The Outcry

te’s approach to the hall by the entrance giving upon the great terrace, and addressed her on her passing the threshold. “Lord John, my lady.” With which, his

f the reputed treasures of Dedborough Place beautifully disposed themselves; and then, through ample apertures and beyond the stately stone outworks of the great seated and supported house — uplifting terrace, balanced, balustraded steps and containing basins where splash and spray were at rest — all the rich composed extension of garden and lawn and park. An ancient, a

nt more so than by the effect of her express repudiation of a mundane future certain to be more and more offensive to women of real quality and of formed taste. Clearly, at any rate, in her hands, the clue to the antique confidence had lost itself, and repose, however founded, had given way to curiosity — that is to speculation — however disguised. She might have consented, or even attained, to being but gracefully stu

rest, for any explanation about herself: it would have been clear that he was apt to discriminate with sharpness amon

— than the perhaps more showy creation of alarm. “Only off in the park — open today for a school-feast from Dedborough,

r, as Lord John could easily take in, and his recognition familiarly smi

st left them, but he had even then been going on for twenty minutes, and I dare say t

ompt this particular edified friend to look at his watch and consider. “I should like to come in for the grand finale, but I rattled over in a great measure to meet a party, as he calls himself — and calls, if

eneral order ever cost a strain. “It quite sticks out of you, and every one moreover has

y mother; whom, as she kindly lent me her

h no longer than was decent. “But whom you doubtless had t

y that my mother at some mo

w it. “She fights to the last, invincible; gathering in the spoils and only routing her fri

of an idle eye, fixed her an instant with a surprise

own. “Well, in this house generally; where I’

jolly good footing quite sticks ou

r juvenile intelligence; and indeed she could only decide to deal quite simply. “You can’

my terrible mother is capable of heavy gains and of making a great noise if she isn’t paid? I ought to mind speaking of that truth,” he went on as with a pract

nce, as I’ve had to, goodness knows! — has thrown herself, with her impossible big debt, upon her father? whom she thinks herself entitle

inquiry in Lord John’s reply. “You mean that our lovely young widows — to say nothing of lo

ared to decide after a moment not wholly to disown his

if she could smile he coul

cise her Grace; but the ways and tr

of her gaming debts — to say nothing of others! — and wishing to have at least those wiped out in the interest of her reputation? Exactly so,” he went on before she could me

bankruptcy — no; as yo

for a moment almost as a liberty taken. “How do y

he belief — very natural, I grant — that more than one perverse and extravagant flower will be unlikely on such a fine healthy old stem; and, consi

ned still a vague quantity for us, you would have taken his sincerity as quite possible — and this despite an odd element in him that you might have described as a certain delicacy of brutality. This younger son of a noble matron recognised even by himself as terrible enjoyed in no immediate or aggressive manner any imputable private heritage or privilege of arrogance. He would on the contrary have

, which represented somehow the art of living at a high pitch and yet at a low cost. There was that in his satisfied air which still suggested sharp wants — and this was withal the ambiguity; for the temper of these appetites or

nquired of Lady Sandgate, “by t

he very clever son of

replied —“if you really think it of me at

I would gladly most resemble — for her general ability to put what she wants

hat t

in her kinds of cleverness without exception — and t

emptuously declined to follow

re might be, and then seemed both to risk and to reserve som

: “You don’t begin to have the opportunity of knowing how good she is.” This pronouncement, to whatever comparative obscurity it might appear to rel

decided to take everything. “I always proceed on the assumpt

allowed, “there’s a question it would be convenient to me to put to you. You must be,

or more. “Is that your q

are you’ll the b

an with almost nobody and nothing of her own, and I feel my footing here, as so frequent and yet so discreet a visitor, simply perfect But I

eving that if I go the right way ab

most listens to just now — and in fact at any time, as you must have seen for your

ere?” Lord John

e’ve other visitors — seems to hav

she always does. But her sister won’t be in

well may,” said Lady Sandgate, “but I must tell you that when I las

dy Imber”— he ironically enlarged

panion returned, “happens

cal. “Not against me, however — you don’t mean?

knowing best what may — or what m

to Lord John seemed to sit for a moment on his brow. “But

dgate might have been moved to meet “Ar

dn’t I be? But,” he said wi

so far did help him — though the effort was in a degree that of her exhibiting with some complacency her own unassisted control of stray signs and shy lights.

open to a becoming, an improving touch from himself. “Well, and by me.” To which he

“you see I’ve guessed. What your mot

” he allowed —“an

oed. “I should think ‘that,’ for an

e idea,” he hastened to explain —“if you

t you go

er too.” And he renewed his attention to his watch. “I mean g

You too have an American and a ‘par

r.” Lord John named him

“You know my Breckenridge? — w

ut more gaily, wondere

nd since her entrance. “He has sent me that — which, delivered t

and hope to overtake you about four.’” It did involve an ambiguity. “Why, he has been engaged

appealed to the general rich scene. “Th

r the sense of a menaced monopoly. “My dear

She might have been wound up by her

Lord John explained, “was that he should see the Dedborough pictures in general and the great Sir J

ener’s mystification. “Then why — this whole week that I’ve been in

nough. “Good as he is in all ways, he’s so best of all about showing the house and its con

e him,” Lady Sandgate just quavered —

hat privilege then — of presenting him to his host — if I’ve seemed to you to snatch it from you.” To which Lord John added, as with

m, fairly drew from Lady Sandgate, as she to

t-do-you-call-‘ems? — seven full-length figures, each one a g

almost stricken, lost in her wistful thoug

wn. Bender knows,” said L

only”— her wonde

-you-cal

hn made scarce more of it than that. “But, awfully

horrible — at the rate things are leaving us!” But this was f

ord John lived it amusedly over

e makes the most scandalous eyes — the ruffian! — at my great-grandmother.” And then as richly to enlighten any blankness: “My tremendous Lawrence, don’t you know? — in her weddin

in which he wasn’t interested, as at certain possibilities lurking

e indignantly refused — for

evertheless pursues y

dy Sandgate was so far as this went an imperturbable witness. “I need hardly fear it perhaps if — in the light o

lls two birds with one stone — h

for the moment, on his fair associate. “D

ide, became at first but the bright reflect

earing such words. “Not, surely, by any mons

d to renounce the effort. “But a cat may look a

nother question diverted her. “You’re clearly a wonderful showman, but do you mind

. “To the extent, you mean, of my little percentage?” And then as in silence she but kept a slightly grim smil

k because people like you, Lord John, strike me as dangerous to the — how shall I name it? — the common weal; and because of my general strong

resent, however, was not the time to say it all; so he said something else instead, accompanying it with

of this functionary was ever, and more and more at every step, a process to defy interpretation, long practice evidently now enable

hough while he addressed himself to her companion he allowed for her indecorum sufficiently to take it u

Sandgate for the young man’s

ing in. “I rush to Lady Grace, but don’t demoralise Ben

rther exercise of his high functi

r as premature. “Oh, thank

knew what he was talking about. “There’s tea in her ladyship’s te

tman who had received him at the main entrance to the house. “Here he must be, my lady.” With which he retired to the spacious opposite quarter, where he vanished, while the footman, his own office performed, r