al…work）； she went to see what sort of day it was。
The window looked out at the back over some dreary streets； where the wind was flinging light drifts of smoke athwart the sunlight。 They had chosen this room； not indeed for its view over the condition of the people； but because of the sky effects at sunset； which were extremely fine。 For the first time； perhaps； Cecilia was conscious that a sample of the class she was so interested in was exposed to view beneath her nose。 'The Hughs live somewhere there；' she thought。 'After all I think B。 ought to know about that man。 She might speak to father； and get him to give up having the girl to copy for himthe whole thing's so worrying。'
In pursuance of this thought； she lunched hastily； and went out； making her way to Hilary's。 With every step she became more uncertain。 The fear of meddling too much； of not meddling enough； of seeming meddlesome； timidity at touching anything so awkward； distrust； even ignorance； of her sister's character； which was like； yet so very unlike； her own； a real itch to get the matter settled； so that nothing whatever should come of itall this she felt。 She hurried； dawdled； finished the adventure almost at a run； then told the servant not to announce her。 The vision of Bianca's eyes； while she listened to this tale； was suddenly too much for Cecilia。 She decided to pay a visit to her father first。
Mr。 Stone was writing； attired in his working dressa thick brown woollen gown； revealing his thin neck above the line of a blue shirt； and tightly gathered round the waist with tasselled cord； the lower portions of grey trousers were visible above woollen…slippered feet。 His hair straggled over his thin long ears。 The window； wide open； admitted an east wind； there was no fire。 Cecilia shivered。
〃Come in quickly；〃 said Mr。 Stone。 Turning to a big high desk of stained deal which occupied the middle of one wall； he began methodically to place the inkstand； a heavy paper…knife； a book； and stones of several sizes； on his guttering sheets of manuscript。
Cecilia looked about her； she had not been inside her father's room for several months。 There was nothing in it but that desk； a camp bed in the far corner （with blankets； but no sheets）； a folding washstand； and a narrow bookcase； the books in which Cecilia unconsciously told off on the fingers of her memory。 They never varied。 On the top shelf the Bible and the works of Plautus and Diderot； on the second from the top the plays of Shakespeare in a blue edition； on the third from the bottom Don Quixote； in four volumes； covered with brown paper； a green Milton； the 〃Comedies of Aristophanes〃； a leather book； partially burned； comparing the philosophy of Epicurus with the philosophy of Spinoza； and in a yellow binding Mark Twain's 〃Huckleberry Finn。〃 On the second from the bottom was lighter literature： 〃The Iliad〃； a 〃Life of Francis of Assisi〃； Speke's 〃Discovery of the Sources of the Nile〃； the 〃Pickwick Papers〃； 〃Mr。 Midshipman Easy〃； The Verses of Theocritus； in a very old translation； Renan's 〃Life of Christ〃； and the 〃Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini。〃 The bottom shelf of all was full of books on natural science。
The walls were whitewashed； and； as Cecilia knew； came off on anybody who leaned against them。 The floor was stained； and had no carpet。 There was a little gas cooking…stove； with cooking things ranged on it； a small bare table； and one large cupboard。 No draperies； no pictures； no ornaments of any kind； but by the window an ancient golden leather chair。 Cecilia could never bear to sit in that oasis； its colour in this wilderness was too precious to her spirit。
〃It's an east wind； father； aren't you terribly cold without a fire？〃
Mr。 Stone came from his writing…desk； and stood so that light might fall on a sheet of paper in his hand。 Cecilia noted the scent that went about with him of peat and baked potatoes。 He spoke：
〃Listen to this： 'In the condition of society； dignified in those days with the name of civilisation； the only source of hope was the persistence of the quality called courage。 Amongst a thousand nerve… destroying habits； amongst the dramshops； patent medicines； the undigested chaos of inventions and discoveries； while hundreds were prating in their pulpits of things believed in by a negligible fraction of the population； and thousands writing down today what nobody would want to read in two days' time； while men shut animals in cages； and made bears jig to please their children； and all were striving one against the other； while； in a word； like gnats above a stagnant pool on a summer's evening； man danced up and down without the faintest notion whyin this condition of affairs the quality of courage was alive。 It was the only fire within that gloomy valley。'〃 He stopped； though evidently anxious to go on； because he had read the last word on that sheet of paper。 He moved towards the writing… desk。 Cecilia said hastily：
