caughtpassing
glimpses
of
the
dancers
,
my
senses
pleasantly
dulled
by
the
sound
of
many
footsteps
,
many
voices
,
the
rustle
of
women
's
garments
,
across
all
which
,
advantageously
tempered
by
distance
,
came
the
strains
of
the
band
.
Surely
I
might
take
my
ease
.
Was
not
everything
going
to
admiration
?
Out
there
,
under
the
stars
,
amid
the
magic
of
the
fair
September
night
,
was
not
Constantine
Leversedge
making
love
,
his
soul
delivered
from
the
grotesque
and
ghastly
dream
of
the
diabolic
dog
?
And
was
not
Charlotte
,
née
Perry
,
listening
,
her
soul
delivered
from
dreams
hardly
less
grotesque
and
ghastly
—
from
false
standards
of
taste
,
of
fashion
,
from
false
refinements
,
false
intellectualities
,
from
a
silly
pursuit
of
decadent
eccentricities
?
Was
she
not
beginning
to
comprehend
what
an
exquisite
,
yet
very
simple
solution
—
notwithstanding
the
prurient
purities
of
contemporary
feminine
novelists
and
reformers
—
true-love
offers
to
the
much-vexed
question
of
the
sexes
?
Beginning
to
comprehend
how
deep-rooted
and
terrible
,
yet
how
exceedingly
pretty
a
pastime
,
is
the
love
of
an
honest
man
—
and
many
men
are
honest
,
after
all
,
you
know
—
for
an
honest
woman
?
My
soul
expanded
under
these
charming
meditations
.
For
was
I
not
the
deus
ex
machina
,
was
not
this
good
work
mainly
of
my
making
?
Had
I
yielded
to
the
Carissima
's
thoughtless
coquetries
,
and
involved
myself
in
any
intimate
relation
to
her
,
how
different
the
result
!
It
was
the
cut
of
her
shoes
that
saved
me
?
Perish
the
thought
!
—
it
was
my
own
high-mindedness
,
my
own
self-forgetting
appreciation
of
the
justice
of
the
situation
.
Had
I
counselled
Leversedge
weakly
to
withdraw
,
instead
of
bravely
to
remain
,
again
how
different
the
result
!
I
beheld
the
vision
of
two
wasted
lives
.
The
Carissima
,
moreover
,
let
loose
upon
society
,
possibly
to
entangle
me
—
yes
,
me
,
after
all
,
in
the
end
.
Instead
of
which
,
here
I
sat
,
replete
with
the
perfect
peace
of
conscious
impeccability
.
Verily
,
how
delightful
are
the
leisures
of
the
righteous
,
how
inspiring
the
repose
of
him
who
seeks
the
advantage
of
others
rather
than
advantage
of
his
own
!
Five
minutes
more
,
and
I
might
have
added
a
hundred
and
fifty-first
to
the
hundred
and
fifty
Psalms
of
King
David
,
with
a
difference
—
a
difference
possibly
somewhat
in
the
direction
of
M
.
Tartufe
.
But
I
was
saved
from
any
such
disaster
by
the
sound
of
a
low
grunt
.
As
I
have
already
stated
,
I
am
—
I
thankfully
affirm
—
acquainted
with
but
one
human
being
who
testifies
to
the
fact
of
his
presence
in
this
primitive
manner
.
It
is
a
little
introductory
habit
of
Mr.
Percy
Gerrard
;
and
he
often
employs
it
as
a
preface
to
observations
the
reverse
of
agreeable
—
so
I
fancy
,
but
then
I
own
to
a
prejudice
against
Percy
Gerrard
.
On
the
present
occasion
he
had
“
stolen
upon
me
softly
”
;
and
his
manner
struck
me
as
less
intolerably
superior
than
usual
.
He
really
seemed
to
wish
to
make
himself
agreeable
.
“
'
Evening
,
Hammond
,
”
he
murmured
affably
,
as
he
dropped
into
a
neighbouring
chair
.
“
Dancing
?
How
superfluous
!
You
are
very
right
to
remain
out
here
.
The
modern
bourgeois
ballroom
—
and
this
,
I
imagine
,
is
pre-eminently
bourgeois
—
is
a
revolting
spectacle
.
Few
sights
,
indeed
,
can
be
more
repulsive
than
a
herd
of
both
sexes
,
underbred
and
perspiring
,
clasping
each
other
's
waists
,
and
revolving
,
with
prolonged
and
boisterous
fatuity
,
in
time
to
some
wholly
imbecile
tune
such
as
offends
my
ear
at
the
present
moment
.
”
Nevertheless
,
Gerrard
pushed
his
chair
farther
to
the
left
,
with
the
evident
desire
to
gain
a
clearer
view
of
the
festivities
going
forward
in
the
salon
.
But
a
good
many
persons
stood
about
the
doorway
,
and
it
was
only
at
intervals
that
one
obtained
full
sight
of
the
dancers
.
“
An
exhibition
of
untamed
animality
!
”
he
murmured
mured
in
tones
of
disgust
.
“
I
hold
it
proof
of
the
skin-deep
quality
of
our
vaunted
civilisation
that
performances
of
this
description
are
countenanced
,
nay
,
encouraged
—
it
is
humiliating
to
think
of
—
by
really
very
decently
educated
people
.
”
“
From
the
Perfectly
Ordered
State
,
then
,
dancing
is
excluded
?
”
I
inquired
.
For
I
was
still
at
peace
with
all
mankind
,
and
even
Gerrard
's
unlovely
humours
failed
to
ruffle
me
.
I
even
played
up
to
him
,
indulged
him
.
In
the
columns
of
The
Present
Day
he
had
lately
been
sketching
Arcadias
and
Utopias
according
to
his
graceful
fancy
.
He
was
not
slow
to
observe
the
allusion
,
and
turned
to
me
with
a
gleam
of
gratified
vanity
in
his
dull
eyes
.
“
Ah
!
you
read
those
little
things
of
mine
!
”
he
said
.
“
They
had
merit
—
I
knew
it
.
”
“
Of
course
you
knew
it
.
It
is
the
most
abject
of
exploded
fictions
that
a
man
can
write
a
masterpiece
without
knowing
it
.
”
He
directed
his
slow
glance
upon
the
crowd
round
the
door
of
the
salon
again
.
“
Yes
;
I
agree
with
you
.
I
knew
those
articles
had
merit
,
and
the
best
critics
confirmed
my
judgment
.
I
have
been
asked
to
reprint
them
.
”
“
Do
so
,
”
I
said
.
“
The
world
will
be
the
gainer
.
”
Gerrard
gathered
himself
up
in
his
chair
—
planting
his
small
square
feet
on
the
top
rung
of
it
—
into
a
sort
of
spiderlike
blob
.
What
an
immensely
displeasing
creature
he
was
!
“
Yes
,
I
think
I
shall
reprint
them
,
”
he
said
.
“
That
is
the
worst
of
journalism
—
really
beautiful
things
are
too
often
lost
,
forgotten
along
with
the
day
that
gave
them
birth
.
But
,
since
you
are
interested
in
my
visions
,
in
the
Perfectly
Ordered
State
,
which
,
as
I
devoutly
trust
,
is
equivalent
to
saying
,
in
the
Coming
Civilisation
,
woman
will
resume
her
natural
position
,
that
from
which
the
moral
and
intellectual
barbarism
of
the
last
few
centuries
has
ousted
her
with
such
deplorable
results
.
In
the
Coming
Civilisation
there
will
be
a
very
hard-and-fast
line
drawn
between
the
public
and
the
private
life
.
For
we
have
ceased
most
lamentably
to
appreciate
the
decencies
of
the
high
wall
,
the
heavy
curtain
,
the
locked
door
.
The
Democratic
Spirit
,
rightly
understood
,
is
disgustingly
immodest
.
It
has
done
its
best
to
murder
secrecy
and
concealment
,
which
are
necessary
elements
in
all
really
exquisite
living
.
