“There’s nothing the matter with church once in a way to my way of thinking if it’s a decent high musical service.”
“Even Eve hardly ever goes now—and nobody could possibly be more goody than she is.”
This was disquieting. It was one thing to be the agnostic of the family—but Eve and Harriett. Miriam pondered resentfully while Gerald smoked and flicked his clothing and Harriett sat upright and pursed and untroubled in her great chair. She wondered whether she ought to say something about Unitarianism. But after all there might not be anything in it and they might not feel the relief of the way it cleared up the trouble about Christ. Besides there was no worry here in the room. A discussion would lead nowhere. They could all three look at each other if they wanted to and laugh everything off. In the middle of a sleepy Sunday afternoon with nothing to do sitting in three huge chairs and looking at each other they were all right. Harriett’s strength and scorn were directed against everything in the world but not against herself ... never against herself. Harriett often thought her grumpy and ill-tempered, but she approved of her. She was approving now.
“After all Frills it’s good form to go” Gerald said idly. “Go on. Smart people go to show their clothes.”
“Well, we’ve shown ours.”
Harriett flew out of her chair and daintily kicked him.
He grabbed and missed and sank back wailing, his face hidden in a cushion. Her dainty foot flew out once more and he smothered a shriek.
“Shut up” said Harriett curling herself up in her chair.
Gerald wailed on.
“Do we smoke in here?” said Miriam, wanting the scene to drop or change while it was perfect. She would tell them now about her change of lodgings.