The inquest went off much as I had prophesied1. It was adjourned2 at the re-quest of the police.
We were in good spirits, for news had come through the night beforefrom the hospital that Josephine’s injuries were much less serious thanhad been feared and that her recovery would be rapid. For the moment,Dr. Gray said, she was to be allowed no visitors—not even her mother.
“Particularly not her mother,” Sophia murmured to me. “I made thatquite clear to Dr. Gray. Anyway, he knows mother.”
I must have looked rather doubtful, for Sophia said sharply:
“Why the disapproving3 look?”
“Well—surely a mother—”
“I’m glad you’ve got a few nice old-fashioned ideas, Charles. But youdon’t quite know what my mother is capable of yet. The darling can’t helpit, but there would simply have to be a grand dramatic scene. And dra-matic scenes aren’t the best things for anyone recovering from head injur-ies.”
“You do think of everything, don’t you, my sweet.”
“Well, somebody’s got to do the thinking now that grandfather’s gone.”
I looked at her speculatively4. I saw that old Leonides’ acumen5 had notdeserted him. The mantle6 of his responsibilities was already on Sophia’sshoulders.
After the inquest, Gaitskill accompanied us back to Three Gables. Hecleared his throat and said pontifically7:
“There is an announcement it is my duty to make to you all.”
For this purpose the family assembled in Magda’s drawing room. I hadon this occasion the rather pleasurable sensations of the man behind thescenes. I knew in advance what Gaitskill had to say.
I prepared myself to observe the reactions of everyone.
Gaitskill was brief and dry. Any signs of personal feeling and annoyancewere well held in check. He read first Aristide Leonides’ letter and thenthe will itself.
It was very interesting to watch. I only wished my eyes could be every-where at once.
I did not pay much attention to Brenda and Laurence. The provision forBrenda in this will was the same. I watched primarily Roger and Philip,and after them Magda and Clemency8.
My first impression was that they all behaved very well.
Philip’s lips were pressed closely together, his handsome head wasthrown back against the tall chair in which he was sitting. He did notspeak.
Magda, on the contrary, burst into speech as soon as Mr. Gaitskill fin-ished, her rich voice surging over his thin tones like an incoming tidedrowning a rivulet9.
“Darling Sophia—how extraordinary—how romantic. Fancy old SweetiePie being so cunning and deceitful—just like a dear old baby. Didn’t hetrust us? Did he think we’d be cross? He never seemed to be fonder ofSophia than the rest of us. But really, it’s most dramatic.”
Suddenly Magda jumped lightly to her feet, danced over to Sophia andswept her a very grand court curtsey.
“Madame Sophia, your penniless and broken-down-old mother begs youfor alms.” Her voice took on a Cockney whine10. “Spare us a copper11, olddear. Your Ma wants to go to the pictures.”
Her hand, crooked12 into a claw, twitched13 urgently at Sophia.
Philip, without moving, said through stiff lips:
“Please, Magda, there’s no call for any unnecessary clowning.”
“Oh, but Roger,” cried Magda, suddenly turning to Roger. “Poor darlingRoger. Sweetie was going to come to the rescue and then, before he coulddo it, he died. And now Roger doesn’t get anything. Sophia,” she turned im-periously, “you simply must do something about Roger.”
“No,” said Clemency. She had moved forward a step. Her face was defi-ant. “Nothing. Nothing at all.”
Roger came shambling over to Sophia like a large amiable14 bear.
He took her hands affectionately.
“I don’t want a penny, my dear girl. As soon as this business is clearedup—or has died down, which is more what it looks like—then Clemencyand I are off to the West Indies and the simple life. If I’m ever in extremisI’ll apply to the head of the family”—he grinned at her engagingly—“butuntil then I don’t want a penny. I’m a very simple person really, my dear—you ask Clemency if I’m not.”
An unexpected voice broke in. It was Edith de Haviland’s.
“That’s all very well,” she said. “But you’ve got to pay some attention tothe look of the thing. If you go bankrupt, Roger, and then slink off to theends of the earth without Sophia’s holding out a helping15 hand, there willbe a good deal of ill-natured talk that will not be pleasant for Sophia.”
“What does public opinion matter?” asked Clemency scornfully.