”
The
crowd
opened
to
give
passage
to
the
American
prima-donna
,
her
well-preserved
mother
,
and
her
stout
poodle
;
and
,
for
the
moment
,
the
glistening
floor
of
the
ballroom
and
its
racing
couples
were
disclosed
to
observation
.
“
And
so
I
take
it
,
”
Gerrard
continued
,
“
in
the
Perfect
State
,
woman
will
again
dance
with
all
the
grace
of
richly
developed
suggestion
—
behind
closed
doors
—
for
the
delectation
of
man
,
who
will
sit
still
and
just
watch
her
,
lending
her
the
emotional
support
of
a
profoundly
sympathetic
admiration
,
not
the
brutally
material
one
of
an
encircling
arm
.
”
“
The
coming
civilisation
has
a
little
Oriental
turn
to
it
then
?
”
I
remarked
.
“
How
should
it
be
otherwise
?
”
he
replied
.
“
In
many
matters
the
Oriental
has
always
continued
true
to
the
light
that
was
in
him
.
His
mind
has
remained
unconfused
by
those
weak
notions
of
abstract
justice
,
which
war
against
the
life
of
sense
and
of
society
.
”
Gerrard
drew
his
hand
over
his
moist
,
uncomfortably
smooth
hair
.
I
may
add
that
it
partially
concealed
his
ears
.
Why
does
one
instinctively
distrust
a
man
whose
ears
are
partially
concealed
by
his
hair
?
“
The
pendulum
has
swung
far
enough
now
,
in
all
conscience
,
in
the
western
‘Hail
Columbia
!
’
direction
;
with
unalloyed
gladness
I
hail
indications
of
the
return
,
the
eastern
beat
.
—
And
that
reminds
me
—
talking
of
dancing
,
of
course
you
know
that
most
exquisite
place
,
Palewell
Friars
?
I
was
down
there
at
Whitsuntide
this
year
.
They
like
to
have
me
.
You
remember
the
view
from
the
cedar
drawing-room
?
That
delightful
Italian
garden
and
the
river
flowing
just
below
it
,
the
lime
avenues
,
and
the
broken
ground
in
the
deer-park
studded
with
the
old
Spanish
chestnuts
,
composes
as
entirely
a
lovely
home
scene
as
—
”
He
stopped
.
Again
the
crowd
had
broken
up
about
the
door
,
disclosing
a
view
of
the
ballroom
.
“
A
civil
marriage
is
perfectly
valid
,
perfectly
sound
in
law
?
”
Gerrard
asked
,
with
curious
abruptness
,
his
voice
cracking
up
queerly
at
the
end
of
the
sentence
.
“
Unquestionably
,
”
I
said
.
“
Precisely
—
of
course
,
”
he
spread
himself
in
his
chair
.
—
“
I
know
most
of
our
fine
English
country
houses
,
from
the
inside
,
I
am
happy
to
say
.
But
Palewell
always
strikes
me
as
unique
,
nothing
jars
,
nothing
obtrudes
itself
.
Its
charm
is
a
solicitation
,
not
a
demand
;
while
there
is
the
inimitable
flavour
of
an
intensely
aristocratic
atmosphere
pervading
the
whole
scene
,
the
whole
life
.
”
“
Which
exactly
suits
you
?
”
I
suggested
.
Gerrard
turned
his
head
,
and
I
perceived
a
singularly
insolent
gleam
in
his
eyes
.
“
It
does
,
”
he
replied
;
“
you
are
perfectly
right
,
it
certainly
does
.
I
draw
breath
there
with
the
emotion
of
perfect
and
natural
well-being
,
with
which
,
as
I
conceive
,
the
Blest
draw
breath
in
the
translucent
air
of
Paradise
—
I
am
at
home
.
”
He
paused
and
sighed
.
“
We
all
have
intimations
,
at
times
,
of
that
which
is
utterly
in
harmony
with
the
best
of
our
own
being
—
a
delicious
satisfaction
of
both
the
religious
and
artistic
instincts
.
I
had
attended
mass
one
morning
in
that
little
gem
of
a
chapel
;
and
later
,
in
the
richly
toned
and
shadowed
cedar
drawing-room
,
while
the
sunlight
yet
caressed
the
grey
stone
mullions
of
that
range
of
vast
windows
,
Lady
Clare
danced
to
us
.
—
You
know
her
?
Petite
but
svelte
,
sherry-coloured
eyes
and
hair
,
with
a
dark
pencilling
of
eyelash
and
eyebrow
.
A
skin
like
cream
—
yet
that
illustration
hardly
gratifies
me
.
It
is
a
little
disgustingly
suggestive
of
the
cow
,
and
the
farm-girl
,
and
a
rude
first-hand
relation
to
nature
.
”
Gerrard
lounged
sideways
in
his
chair
,
and
flattened
down
his
hair
again
.
“
Think
,
therefore
,
I
beseech
you
,
only
of
cream
in
some
delectable
golden
jug
of
Renaissance
workmanship
,
about
the
delicately
turned
body
of
which
fauns
and
naïads
toy
amorously
,
in
a
wonder
of
subtly
interlacing
lines
.
Yes
,
I
think
that
fairly
renders
the
immediate
sentiment
of
her
appearance
.
It
was
all
very
beautiful
.
The
magnificent
room
,
the
high-bred
woman
,
her
bare
neck
and
arms
braving
the
sunlight
,
on
which
those
historic
rubies
—
you
know
them
?
—
glowed
and
shone
as
she
passed
from
the
voluptuous
monotony
of
the
Nautch
to
the
frank
gaminerie
of
the
Café
Chantant
.
”
“
Innocent
alike
of
the
intention
of
either
?
”
I
remarked
.
“
I
really
ca
n't
tell
,
”
he
said
,
with
an
effort
at
candour
.
“
But
I
hope
so
;
of
course
I
hope
so
,
for
it
would
go
far
to
carry
out
my
cherished
theory
of
woman
.
—
And
there
were
contrasts
in
the
setting
of
the
scene
which
,
emotionally
speaking
,
were
wonderfully
helpful
.
The
other
women
present
wore
shirts
and
sailor
hats
,
the
men
were
in
breeches
and
dirty
shooting-boots
.
Pour
comble
de
bonheur
little
Freddy
Hellard
lighted
cigarettes
,
and
no
one
chid
him
.
Ah
,
I
shall
long
remember
that
morning
,
it
was
big
with
—
”
Gerrard
rose
to
his
feet
,
peering
in
the
direction
of
the
ballroom
.
Again
the
crowd
had
opened
,
drifting
to
right
and
left
,
while
Leversedge
and
the
Carissima
were
revealed
standing
in
the
doorway
.
Evidently
they
had
been
valsing
.
The
girl
's
abundant
hair
was
slightly
disordered
;
she
carried
the
train
of
her
soft
peach-bloom
coloured
muslin
dress
over
her
arm
.
Leversedge
faced
her
.
He
was
laughing
a
little
,
fanning
her
,
talking
to
her
.
Things
went
well
,
then
?
Verily
,
they
went
most
exceedingly
well
.
I
thanked
the
gods
.
I
approved
my
own
conduct
in
this
business
afresh
.
Yet
I
almost
regretted
to
see
these
lovers
in
the
commonplace
hurley-burley
of
a
ball
.
I
could
not
find
it
in
my
heart
to
think
it
the
very
best
taste
in
the
world
that
they
should
thus
appear
so
conspicuously
in
public
.
Moreover
,
I
wished
earnestly
to
believe
them
in
that
state
of
mind
in
which
solitude
,
and
the
repetition
of
certain
sweet
nothings
,
are
so
adorably
full
of
high
illumination
,
high
delight
.
That
they
should
tolerate
the
close
contact
of
their
fellow-creatures
,
that
they
should
have
any
desire
for
activity
,
disappointed
me
.
Or
,
might
I
trust
this
pointed
to
the
light-heartedness
that
comes
of
complete
happiness
,
the
exuberant
gaiety
which
is
born
of
fulness
of
content
?
There
is
a
stage
of
mental
as
well
as
physical
well-being
which
,
in
all
living
things
,
expresses
itself
in
playfulness
,
skittishness
,
a
disposition
,
as
you
may
say
frankly
,
to
jump
about
.
