After that fortieth page the Ramblings piled and mixed themselves in three interpenetrating layers. First there was the original layer of Waddington, then a layer of Ralph superimposed on Waddington and striking down into him; then a top layer of Waddington, striking down into Ralph. First, the primeval chaos of Waddington; then Ralph's spirit moving over it and bringing in light and order; then Waddington again, invading it and beating it all back to darkness and confusion. From the moment Ralph came into it the progress of the book was a struggle between these two principles, and Waddington could never let Ralph be, so determined was he to stamp the book with his own personality. "After all," Ralph said, "it _is_ his book." "If he could only get away from Wyck, so that you could see where the other places _are_," she moaned. "He can't get away from it because he can't get away from himself. His mind is egocentric and his ego lives in Wyck." Barbara had had to ask Ralph to help her. They were in the library together now, working on the Ramblings during one of Mr. Waddington's periodical flights to London. "He thinks he's rambling round the country but he's really rambling round and round himself. All the time he's thinking about nothing but his blessed self." "Oh, come, he thought a lot about his old League." "No, the League was only an extension of his ego." "That must have been what Fanny meant. We were looking at his portrait and I said I wondered what he was thinking about, and she said she used to wonder and now she knew. Of course, it's Himself. That's what makes him look so absurdly solemn." "Yes, but think of it. Think. That man hasn't ever cared about anything or anybody but himself." "Oh--he cares about Fanny." "No. No, he doesn't. He cares about his wife. A very different thing." "Well--he cares about his old mother. He really cares." "Yes, and you know why? It's only because she makes him feel young. He hates Horry because he can't feel young when he's there." "Why, oh why, did that angel Fanny marry him?" "Because she isn't an angel. She's a mortal woman and she wanted a husband and children." "Wasn't there anybody else?" "I believe not--available. The man she ought to have married was married already." "Did my mother marry him?" "Yes. And _my_ mother married the next best one.... It was as plain and simple as all that. And you see, the plainer and simpler it was, the more she realized why she was marrying Horatio, the more she idealized him. It wanted camouflage." "I see." "Then you must remember her people were badly off and he helped them. He was always doing things for them. He managed all Fanny's affairs for her before he married her." "Then--he does kind things."