“We know it doesn’t to you, Clemency,” said Edith de Haviland sharply,“but Sophia lives in this world. She’s a girl with good brains and a goodheart, and I’ve no doubt that Aristide was quite right in his selection of herto hold the family fortunes—though to pass over your two sons in theirlifetime seems odd to our English ideas—but I think it would be very un-fortunate if it got about that she behaved greedily over this—and had letRoger crash without trying to help him.”
Roger went over to his aunt. He put his arms round her and hugged her.
“Aunt Edith,” he said. “You are a darling—and a stubborn fighter, butyou don’t begin to understand. Clemency and I know what we want—andwhat we don’t want!”
Clemency, a sudden spot of colour showing in each thin cheek, stood de-fiantly facing them.
“None of you,” she said, “understand Roger. You never have! I don’t sup-pose you ever will! Come on, Roger.”
They left the room as Mr. Gaitskill began clearing his throat and arran-ging his papers. His countenance16 was one of deep disapprobation. He haddisliked the foregoing scenes very much. That was clear.
My eyes came at last to Sophia herself. She stood straight and handsomeby the fireplace, her chin up, her eyes steady. She had just been left an im-mense fortune, but my principal thought was how alone she had suddenlybecome. Between her and her family a barrier had been erected17. Hence-forth she was divided from them, and I fancied that she already knew andfaced that fact. Old Leonides had laid a burden upon her shoulders—hehad been aware of that and she knew it herself. He had believed that hershoulders were strong enough to bear it, but just at this moment I felt un-utterably sorry for her.
So far she had not spoken—indeed she had been given no chance, butvery soon now speech would be forced from her. Already, beneath the af-fection of her family, I could sense latent hostility19. Even in Magda’s grace-ful playacting there had been, I fancied, a subtle malice20. And there wereother darker undercurrents that had not yet come to the surface.
Mr. Gaitskill’s throat clearings gave way to precise and measuredspeech.
“Allow me to congratulate you, Sophia,” he said. “You are a very wealthywoman. I should not advise any—er—precipitate action. I can advanceyou what ready money is needed for current expenses. If you wish to dis-cuss future arrangements I shall be happy to give you the best advice inmy power. Make an appointment with me at Lincoln’s Inn when you havehad plenty of time to think things over.”
“Roger,” began Edith de Haviland obstinately21.
Mr. Gaitskill snapped in quickly.
“Roger,” he said, “must fend22 for himself. He’s a grown man—er, fifty-four, I believe. And Aristide Leonides was quite right, you know. He isn’t abusiness man. Never will be.” He looked at Sophia. “If you put AssociatedCatering on its legs again, don’t be under any illusions that Roger can runit successfully.”
“I shouldn’t dream of putting Associated Catering23 on its legs again,” saidSophia.
It was the first time she had spoken. Her voice was crisp and business-like.
“It would be an idiotic24 thing to do,” she added.
Gaitskill shot a glance at her from under his brows, and smiled to him-self. Then he wished everyone goodbye and went out.
There were a few moments of silence, a realization25 that the family circlewas alone with itself.
Then Philip got up stiffly.
“I must get back to the library,” he said. “I have lost a lot of time.”
“Father—” Sophia spoke18 uncertainly, almost pleadingly.
I felt her quiver and draw back as Philip turned cold hostile eyes on her.
“You must forgive me not congratulating you,” he said. “But this hasbeen rather a shock to me. I would not have believed that my fatherwould have so humiliated26 me—that he would have disregarded my life-time’s devotion—yes—devotion.”
For the first time, the natural man broke through the crust of icy re-straint.
“My God,” he cried. “How could he do this to me? He was always unfairto me—always.”
“Oh no, Philip, no, you mustn’t think that,” cried Edith de Haviland.
“Don’t regard this as another slight. It isn’t. When people get old, they turnnaturally to a younger generation … I assure you it’s only that … and be-sides, Aristide had a very keen business sense. I’ve often heard him saythat two lots of death duties—”
“He never cared for me,” said Philip. His voice was low and hoarse27. “Itwas always Roger—Roger. Well, at least”—an extraordinary expression ofspite suddenly marred28 his handsome features—“father realized that Rogerwas a fool and a failure. He cut Roger out, too.”
“What about me?” said Eustace.