Could
it
be
—
but
oh
,
dear
me
,
for
that
were
indeed
a
notable
conversion
!
—
that
Charlotte
,
née
Perry
,
had
reached
the
stage
of
innocent
rapture
in
which
all
young
and
wholesome
creatures
develop
this
disposition
to
jump
about
?
Yet
the
peace
of
the
—
to
themselves
,
unexpectedly
—
virtuous
being
still
upon
me
,
I
was
disposed
to
press
a
point
in
the
direction
of
cheerfulness
;
to
endure
all
things
,
in
the
shape
of
that
most
unsavoury
animal
,
Gerrard
;
to
hope
all
things
for
the
salvation
of
Leversedge
's
mind
;
to
believe
all
things
,
concerning
its
purification
from
fashionable
frivolities
,
of
the
Carissima
's
spirit
.
And
as
to
a
questionableness
of
taste
in
thus
appearing
in
public
,
well
,
after
all
,
what
is
Taste
?
The
hedge
from
behind
which
the
feeble
shoot
at
the
strong
;
the
refuge
of
the
unproductive
;
the
cloak
under
which
the
unsuccessful
try
to
cover
the
blackness
of
their
envy
;
the
spangles
with
which
talent
tries
so
to
dazzle
the
eyes
of
the
commonplace
multitude
,
that
it
shall
fail
to
see
the
stars
of
true
genius
shining
on
quietly
very
far
above
its
head
.
My
metaphors
might
be
confused
,
but
my
determination
of
conviction
was
great
.
Constantine
and
Charlotte
were
right
to
dance
,
it
meant
everything
most
promising
that
they
should
dance
.
Taste
?
—
who
in
the
moment
of
honest
gladness
,
or
honest
misery
,
ever
stops
to
think
about
taste
?
Thus
did
I
reason
with
myself
,
while
Gerrard
paused
beside
me
,
curiously
spiderlike
.
I
quite
thought
he
intended
advancing
upon
the
couple
in
the
doorway
.
But
the
crowd
,
to
my
relief
,
speedily
closed
up
again
,
and
he
sank
back
into
his
chair
with
a
grunt
.
“
Poor
girl
,
”
he
murmured
,
“
I
have
a
regard
for
her
.
It
is
painful
.
She
was
worthy
of
a
better
fate
than
the
embraces
of
that
—
.
But
let
us
turn
to
something
pleasanter
,
Hammond
.
I
felt
very
thankful
during
that
scene
at
Palewell
;
for
I
recognised
that
my
prayers
had
been
answered
,
and
that
I
had
not
misread
the
signs
of
the
times
.
I
recognised
that
the
reaction
has
set
in
,
in
very
truth
;
that
the
degrading
fiction
of
the
equality
of
the
sexes
is
already
exploded
;
that
education
,
doing
its
worst
,
has
still
failed
to
do
any
abiding
injury
,
since
the
fin
de
siècle
woman
,
true
in
instinct
,
though
false
in
idea
,
mistakes
the
badge
of
her
servitude
for
the
brevet
of
her
emancipation
,
and
,
to
prove
the
completeness
of
her
liberty
,
dances
,
like
any
slave-girl
of
the
harem
,
for
the
entertainment
of
her
hereditary
masters
.
A
cynic
might
sneer
at
this
,
as
a
last
and
crowning
example
of
the
illogic
of
the
feminine
mind
.
I
cannot
sneer
.
To
me
the
matter
is
solemnly
glad
from
the
bigness
of
its
promise
.
‘Woman
never
civilises
,
’
—
thank
God
for
that
.
”
I
loathed
Gerrard
.
But
what
was
the
good
of
relieving
my
feelings
by
being
rude
to
him
,
and
telling
him
so
?
I
had
a
growing
conviction
that
he
was
here
for
a
set
purpose
,
that
he
harboured
designs
of
some
sort
against
the
peace
of
mind
of
Leversedge
and
the
Carissima
.
If
I
was
rude
to
him
,
he
would
go
away
and
carry
out
his
purpose
—
perhaps
—
all
the
sooner
.
Let
them
dance
—
let
them
dance
;
meanwhile
I
would
,
greatly
enduring
,
continue
the
conversation
.
“
How
about
the
suffrage
,
then
,
”
I
asked
,
as
one
greedy
of
information
,
“
to
which
,
as
a
good
Conservative
,
your
organ
—
that
is
the
technical
term
,
I
believe
—
your
organ
,
has
devoted
so
many
eloquent
pages
?
”
“
Assuredly
,
Hammond
,
you
are
not
taken
in
by
that
little
blague
?
”
he
said
,
turning
his
head
slowly
and
looking
at
me
.
“
We
need
it
for
the
protection
of
our
own
property
,
of
course
,
menaced
as
it
is
by
the
rapacity
of
the
masses
.
Not
one
woman
in
a
million
is
public-spirited
—
the
vast
majority
have
a
savage
rage
for
their
own
little
possessions
.
We
give
it
as
the
rope
,
the
enough
of
rope
,
which
will
enable
these
dear
foolish
female
creatures
very
effectually
to
hang
themselves
.
Do
n't
you
see
?
”
“
Most
emphatically
I
do
see
,
”
I
said
.
Something
in
my
tone
,
I
suppose
,
conveyed
to
my
hearer
that
I
had
had
about
enough
.
Ah
!
how
stupid
is
it
ever
to
lose
one
's
temper
,
even
in
a
good
cause
!
Gerrard
grunted
,
again
rose
to
his
feet
.
He
stood
,
smoothing
down
his
hair
,
and
looking
intently
at
the
open
door
of
the
ballroom
.
“
By
the
way
,
”
he
said
,
“
you
know
,
I
suppose
,
whether
this
story
of
Mrs.
Mertyns
'
is
true
about
that
lunatic
Leversedge
's
money
?
”
“
What
story
?
”
I
asked
.
“
Oh
!
that
there
is
really
a
great
deal
of
it
,
and
that
he
has
left
it
unconditionally
to
his
wife
?
”
I
got
up
too
,
and
pushed
my
chair
aside
to
let
the
apostolic-looking
Russian
poet
and
his
daughters
pass
.
They
stopped
a
moment
;
we
talked
.
I
hoped
Gerrard
would
go
.
But
he
remained
at
my
elbow
.
“
You
signed
the
will
,
I
understand
,
”
he
said
.
“
Of
course
you
know
all
about
it
.
”
“
Upon
my
word
,
”
I
replied
,
“
I
do
not
see
—
if
you
will
excuse
my
saying
so
—
that
whatever
I
do
know
or
do
n't
know
is
any
particular
concern
of
yours
.
”
Percy
Gerrard
is
not
constitutionally
brave
.
I
was
delighted
to
note
that
he
backed
away
from
me
a
little
,
that
he
was
distinctly
uncomfortable
and
embarrassed
.
“
Oh
!
of
course
I
do
n't
want
details
,
”
he
said
hastily
.
“
Pray
,
do
n't
misunderstand
my
motives
in
asking
.
I
have
,
as
I
told
you
just
now
,
a
regard
for
the
poor
girl
.
She
is
clever
;
in
good
hands
something
might
be
made
of
her
.
I
am
aware
,
just
as
you
are
aware
,
and
everybody
else
is
aware
,
that
the
man
she
is
marrying
is
insane
.
And
I
own
,
I
should
be
glad
to
know
that
when
her
husband
retires
into
the
enforced
seclusion
which
is
already
,
in
my
humble
opinion
,
so
desirable
for
the
comfort
and
safety
of
other
people
,
she
,
poor
thing
,
will
at
least
be
decently
provided
for
.
”
“
Make
your
charitable
mind
easy
,
”
I
replied
.
“
Mrs.
Leversedge
will
be
by
no
means
destitute
.
”
“
So
I
understood
.
It
is
a
relief
to
have
you
confirm
the
report
.
”
Gerrard
gazed
meditatively
at
me
.
He
had
regained
all
his
habitual
insolence
of
demeanour
.
