Chapter 9

           Thehousewasleft;thehousewasdeserted.Itwasleftlikeashellonasandhilltofillwithdrysaltgrainsnowthatlifehadleftit.Thelongnightseemedtohavesetin;thetriflingairs,nibbling,theclammybreaths,fumbling,seemedtohavetriumphed.Thesaucepanhadrustedandthematdecayed.Toadshadnosedtheirwayin.Idly,aimlessly,theswayingshawlswungtoandfro.Athistlethrustitselfbetweenthetilesinthelarder.Theswallowsnestedinthedrawing-room;thefloorwasstrewnwithstraw;theplasterfellinshovelfuls;rafterswerelaidbare;ratscarriedoffthisandthattognawbehindthewainscots.Tortoise-shellbutterfliesburstfromthechrysalisandpatteredtheirlifeoutonthewindow-pane.Poppiessowedthemselvesamongthedahlias;thelawnwavedwithlonggrass;giantartichokestoweredamongroses;afringedcarnationfloweredamongthecabbages;whilethegentletappingofaweedatthewindowhadbecome,onwinters’nights,adrummingfromsturdytreesandthornedbriarswhichmadethewholeroomgreeninsummer.

           Whatpowercouldnowpreventthefertility,theinsensibilityofnature?Mrs.McNab’sdreamofalady,ofachild,ofaplateofmilksoup?Ithadwaveredoverthewallslikeaspotofsunlightandvanished.Shehadlockedthedoor;shehadgone.Itwasbeyondthestrengthofonewoman,shesaid.Theyneversent.Theyneverwrote.Therewerethingsupthererottinginthedrawers—itwasashametoleavethemso,shesaid.Theplacewasgonetorackandruin.