CHAPTER THIRTEEN

At the party that evening, the Schlegel sisters could not stop talking about Mr Bast with the other guests. It was an all-girl party, and after dinner everyone came together in a group to have a debate. The main topic they discussed was: "What should a dying millionaire do with his money?"

Naturally, since Mr Bast was talked about earlier, he was also made a part of this conversation, as well. Margaret felt that he, and other people like him, should be given a large sum of money in order for them to have an opportunity to make themselves better men. She hated the way that the English government gave poor people only small amounts of money and decided how it should be spent. She argued hard, but no one agreed with her at all. At the end of the debate, it was decided that the millionaire's money should go to the government to spend on whatever it felt necessary.

Helen and Margaret then walked home together, still continuing the night's debate. They stopped and sat down on a bench next to the river, enjoying the quiet of the night.

"So, do you think we'll see our Mr Bast again?" asked Margaret.

"I'm not sure," answered Helen.

"I doubt that we will. It wouldn't be a good idea, anyway. We had a nice time with him this evening, but think about being with him regularly, and actually getting to know him. Is that what we really want?"

"Right. And there's his wife to think about too. Margaret ... tonight, during the debate, you said that money was probably most important in life. What do you think is the second most important thing?"

"I guess that it's different for everybody. Lately, because the time is getting closer for us to leave Wickham Place, I've begun to understand how some people can come to love their home more than anything else, like Mrs Wilcox loved Howards End. I think our home is the second most important thing for me."

A few seats down from them, Mr Wilcox heard his name mentioned and seeing the girls seated nearby, decided to greet them.

"Hello, ladies," he said in a high, friendly voice, "What a surprise to see you here so late at night. It's not very safe, you know."

"Oh! Mr Wilcox!" shouted Margaret, "Good to see you! How is Paul doing?"

"He should be back to work by now in Africa. But, tell me about yourselves. What have you been doing?"

Helen told him excitedly about the discussion they had had at the party earlier in the evening, and how it had been discussed in relation to a poor, young man who had paid them a surprise visit earlier in the evening.

"What do you think the millionaire should do to help a poor Porphyrion insurance company worker, like Mr Bast?" Helen asked Mr Wilcox, who was very close to being a millionaire himself. Since his wife's death, he had almost doubled his income.

"Well, it sounds as though you ladies have put a lot of thought into this matter. I doubt that I could add anything valuable. However, I would suggest that this young man find a new job immediately, because the company he works for will be out of business by Christmas."

"Oh, that's terrible!" said Margaret. "Do you think we should tell him?"

"I'm not suggesting that. It's terribly hard to find a job these days. But it might be good for him to leave the company now and find other work before everything falls apart," he answered.

Margaret decided to change the subject. "And how are things at Howards End?"

"Someone's renting it now."

"I'm surprised! I thought that the Wilcoxes would never leave Howards End."

"It's a nice country home, of course, but too difficult to keep in good condition. It requires so much work. We've got a couple of new homes, one at Oniton Grange, near Wales, and the other on Ducie Street. You must come and visit us."

Margaret felt sad suddenly. It seemed that Mrs Wilcox was already forgotten.

"I just can't imagine the town of Hilton without your family," she said.

"It's not. Charles and his wife moved there about a year ago. I don't plan to sell Howards End. We have a nice old man living there now, who is quite ill, it seems."

Then he stood up to go.

"It was nice talking with you, Mr Wilcox. Please, ask Evie to come visit us ... Although, we're moving soon in September."

"My goodness. Everyone seems to be moving. Goodbye."

When he left, Helen remarked: "What a disgustingly rich man he's become. Well, one good thing came from meeting him. We can warn our friend, Mr Bast, about the danger he's in. Let's invite him over for tea."

"Yes," Margaret agreed, "Let's do that."

(end of section)