“
Thanks
,
Hammond
,
”
he
said
.
“
You
are
really
very
obliging
.
That
is
all
I
wanted
to
know
.
”
And
he
pushed
his
way
through
the
crowd
into
the
brilliantly-lighted
salon
.
CHAPTER
V
IT
was
the
misfortune
of
Percy
Gerrard
that
he
had
dirty
fingers
,
and
smirched
everything
he
touched
.
Those
dirty
fingers
of
his
had
broken
up
the
fulness
of
my
self-complacency
;
I
began
to
misdoubt
the
efficacy
of
the
gospel
which
I
had
so
lately
preached
with
such
success
.
My
mental
atmosphere
changed
,
and
for
the
worse
;
my
whole
outlook
was
affected
.
The
hall
,
for
instance
,
which
had
only
been
pleasantly
warm
half
an
hour
ago
,
grew
stuffy
.
The
crowd
,
which
had
been
amusing
,
grew
oppressive
.
I
had
seen
handsome
couples
,
nice
young
couples
;
I
had
noted
gay
little
flirtations
.
Now
there
seemed
to
start
into
disquieting
prominence
all
sorts
of
queer
people
;
people
one
could
not
quite
place
,
people
who
from
their
general
appearance
suggested
the
idea
that
they
had
retired
from
active
service
—
whether
of
business
or
pleasure
—
and
were
just
“
stopping
over
,
”
without
much
either
of
name
or
local
habitation
,
making
out
the
time
till
the
cemetery
should
claim
them
and
the
very
little
they
still
were
should
utterly
cease
to
be
.
A
watering-place
or
hotel
population
always
contains
figures
of
this
sort
.
Women
of
uncertain
nationality
,
in
strange
garments
,
whose
purses
are
light
,
whose
eyes
are
hungry
for
social
or
any
other
sort
of
recognition
,
and
whose
day
,
such
as
it
may
have
been
,
is
very
clearly
over
.
Men
of
more
than
middle
age
,
who
once
no
doubt
held
distinguished
positions
in
distant
lands
;
but
who
now
grumble
away
a
purposeless
existence
on
a
pension
or
annuity
,
play
a
fractious
game
of
whist
,
and
air
imaginary
grievances
of
gigantic
proportions
.
Within
the
last
half-hour
these
melancholy
figures
seemed
to
have
multiplied
exceedingly
in
the
hall
of
the
Grand
Hôtel
.
And
their
near
neighbourhood
was
depressing
.
For
is
it
not
more
or
less
thus
that
we
all
,
every
one
of
us
,
end
,
alas
!
Platitudes
regarding
the
brevity
of
things
gay
and
pleasant
,
the
certainty
of
the
ultimate
arrival
of
things
altogether
the
reverse
,
began
to
form
themselves
on
my
lips
.
I
recognised
that
I
needed
change
of
air
,
and
that
speedily
.
Just
within
the
great
door
of
the
portico
I
paused
.
The
night
was
clear
and
sweet
.
In
the
basin
of
the
little
dribbling
fountain
,
frogs
were
croaking
—
not
the
sonorous
,
full-throated
chant
of
the
southern
frogs
,
but
a
modest
tinkling
note
as
of
tiny
bells
.
Great
bats
were
hawking
over
the
shrubberies
in
the
dim
garden
.
The
stars
were
very
large
and
keen
.
While
from
the
wine-shop
of
some
hamlet
,
far
up
among
the
vineyards
,
came
the
sound
of
a
rude
chorus
of
men
's
voices
and
the
thumping
of
a
drum
.
Figures
passed
along
the
wide
carriage-drive
,
slipping
out
of
the
half
darkness
on
the
one
hand
and
vanishing
into
it
again
on
the
other
,
as
figures
pass
across
the
stage
in
some
interlude
of
a
play
.
First
the
lady
of
the
scarlet
silk
blouse
went
swiftly
by
,
talking
excitedly
to
her
two
companions
,
the
debilitated
Russian
young
men
.
She
had
a
white
lace
handkerchief
thrown
over
her
head
,
and
it
gleamed
far
down
the
avenue
of
pollarded
chestnuts
long
after
her
figure
,
and
those
of
her
cavaliers
,
had
been
swallowed
up
in
the
shadow
of
the
thick
trees
.
Then
a
cheery
lad
in
evening
dress
,
a
typical
British
subaltern
,
with
the
shortest
of
red
hair
and
honestest
of
sunburnt
faces
,
went
by
.
He
escorted
a
trim
American
maiden
,
to
whom
,
in
the
last
week
,
he
had
very
obviously
and
completely
lost
his
heart
.
The
two
were
laughing
,
evidently
the
joke
was
a
first-rate
one
.
Almost
immediately
after
,
Perry
père
fled
across
the
scene
,
a
lopsided
stripe
of
hurrying
blackness
.
I
let
him
get
to
a
safe
distance
,
then
I
went
out
and
followed
the
path
along
the
left
of
the
big
hotel
,
under
the
long
row
of
dining-room
windows
.
All
the
chandeliers
were
lighted
within
,
and
a
confused
noise
of
talk
and
of
feasting
reached
me
.
Who
paid
,
I
wondered
—
not
those
who
ate
and
drank
,
not
the
hotel
proprietor
,
very
certainly
,
nor
yet
Mr.
Perry
.
Leversedge
,
I
supposed
;
that
was
his
rôle
.
—
Yes
,
Percy
Gerrard
's
dirty
fingers
had
decidedly
spoilt
the
evening
for
me
!
Leversedge
,
I
feared
,
was
doomed
to
pay
for
most
things
,
whoever
happened
to
consume
them
.
And
just
as
I
had
reached
this
somewhat
disheartening
conclusion
,
at
the
turn
of
the
terrace
,
in
the
full
glare
of
the
great
cluster
of
electric
lights
fixed
flowerlike
against
the
corner
of
the
huge
building
,
I
came
upon
Leversedge
himself
.
He
lounged
,
with
his
hands
in
his
pockets
,
staring
up
at
the
soft
night-moths
,
that
fluttered
around
the
bulbs
of
hard
white
light
.
I
felt
troubled
,
I
therefore
became
weakly
vapid
—
in
speech
.
“
You
here
?
The
gay
and
giddy
dance
is
over
then
,
”
I
said
.
Leversedge
's
eyes
met
mine
in
vague
inquiry
for
an
instant
.
“
Oh
!
we
've
had
some
splendid
turns
,
”
he
said
.
“
Charlotte
dances
divinely
.
”
“
Does
she
not
do
all
things
divinely
?
”
“
Pretty
nearly
,
”
he
answered
,
smiling
.
All
went
well
still
,
then
;
my
soul
received
comfort
,
my
faith
in
my
own
gospel
revived
.
Yea
,
these
lovers
should
yet
find
complete
salvation
and
—
sustaining
thought
—
through
me
.
Leversedge
was
staring
at
the
upward
flying
night-moths
again
.
“
Poor
,
silly
fools
,
”
he
said
slowly
,
“
they
're
a
little
too
much
of
a
parable
.
”
But
my
cheerfulness
had
returned
.
“
My
dear
fellow
,
”
I
replied
,
“
they
‘needs
must
love
the
highest
when
they
see
it
,
’
like
the
rest
of
us
.
But
the
highest
is
perfectly
safe
in
this
case
,
and
will
not
do
them
any
injury
.
They
ca
n't
singe
themselves
.
The
globes
are
sealed
.
”
Leversedge
's
mildly
distracted
brow
gathered
into
a
frown
for
a
moment
,
and
he
raised
his
shoulders
the
least
bit
in
the
world
.
“
No
,
they
ca
n't
singe
themselves
,
”
he
said
,
“
but
they
can
bash
their
silly
heads
in
,
which
will
answer
much
the
same
purpose
.
”
Then
he
added
,
quickly
and
courteously
—
“
I
beg
your
pardon
,
Hammond
;
I
am
an
ass
,
and
like
an
ass
I
am
a
little
bit
out
of
temper
.
