hedeclared。“Thewholethingmakesmesick……Considerthemindsofthosepeople——theirfeelings。
Don’tyouagree？“
“Ialwaysmakeavownevertogotoanotherpartyofanydescription，“
Helenreplied，“andIalwaysbreakit。“
Sheleantbackinherchairandlookedlaughinglyattheyoungman。
Shecouldseethathewasgenuinelycross，ifatthesametimeslightlyexcited。
“However，“hesaid，resuminghisjauntytone，“Isupposeonemustjustmakeupone’smindtoit。“
“Towhat？“
“Thereneverwillbemorethanfivepeopleintheworldworthtalkingto。“
SlowlytheflushandsparkleinHelen’sfacediedaway，andshelookedasquietandasobservantasusual。
“Fivepeople？“sheremarked。“Ishouldsaythereweremorethanfive。“
“You’vebeenveryfortunate，then，“saidHirst。“OrperhapsI’vebeenveryunfortunate。“Hebecamesilent。
“ShouldyousayIwasadifficultkindofpersontogetonwith？“
heaskedsharply。
“Mostcleverpeoplearewhenthey’reyoung，“Helenreplied。
“AndofcourseIam——immenselyclever，“saidHirst。“I’minfinitelyclevererthanHewet。It’squitepossible，“hecontinuedinhiscuriouslyimpersonalmanner，“thatI’mgoingtobeoneofthepeoplewhoreallymatter。That’sutterlydifferentfrombeingclever，thoughonecan’texpectone’sfamilytoseeit，“headdedbitterly。
Helenthoughtherselfjustifiedinasking，“Doyoufindyourfamilydifficulttogetonwith？“