〃Do you mind if I shut the window； father？〃
Mr。 Stone made a movement of his head； and Cecilia saw that he held a second sheet of paper in his hand。 She rose； and； going towards him； said：
〃I want to talk to you； Dad！〃 Taking up the cord of his dressing… gown； she pulled it by its tassel。
〃Don't！〃 said Mr。 Stone； 〃it secures my trousers。〃
Cecilia dropped the cord。 'Father is really terrible！' she thought。
Mr。 Stone； lifting the second sheet of paper； began again：
〃'The reason； however； was not far to seek…〃
Cecilia said desperately：
〃It's about that girl who comes to copy for you。〃
Mr。 Stone lowered the sheet of paper； and stood； slightly curved from head to foot； his ears moved as though he were about to lay them back； his blue eyes； with little white spots of light alongside the tiny black pupils； stared at his daughter。
Cecilia thought： 'He's listening now。'
She made haste。 〃Must you have her here？ Can't you do without her？〃
〃Without whom？〃 said Mr。 Stone。
〃Without the girl who comes to copy for you。〃
〃Why？〃
〃For this very good reason…〃
Mr。 Stone dropped his eyes； and Cecilia saw that he had moved the sheet of paper up as far as his waist。
〃Does she copy better than any other girl could？〃 she asked hastily。
〃No；〃 said Mr。 Stone。
〃Then； Father； I do wish； to please me； you'd get someone else。 I know what I'm talking about； and I…〃 Cecilia stopped； her father's lips and eyes were moving； he was obviously reading to himself。
'I've no patience with him；' she thought； 'he thinks of nothing but his wretched book。'
Aware of his daughter's silence； Mr。 Stone let the sheet of paper sink； and waited patiently again。
〃What do you want； my dear？〃 he said。
〃Oh； Father； do listen just a minute！〃
〃Yes； Yes。〃
〃It's about that girl who comes to copy for you。 Is there any reason why she should come instead of any other girl？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Mr。 Stone。
〃What reason？〃
〃Because she has no friends。〃
So awkward a reply was not expected by Cecilia； she looked at the floor； forced to search within her soul。 Silence lasted several seconds； then Mr。 Stone's voice rose above a whisper：
〃'The reason was not far to seek。 Man； differentiated from the other apes by his desire to know； was from the first obliged to steel himself against the penalties of knowledge。 Like animals subjected to the rigours of an Arctic climate； and putting forth more fur with each reduction in the temperature； man's hide of courage thickened automatically to resist the spear…thrusts dealt him by his own insatiate curiosity。 In those days of which we speak； when undigested knowledge； in a great invading horde； had swarmed all his defences； man； suffering from a foul dyspepsia； with a nervous system in the latest stages of exhaustion； and a reeling brain； survived by reason of his power to go on making courage。 Little heroic as （in the then general state of petty competition） his deeds appeared to be； there never had yet been a time when man in bulk was more courageous； for there never had yet been a time when he had more need to be。 Signs were not wanting that this desperate state of things had caught the eyes of the community。 A little sect…'〃 Mr。 Stone stopped； his eyes had again tumbled over the bottom edge； he moved hurriedly towards the desk。 Just as his hand removed a stone and took up a third sheet； Cecilia cried out：
〃Father！〃
Mr。 Stone stopped； and turned towards her。 His daughter saw that he had gone quite pink； her annoyance vanished。
〃Father！ About that girl…〃
Mr。 Stone seemed to reflect。 〃Yes； yes；〃 he said。
〃I don't think Bianca likes her coming here。〃
Mr。 Stone passed his hand across his brow。
〃Forgive me for reading to you； my dear；〃 he said； 〃it's a great relief to me at times。〃
Cecilia went close to him； and refrained with difficulty from taking up the tasselled cord。
〃Of course； dear；〃 she said： 〃I quite understand that。〃
Mr。 Stone looked full in her face； and before a gaze which seemed to go through her and see things the other side； Cecilia dropped her eyes。
〃It is strange；〃 he said； 〃how you came to be my daughter！〃
To Cecilia； too； this had often seemed a problem。
〃There is a great deal in atavism；〃 said Mr。