”
Just
then
,
somewhere
down
in
the
direction
of
the
little
harbour
,
a
dog
yelped
.
I
saw
Leversedge
start
.
“
What
's
that
?
”
he
said
,
under
his
breath
.
His
face
straightened
.
He
listened
.
I
listened
too
,
somehow
.
It
was
exceedingly
stupid
of
me
,
for
I
ought
to
have
talked
;
but
I
could
not
help
myself
.
I
had
to
listen
.
The
sounds
of
revelry
from
the
dining-room
had
grown
faint
;
a
breath
of
air
had
stirred
the
surface
of
the
bank
of
shrubs
on
our
right
.
And
again
,
down
by
the
harbour
,
a
dog
,
evidently
a
small
dog
,
yelped
and
whimpered
.
“
Let
us
come
round
to
the
front
of
the
house
,
”
Leversedge
said
,
rather
hurriedly
.
“
That
set
of
Lancers
must
be
over
by
now
,
I
should
think
,
and
she
told
me
to
meet
her
at
the
steps
.
”
As
we
went
along
the
terrace
,
he
added
—
“
That
greasy
animal
,
Gerrard
,
has
turned
up
again
to-night
.
He
insisted
upon
Charlotte
's
sitting
out
this
square
dance
with
him
,
which
bored
her
,
and
annoyed
me
rather
.
Of
course
I
know
,
I
'm
rather
out
of
it
,
Hammond
,
from
having
been
away
so
long
;
but
if
that
fellow
's
not
a
bad
lot
,
I
never
saw
any
man
that
was
.
”
“
Briefly
,
he
is
a
beast
!
”
I
exclaimed
.
Leversedge
chuckled
audibly
.
“
Thanks
,
I
feel
better
,
”
he
said
.
“
Charlotte
does
n't
fancy
him
either
,
I
know
;
but
she
's
seen
a
good
deal
of
him
at
Mrs.
Mertyns
'
,
and
she
ca
n't
be
uncivil
,
you
see
.
As
to
this
dance
,
she
could
n't
civilly
get
out
of
it
.
”
As
we
moved
forward
the
air
became
positively
heavy
with
the
rich
,
aromatic
scent
of
the
magnolia
blossoms
,
while
the
sound
of
the
band
came
upon
us
with
a
sudden
gush
,
in
the
light
tuneful
music
of
La
Cigale
.
“
We
shall
get
away
from
all
these
people
tomorrow
,
”
Leversedge
said
.
“
Till
then
I
strive
to
possess
my
soul
in
patience
.
”
He
smiled
very
charmingly
,
looked
half
proudly
,
half
shyly
at
me
.
“
I
'm
awfully
grateful
to
you
,
Hammond
,
”
he
said
.
“
But
for
you
I
might
not
have
dared
go
on
.
Thanks
to
you
,
the
supreme
good
is
near
,
is
very
near
.
”
Just
then
we
reached
the
foot
of
the
marble
steps
,
crossed
by
broad
spaces
of
golden
brightness
from
the
windows
of
the
salon
—
against
which
last
the
band
,
fiddling
and
blowing
under
the
vine-embowered
verandah
,
showed
as
a
company
of
grotesque
silhouettes
.
Halfway
down
the
flight
stood
the
Deputy
Surgeon-General
discoursing
earnestly
to
Perry
père
et
mère
.
“
Oh
!
hang
it
,
they
've
not
done
yet
,
”
Leversedge
said
.
At
the
sound
of
his
voice
Mr.
Perry
turned
,
and
perceiving
us
,
ran
playfully
down
to
join
us
.
“
Ah
,
ha
!
”
he
cried
;
“
I
see
,
I
see
.
Damon
and
Pythias
,
David
and
Jonathan
—
as
usual
,
inseparable
companions
—
Divorced
for
a
brief
space
And
then
together
flowing
,
impelled
by
friendship
,
As
severed
drops
upon
the
petals
of
the
dewy
rose
.
Upon
my
word
,
I
begin
to
suspect
Charlotte
has
a
rival
in
that
naughty
boy
's
affections
,
eh
,
Mr.
Hammond
mond
?
Ladies
have
been
known
before
now
to
grow
jealous
of
their
husband
's
friends
.
You
must
be
nice
to
Charlotte
,
very
,
very
nice
to
Charlotte
,
or
who
can
tell
—
eh
?
”
“
It
's
a
beautiful
night
,
”
Leversedge
remarked
,
with
a
certain
irritation
in
his
tone
;
“
all
the
same
,
I
do
n't
care
to
stand
still
here
.
Shall
we
take
a
turn
,
Hammond
,
and
come
back
?
”
“
By
all
means
,
”
I
said
.
Was
Leversedge
only
restless
,
anxious
to
shake
off
Perry
père
,
or
was
he
cold
?
Really
I
was
becoming
very
sentimental
over
Leversedge
.
I
would
sacrifice
myself
to
an
almost
unlimited
extent
in
the
way
of
pedestrianism
to
prevent
his
feeling
cold
.
—
But
if
his
intention
was
to
shake
off
his
father-in-law
,
that
end
was
not
to
be
attained
by
such
simple
methods
.
“
Yes
,
by
all
means
,
”
echoed
Mr.
Perry
;
“
I
am
with
you
.
”
And
he
trotted
gaily
beside
us
.
“
A
beautiful
night
,
as
you
observe
,
Constantine
,
truly
a
beautiful
night
.
Really
,
I
may
say
,
without
exaggeration
,
a
sublime
night
.
I
have
just
been
calling
my
wife
's
and
our
good
friend
,
the
doctor
's
,
attention
to
the
expanse
of
the
starry
heavens
as
presented
to
us
this
evening
—
Worlds
upon
worlds
displayed
To
awe
the
human
eye
,
In
majesty
arrayed
,
Go
slowly
rolling
by
.
”
Here
Mr.
Perry
became
extremely
noble
.
“
If
my
youth
had
not
been
necessarily
devoted
to
pursuits
of
a
practical
character
,
and
if
the
virtue
of
patriotism
had
not
become
the
master
passion
of
my
maturer
years
,
I
should
certainly
have
been
an
astronomer
.
Most
elevating
branch
of
science
,
Mr.
Hammond
,
I
am
sure
,
—
most
elevating
.
The
silent
night
,
the
lonely
observatory
,
the
burnished
brass
tube
turned
in
humble
inquiry
upon
unnumbered
universes
!
Ah
yes
,
‘the
undevout
astronomer
is
mad
,
’
—
must
be
,
you
know
,
'
tis
perfectly
obvious
.
Yet
,
as
I
often
remind
myself
,
the
busy
bee
has
its
place
in
nature
,
its
little
duty
to
fulfil
,
as
well
as
the
soaring
eagle
.
And
I
trust
I
do
not
neglect
my
own
honey
cells
,
as
we
may
say
,
do
not
neglect
them
.
I
am
proud
to
think
our
local
branch
of
the
Primrose
League
,
for
instance
,
owes
much
to
my
efforts
and
to
those
of
Mamma
—
for
we
must
never
forget
the
gentle
hand
of
women
,
which
rocking
the
cradle
still
rules
the
world
—
ah
ha
!
rules
us
,
and
,
therefore
,
of
necessity
,
the
world
.
”
We
had
walked
the
length
of
the
terrace
.
Before
us
lay
the
garden
,
blotted
by
trees
and
masses
of
shrubbery
,
spreading
away
to
a
flat
stretch
of
vineyards
intersected
by
the
pale
gleam
of
a
long
straight
road
.
Then
the
scattered
lights
of
the
little
town
—
points
of
silver
clustered
along
the
edge
of
a
blue-purple
abyss
of
lake
and
mountain
.
Mr.
Perry
drew
himself
up
.
He
was
quite
detestably
full-blown
just
then
.
He
carried
his
head
on
one
side
,
and
shook
his
finger
waggishly
at
the
constellations
—
which
,
again
,
were
points
of
silver
clustered
in
that
other
blue-purple
abyss
of
the
night
sky
.