I had hardly noticed Eustace until now, but I perceived that he wastrembling with some violent emotion. His face was crimson29, there were, Ithought, tears in his eyes. His voice shook as it rose hysterically30.
“It’s a shame!” said Eustace. “It’s a damned shame! How dare grand-father do this to me? How dare he? I was his only grandson. How dare hepass me over for Sophia? It’s not fair. I hate him. I hate him. I’ll never for-give him as long as I live. Beastly tyrannical old man. I wanted him to die.
I wanted to get out of this house. I wanted to be my own master. And nowI’ve got to be bullied31 and messed around by Sophia, and be made to look afool. I wish I was dead….”
His voice broke and he rushed out of the room.
Edith de Haviland gave a sharp click of her tongue.
“No self-control,” she murmured.
“I know just how he feels,” cried Magda.
“I’m sure you do,” said Edith with acidity32 in her tone.
“The poor sweet! I must go after him.”
“Now, Magda—” Edith hurried after her.
Their voices died away. Sophia remained looking at Philip. There was, Ithink, a certain pleading in her glance. If so, it got no response. He lookedat her coldly, quite in control of himself once more.
“You played your cards very well, Sophia,” he said and went out of theroom.
“That was a cruel thing to say,” I cried. “Sophia—”
She stretched out her hands to me. I took her in my arms.
“This is too much for you, my sweet.”
“I know just how they feel,” said Sophia.
“That old devil, your grandfather, shouldn’t have let you in for this.”
She straightened her shoulders.
“He believed I could take it. And so I can. I wish—I wish Eustace didn’tmind so much.”
“He’ll get over it.”
“Will he? I wonder. He’s the kind that broods terribly. And I hate fatherbeing hurt.”
“Your mother’s all right.”
“She minds a bit. It goes against the grain to have to come and ask yourdaughter for money to put on plays. She’ll be after me to put on the EdithThompson one before you can turn round.”
“And what will you say? If it keeps her happy….”
Sophia pulled herself right out of my arms, her head went back.
“I shall say No! It’s a rotten play and mother couldn’t play the part. Itwould be throwing the money away.”
I laughed softly. I couldn’t help it.
“What is it?” Sophia demanded suspiciously.
“I’m beginning to understand why your grandfather left you his money.
You’re a chip off the old block, Sophia.”

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prophesied
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v.预告,预言( prophesy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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adjourned
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(使)休会, (使)休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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disapproving
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adj.不满的,反对的v.不赞成( disapprove的现在分词 ) | |
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speculatively
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adv.思考地,思索地;投机地 | |
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acumen
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n.敏锐,聪明 | |
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mantle
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n.斗篷,覆罩之物,罩子;v.罩住,覆盖,脸红 | |
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pontifically
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adj.教皇的;大祭司的;傲慢的;武断的 | |
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clemency
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n.温和,仁慈,宽厚 | |
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rivulet
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n.小溪,小河 | |
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whine
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v.哀号,号哭;n.哀鸣 | |
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copper
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n.铜;铜币;铜器;adj.铜(制)的;(紫)铜色的 | |
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12
crooked
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adj.弯曲的;不诚实的,狡猾的,不正当的 | |
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twitched
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vt.& vi.(使)抽动,(使)颤动(twitch的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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14
amiable
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adj.和蔼可亲的,友善的,亲切的 | |
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15
helping
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n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的 | |
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countenance
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n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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ERECTED
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adj. 直立的,竖立的,笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立,建立 | |
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spoke
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n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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hostility
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n.敌对,敌意;抵制[pl.]交战,战争 | |
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malice
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n.恶意,怨恨,蓄意;[律]预谋 | |
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obstinately
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ad.固执地,顽固地 | |
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fend
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v.照料(自己),(自己)谋生,挡开,避开 | |
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catering
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n. 给养 | |
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idiotic
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adj.白痴的 | |
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realization
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n.实现;认识到,深刻了解 | |
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humiliated
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感到羞愧的 | |
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hoarse
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adj.嘶哑的,沙哑的 | |
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marred
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adj. 被损毁, 污损的 | |
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crimson
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n./adj.深(绯)红色(的);vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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hysterically
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ad. 歇斯底里地 | |
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bullied
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adj.被欺负了v.恐吓,威逼( bully的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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acidity
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n.酸度,酸性 | |
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