“
Yes
,
yes
,
”
he
cried
,
“
you
heavenly
bodies
must
indeed
pursue
your
immemorial
way
without
me
!
Hearth
and
home
,
wife
and
child
,
man
and
brother
,
Church
and
State
,
our
revered
Queen
,
our
glorious
Constitution
,
—
these
,
after
all
,
Mr.
Hammond
,
twine
themselves
more
closely
about
the
heart-strings
of
the
true
Briton
than
even
the
most
august
of
scientific
studies
.
he
affections
must
be
satisfied
,
must
be
so
,
'
tis
absolutely
necessary
.
Constantine
is
in
a
position
to
bear
witness
to
that
truth
just
now
;
eh
,
Constantine
?
—
He
left
his
books
For
ladies
'
looks
.
Account-books
,
in
the
case
of
Constantine
.
Ledgers
,
yes
,
ledgers
—
and
very
well-kept
ones
,
too
,
as
I
can
testify
.
Most
creditable
entries
in
those
ledgers
.
—
Dear
me
,
what
's
this
—
what
's
this
?
Amid
all
our
charming
conversation
and
light
musical
gaiety
the
plaint
of
some
inferior
animal
in
pain
!
”
The
dog
was
yelping
again
.
The
sound
had
shifted
,
was
nearer
.
It
seemed
to
come
from
the
chestnut
avenue
,
into
the
dark
shadow
of
which
the
scarlet-bloused
Russian
and
her
companions
had
disappeared
.
Leversedge
touched
me
on
the
shoulder
,
speaking
quickly
.
“
Let
's
turn
,
Hammond
.
That
dance
must
be
over
by
now
,
and
I
do
n't
want
to
keep
her
waiting
.
”
“
Right
,
right
!
”
cried
Mr.
Perry
genially
.
“
I
approve
the
sentiment
.
The
Fair
may
sometimes
delay
us
,
but
let
us
never
delay
the
Fair
.
For
'
tis
the
little
foxes
,
the
little
foxes
,
that
spoil
the
grapes
.
And
how
often
the
surface
of
domestic
happiness
is
ruffled
,
and
the
peace
of
its
depths
endangered
,
I
'm
sure
I
may
say
positively
endangered
,
by
the
omission
of
small
courtesies
—
Those
trifling
,
trivial
tributes
of
our
love
,
Which
still
the
heart
's
complete
devotion
prove
.
These
are
too
often
ignored
by
us
members
of
the
sterner
sex
;
yet
they
are
foundational
,
I
protest
foundational
,
as
the
basis
of
sweet
agreement
in
the
matrimonial
state
.
”
At
the
foot
of
the
steps
stood
Mrs.
Perry
.
“
Dear
me
!
”
she
said
as
we
approached
,
“
I
'm
sure
it
's
a
very
shocking
thing
we
should
be
benefiting
so
by
those
poor
black
people
's
bad
habits
,
and
I
really
do
n't
see
how
we
do
,
—
and
I
'm
sure
it
ought
all
to
be
put
a
stop
to
at
once
by
the
Queen
,
or
the
Parliament
,
or
anybody
in
a
position
to
do
it
.
—
Oh
,
well
,
here
you
all
are
;
the
doctor
here
's
been
explaining
to
me
all
about
those
poor
Indians
and
the
opium
,
and
it
does
seem
all
very
dreadful
.
And
there
's
been
a
dog
howling
so
;
I
've
just
been
asking
him
to
go
and
see
what
is
the
matter
with
it
.
It
always
upsets
me
,
—
does
n't
it
you
,
Mr.
Hammond
?
—
to
hear
anything
crying
about
like
that
when
you
do
n't
know
what
's
wrong
with
it
.
”
The
set
of
Lancers
were
clearly
over
,
for
the
band
was
well
away
with
a
valse
again
.
The
Carissima
,
in
her
trailing
peach-bloom
skirts
,
stood
just
outside
the
central
window
of
the
ballroom
.
Gerrard
's
squat
figure
was
behind
her
.
He
was
talking
to
her
,
insisting
upon
something
.
The
girl
moved
forward
impatiently
,
as
though
wishing
to
escape
from
him
.
But
he
followed
her
to
the
head
of
the
steps
.
He
was
very
close
to
her
,
still
speaking
,
still
insisting
.
I
saw
him
,
to
emphasise
his
words
—
whatever
they
might
be
—
touch
her
arm
with
his
hand
.
Leversedge
saw
it
too
.
His
mouth
opened
a
little
,
and
a
dangerous
light
came
into
his
eyes
.
“
Damn
your
impudence
!
I
should
like
to
settle
with
you
once
and
for
all
,
”
he
said
under
his
breath
.
“
Yes
,
to
be
sure
,
there
it
is
howling
again
,
”
Mrs.
Perry
chimed
in
.
“
But
,
dear
me
,
I
do
n't
want
the
poor
thing
done
away
with
altogether
,
if
that
's
what
you
mean
,
Constantine
.
I
only
want
it
turned
out
of
the
garden
,
you
know
,
or
taken
back
where
it
belongs
.
”
Charlotte
came
swiftly
down
the
marble
steps
.
She
pressed
her
left
hand
against
the
side
of
her
charming
head
;
and
the
up-draught
,
as
she
moved
,
taking
the
lace
of
her
open
sleeve
blew
it
back
,
showing
her
arm
almost
to
the
shoulder
.
The
great
diamonds
,
which
Leversedge
had
brought
her
,
glittered
upon
her
third
finger
and
upraised
wrist
.
And
the
band
played
softly
,
I
remember
,
a
die-away
passage
of
the
valse
,
—
it
was
one
arranged
from
that
pretty
,
silly
song
of
Caminada
's
,
“
Ashes
of
love
are
as
ashes
of
roses
,
”
—
and
,
down
by
the
lake
shore
,
once
more
a
dog
whimpered
and
yelped
.
CHAPTER
VI
“
APRÈS
,
”
cried
Mr.
Perry
,
addressing
his
daughter
in
rallying
tones
,
—
“
après
le
bal
!
Surely
you
young
people
stand
in
need
of
a
little
light
refreshment
?
A
plan
,
a
plan
,
I
have
a
charming
plan
—
eh
,
Mamma
?
Let
's
offer
our
friends
here
an
al
fresco
entertainment
,
before
we
part
at
the
close
of
this
auspicious
day
,
to
meet
again
to-morrow
morning
.
Ah
yes
,
meet
at
the
church
door
at
half-past
ten
o'clock
.
I
look
for
many
friendly
faces
to
be
gathered
at
the
church
door
,
I
'm
sure
,
quite
a
number
of
friendly
faces
.
—
But
now
to
supper
.
”
In
speaking
,
Mr.
Perry
waved
us
towards
a
table
,
by
one
of
the
large
magnolias
,
at
the
farther
side
of
the
terrace
.
The
rough
zinc
top
of
the
table
,
I
remember
,
caught
the
light
,
as
did
the
white
balustrade
parallel
to
which
it
stood
,
over
which
pink
climbing
roses
,
set
in
the
flower-border
below
,
had
thrown
long
trails
of
leaf
and
blossom
.
Beyond
lay
a
quarter
of
an
acre
of
lawn
sloping
away
into
a
darkness
of
trees
,
bordering
the
lake
shore
.
The
Carissima
passed
us
without
speaking
.
She
went
quickly
across
the
wide
gravel
terrace
,
and
dropped
into
a
chair
at
the
head
of
the
table
.
It
appeared
to
me
the
young
lady
's
whole
manner
and
bearing
was
curiously
concentrated
;
it
held
no
hint
of
hesitancy
now
,
or
of
deprecating
mildness
.
She
swept
by
,
indeed
,
with
a
certain
violence
;
and
,
as
I
followed
with
Mrs.
Perry
,
the
effect
of
her
struck
me
as
really
impressive
—
her
head
and
bare
throat
,
her
slim
figure
to
the
waist
,
in
its
pale
draperies
,
standing
out
in
profile
,
clean
cut
,
from
the
multitudinous
background
of
glossy
magnolia
leaves
.
And
,
thereupon
,
a
suspicion
overtook
me
,
that
,
even
now
,
for
good
or
evil
,
I
had
not
come
to
the
end
of
Charlotte
née
Perry
.
I
took
my
place
at
the
little
table
in
a
spirit
of
expectation
;
a
rather
weariful
sense
upon
me
—
really
this
day
was
an
unconscionably
long
one
!
—
that
,
in
respect
of
drama
,
there
might
even
now
be
a
considerable
amount
ahead
.
As
for
the
rest
of
the
party
—
Mr.
Perry
had
skirmished
off
in
search
of
supper
;
Percy
Gerrard
still
lingered
,
wrapped
in
august
abstraction
,
under
the
verandah
;
while
Leversedge
,
passing
round
,
perched
himself
on
the
balustrade
near
his
bride
—
his
back
towards
the
dimness
of
the
garden
,
his
face
towards
the
illuminated
façade
of
the
great
hotel
.
He
bent
down
and
spoke
in
a
low
voice
to
the
girl
.
Mrs.
Perry
sat
next
me
,
and
proceeded
to
engage
my
attention
by
artless
discourse
.
She
was
gorgeously
attired
this
evening
in
a
rich
silk
gown
of
sanguine
hue
.
Moreover
,
I
distinctly
recall
her
cap.
It
was
of
the
usual
respectable
upper-housemaid
order
,
so
much
affected
by
elderly
ladies
of
our
modest
nation
;
but
,
as
sign
of
full
dress
,
curious
little
golden
acorns
depended
from
the
lower
lace
frill
of
it
,
as
wind-bells
from
the
roofs
of
a
pagoda
.
They
waggled
as
she
moved
her
head
,
and
the
affect
was
amusing
,
somehow
.
“
I
'm
sure
this
is
all
very
pleasant
,
”
she
said
,
looking
round
with
evident
satisfaction
.
“
And
no
doubt
it
's
very
right
and
proper
of
Dr.
Moorcock
to
be
so
busy
about
the
bad
habits
of
those
poor
blacks
.
But
hearing
him
talk
seems
to
make
you
very
anxious
,
you
know
.
Of
course
I
was
always
brought
up
to
believe
those
in
authority
—
governors
and
generals
and
Members
of
Parliament
,
and
all
those
sort
of
gentlemen
,
did
know
best
,
so
that
one
was
n't
called
upon
to
trouble
.
And
then
,
of
course
,
when
somebody
like
Dr.
Moorcock
comes
and
explains
to
you
they
're
always
making
dreadful
mistakes
,
why
,
you
ca
n't
help
being
very
upset
and
uneasy
,
you
know
—
you
really
do
n't
feel
as
if
anything
was
safe
anywhere
.
”
“
My
dear
child
,
”
I
heard
Leversedge
saying
,
very
gently
,
“
if
you
'd
only
tell
me
what
's
gone
wrong
—
half
an
hour
ago
everything
seemed
as
right
as
—
”
“
And
then
it
's
so
beautiful
sitting
out
of
doors
like
this
,
”
Mrs.
Perry
continued
,
folding
her
hands
contentedly
over
the
centre
of
her
person
.
“
Of
course
that
was
all
very
different
,
quite
in
a
small
private
sort
of
way
,
you
know
;
but
still
it
does
remind
me
of
the
first
year
Mr.
Perry
and
I
were
married
.
We
had
a
house
at
Brixton
—
semi-detached
,
and
a
nice
bow-window
to
the
sitting-room
,
—
I
know
Aunt
Trumbull
gave
me
red
rep
curtains
for
it
and
they
never
would
quite
meet
,
there
was
a
mistake
about
half
a
breadth
,
somewhere
—
it
was
a
disappointment
,
but
I
tried
never
to
let
them
be
drawn
when
she
came
in
,
for
fear
it
should
mortify
her
,
—
well
,
and
there
was
a
garden
at
the
back
.
It
had
walls
all
round
,
and
,
of
course
,
it
was
n't
very
much
;
but
there
was
a
black-plum
tree
in
one
corner
,
and
when
Joseph
used
to
come
back
from
the
office
early
,
we
would
take
our
chairs
out
there
and
sit
.
”
Then
Leversedge
's
voice
reached
me
again
.
“
Oh
,
”
he
was
saying
,
“
if
you
would
like
the
plans
altered
any
way
,
there
's
nothing
easier
.
”
He
plucked
off
the
head
of
a
rose
absently
,
and
pulled
the
petals
apart
.
“
The
world
's
before
us
where
to
choose
,
after
all
,
you
see
.
We
'll
go
where
you
like
,
and
stay
where
you
like
.
Whatever
you
like
,
I
like
—
down
to
the
ground
,
I
like
it
.
”
“
It
was
very
close
that
summer
,
”
Mrs.
Perry
went
on
;
“
and
—
perhaps
it
's
not
quite
a
thing
to
mention
before
a
gentleman
,
but
,
you
see
,
you
do
seem
to
be
such
an
old
friend
now
,
Mr.
Hammond
—
I
felt
the
heat
very
much
just
then
,
not
being
quite
strong
—
”
What
the
girl
had
answered
him
I
do
not
know
,
but
I
saw
Leversedge
turn
away
rather
hastily
.
Then
something
must
have
arrested
his
attention
,
for
he
paused
,
leaning
sideways
over
the
balustrade
,
one
arm
outstretched
towards
the
trailing
roses
,
looking
out
over
the
great
lawn
.
He
was
very
still
for
a
moment
;
and
a
dog
howled
again
,
down
in
the
direction
of
the
harbour
.
“
Poor
thing
,
the
doctor
has
n't
caught
it
,
then
,
”
Mrs.
Perry
put
in
parenthetically
.
Leversedge
pulled
off
another
rose
with
rather
laboured
indifference
,
and
,
facing
round
,
threw
back
his
head
with
a
jerk
.
The
content
had
died
out
of
his
face
.
His
brow
was
distracted
,
and
the
hunted
look
had
come
once
again
into
his
eyes
.
He
bent
very
tenderly
over
Charlotte
.
“
Whatever
you
please
and
wherever
you
please
,
my
sweet
,
”
he
said
softly
,
—
“
if
only
you
will
be
pleased
.
Surely
you
know
,
you
know
,
I
just
live
for
that
?
”
“
You
see
,
it
was
just
a
few
months
before
dear
Lottie
's
birth
,
”
continued
my
excellent
companion
panion
.
“
We
were
n't
very
well
off
at
that
time
,
Mr.
Hammond
,
and
I
made
all
my
own
baby-linen
.
It
's
very
pretty
work
baby-linen
,
I
always
have
thought
that
.
And
I
used
to
sew
as
long
as
it
was
light
,
and
then
sometimes
Mr.
Perry
would
play
to
me
.
I
am
afraid
the
people
next
door
objected
rather
,
which
seemed
to
me
very
illiberal
,
for
I
am
sure
I
always
found
it
sweetly
pretty
—
Joseph
used
to
practise
quite
a
number
of
nice
tunes
,
at
that
time
,
upon
the
flute
.
”
Meanwhile
Leversedge
went
on
speaking
,
pleading
,
as
it
appeared
to
me
;
but
he
spoke
very
low
,
I
did
not
hear
what
he
said
.
“
You
know
,
Mr.
Perry
does
n't
quite
care
to
hear
me
refer
to
that
time
;
he
gets
rather
excited
when
I
do
,
and
says
it
's
not
fair
upon
Charlotte
to
recall
our
early
married
life
.
And
perhaps
it
is
n't
.
Of
course
,
it
all
was
very
obscure
.
But
I
never
knew
how
obscure
it
was
then
;
and
,
you
see
,
I
was
very
happy
somehow
—
”
Mrs.
Perry
sighed
.
“
I
know
it
's
all
much
better
now
,
and
that
Charlotte
and
Mr.
Perry
move
in
society
much
more
suitable
to
them
both
;
but
a
woman
's
thoughts
will
go
back
to
the
time
she
was
very
happy
,
even
if
she
sees
afterwards
that
it
was
all
a
mistake
and
that
she
ought
n't
to
have
been
so
,
you
know
,
Mr.
Hammond
.
”
Here
the
Carissima
made
a
sudden
movement
—
threw
up
her
hands
,
clasped
them
before
her
face
.
She
stayed
so
a
minute
,
showing
like
a
cameo
against
the
screen
of
foliage
.
“
Wait
,
—
pray
,
pray
,
wait
,
”
she
said
.
“
Presently
,
when
my
parents
are
gone
—
not
now
—
I
ca
n't
explain
before
them
.
Indeed
,
I
hardly
know
my
own
thought
yet
.
Wait
—
I
implore
you
,
wait
.
”
“
The
last
thing
I
wish
is
to
distress
you
,
God
knows
,
”
Leversedge
said
slowly
and
sadly
.
Hearing
which
,
the
remnants
of
my
lately
recovered
cheerfulness
began
to
vanish
,
smokelike
,
in
deepening
disquiet
.
For
I
recognised
that
I
had
gloried
without
sufficient
cause
,
that
this
conversion
remained
distinctly
incomplete
.
Leversedge
stared
away
across
the
lawn
again
,
and
as
I
watched
him
his
figure
gradually
stiffened
and
straightened
.
He
,
too
,
was
watching
anxiously
,
unwillingly
,
yet
with
a
sort
of
fascination
something
—
something
which
I
did
not
see
.
I
suppose
I
really
was
very
tired
,
for
his
attitude
affected
me
strangely
.
The
feeling
returned
upon
me
which
had
oppressed
me
earlier
in
the
evening
,
as
I
worked
my
way
out
of
the
crowded
hall
,
namely
,
that
there
was
an
abnormal
,
a
malign
element
in
my
surroundings
.
It
was
absurd
,
of
course
,
yet
increasingly
the
Spirit
of
Fear
—
fear
of
I
know
not
quite
what
—
whether
a
perception
of
something
supernatural
,
or
merely
a
heightened
perception
of
the
ever-present
possibility
of
tragedy
in
mortal
existence
,
seemed
to
haunt
the
whispering
trees
and
dusky
garden
,
to
diffuse
itself
through
the
blue-purple
abyss
of
the
lake
and
mountains
,
and
the
clear
,
impassive
,
starlit
night
.
Just
then
arrived
to
us
Mr.
Perry
,
followed
by
a
waiter
carrying
a
tray
,
shoulder
high
.
If
there
was
any
abnormal
influence
abroad
,
it
had
not
affected
Perry
père
as
yet
,
save
in
the
way
of
an
astonishing
and
altogether
disproportionate
hilarity
.
“
Ah
ha
!
”
he
cried
,
“
I
bring
you
varied
cates
—
Each
to
his
taste
,
enough
alike
for
all
.
Coffee
and
ices
for
the
slighter
appetites
;
champagne
for
the
more
solid
,
accompanied
by
a
lobster
mayonnaise
.
Mamma
was
ever
partial
to
a
salad
composed
of
that
somewhat
deleterious
crustacean
—
were
n't
you
,
Mamma
?
—
Ici
,
put
the
things
on
the
table
,
do
n't
you
see
,
comme
ça
,
garçon
.
Et
maintenant
ôtez
le
plateau
,
and
you
can
go
,
allez
,
—
vous
comprenez
.
”
This
to
the
waiter
.
Whether
attracted
by
the
sight
of
food
,
or
impelled
by
some
more
subtle
form
of
desire
,
I
know
not
,
but
here
Percy
Gerrard
descended
the
steps
and
joined
us
.
He
drew
up
at
the
corner
of
the
table
,
between
Charlotte
and
myself
;
and
the
girl
looked
up
at
him
with
a
strange
expression
,
half
dependence
,
half
disgust
—
as
it
seemed
to
me
.
As
once
before
,
I
suspected
collusion
between
these
two
persons
,
and
I
did
n't
in
the
least
like
it
.
At
all
events
,
it
was
a
satisfaction
to
note
that
,
along
with
dependence
,
Charlotte
Perry
's
extremely
pretty
and
mobile
face
did
express
disgust
.
“
Lobster
?
—
no
,
thank
you
.
Champagne
?
—
yes
,
”
he
said
,
in
response
to
an
invitation
on
the
part
of
Mr.
Perry
,
—
“
that
is
,
if
it
is
dry
;
I
take
for
granted
it
's
dry
.
”
Gerrard
's
voice
was
not
under
complete
control
;
it
came
hard
and
sudden
.
He
emptied
his
glass
,
and
then
,
setting
it
down
,
rested
his
hand
on
the
table
,
bending
forward
over
the
girl
.
“
Have
you
remarked
the
glow-worms
to-night
?
”
he
asked
her
.
“
Out
there
,
upon
the
grass
,
they
are
really
very
wonderful
.
”
He
raised
his
hand
and
pointed
down
over
the
lawn
.
And
that
hand
must
have
been
disagreeably
damp
;
for
it
left
,
dark
on
the
grey
zinc
table-top
,
a
distinct
impression
of
a
flat
palm
,
four
squat
fingers
and
a
thumb
to
match
.
“
Fairylike
?
—
yes
,
I
'm
sure
,
positively
fairylike
,
”
broke
in
Perry
père
enthusiastically
.
“
Titania
and
her
frisky
train
are
all
abroad
this
evening
.
I
have
called
my
wife
's
attention
to
their
merry
manœuvres
already
—
have
n't
I
,
Mamma
?
”
Leversedge
,
at
the
mention
of
the
glow-worms
,
glanced
sharply
at
the
speaker
.
Then
he
seemed
to
gather
himself
together
,
with
a
certain
determination
,
and
sat
,
his
head
bent
,
his
back
to
the
garden
and
his
face
to
the
light
,
laying
hold
,
very
hard
—
so
I
fancied
—
of
the
edge
of
the
stone
balustrade
on
either
side
of
him
.
Gerrard
went
on
speaking
,
his
voice
cracking
up
and
down
queerly
.
“
You
see
them
?
There
must
be
some
peculiar
atmospheric
conditions
to
account
for
the
extreme
brilliancy
of
those
delicate
jewels
.
”
He
paused
,
apparently
trying
to
steady
his
unruly
voice
.
The
dance
was
over
;
the
bandsmen
were
putting
up
their
instruments
.
The
concierge
turned
out
the
clusters
of
electric
lights
one
by
one
,
leaving
but
a
gas-jet
here
and
there
,
in
compliment
to
the
few
guests
who
still
loitered
in
the
grounds
.
The
lady
of
the
red
silk
blouse
passed
us
with
her
attendants
,
as
usual
deep
in
excited
talk
.
The
fresh-faced
subaltern
and
his
trim
partner
lingered
,
bidding
each
other
a
protracted
farewell
at
the
foot
of
the
steps
.
“
Ah
!
how
extraordinary
!
”
cried
Gerrard
suddenly
.
“
Look
—
look
at
those
in
the
centre
of
the
lawn
,
two
discs
of
lambent
living
green
.
Singular
!
They
move
together
rapidly
,
and
towards
us
.
”
The
Carissima
pushed
her
chair
violently
back
making
the
stiff
leaves
of
the
magnolia
shatter
together
behind
her
.
“
No
,
no
,
not
that
way
!
”
she
cried
,
—
“
not
that
way
!
I
dare
not
.
It
is
too
wicked
.
I
cannot
.
”
Leversedge
had
taken
one
glance
over
his
shoulder
into
the
dimness
.
Then
he
wrenched
himself
round
,
wrenched
himself
on
to
his
feet
.
And
once
again
I
could
have
sworn
his
hair
bristled
,
while
his
lips
stood
away
from
his
teeth
.
“
You
lie
,
”
he
said
,
“
and
you
know
it
.
You
lie
,
—
so
help
me
God
.
”
A
silence
followed
;
even
Perry
père
,
for
once
,
amazed
out
of
all
articulate
expression
.
And
a
dog
yelped
and
howled
,
quite
near
us
this
time
,
on
the
