The Outcry

r lighted his keen countenance and broke into easy words. “So awfully kind of you —

ery one’s relief, I think,” the girl returned, “so tha

est appeared to borrow from the unframed and unattached nippers unceasingly perched, by their mere ground-glass rims, as she remembered, on the bony bridge of his indescribably authoritative (since it was at the same time decidedly inquisitive) young nose. She must, however, also have embraced in this contemplation, she must more or less again have interpreted, his main physiognomic mark, the degree to which his clean jaw was underhung and his lower lip protruded; a lapse of regularity made evident by a suppression of beard and moustache as complete as that practised by Mr. Bender — though without the appearance consequent in the latter’s case, that of the flagrantly vain appeal in the countenance for some other exhibition of a history, of a process of production, than this so superficial one. With the interested an

it, rather, tropical —‘lush.’ My neighbour on the

on.” “This” obviously meant for the young man exactly what surrounded him; he had begun, like Mr. Bender, to be conscious of a thick solicitation of the eye — an

cular in the hall,” Lady

d Cuyps! I’m an ogre,” he said

first course — with tea after your ride? If the other, that

alk of a fellow-feaster I should have supposed that, on such a day as th

ple care for; unless, perhaps,” Lady Grace went on, “your own peculiar one, as I understand you, of playing football with

The names and stories and styles — the so often vain legend, not to be too invidious — of author or subject or school?”

Grace suggested, “at w

ts, treasures of art, that pressed for appreciation of their importance. “Certainly,” he said, “no one can ever have scor

town — about the tremendous tricks of the whirligig of time and the aesthetic fools’ paradise in which so many of us l

shudder of rememb

erican who’s

k. “The wretch who bagged

ed surprise. “I

nt. “Rather — the scoundrel. He offer

u meant he had pl

he could then hav

“it’s no use his offering us eight t

n exquisite lips and contradicting an imputation no one would have indecently mad

friendly horror she produced. “I don’t quite know what he supposes. Bu

at the mercy of a leak there appears no means of stopping.” She had tapped a spring in him, clearly, and the consequent flood might almost at any moment become

and relations. “Well, I suppose our art-wealth came in-save for those awkward Elgin Marbles! — mainly by p

ainsboroughs and Sir Joshuas and Romneys and Sargents, great Turners and Constables and old Cromes and Brabazons, form, you’ll recogn

oquence anything he would. “Yes — it’s our Sir Joshua, I believ

friend’s face. “Then he’

ther capable —! And you haven’t at any rate

rs ago; and am almost afraid of getting again, with a fr

rom fear that she could even affo

ey, his confidence is a horrid engine in itself — there’s the rub! I da

“One has heard of that, but only in the c

im justice, isn’t a part

ink he’s not a dealer at all, but just what

possibly wild recent p

lucky time — when we ru

but only to push it away. “Well, I don’t know whether the best lovers are, o

er fire. “It’s as if it were suddenly in the air that you’ve brought us

as they say at the shops,

agger he had put his possible virtue at its lowest. This she beautifully showed that she

reason why I feel, under my delightful, wonderful

of horrors hiding from justice, and that your n

ve wanted a chance at you, but what should you say if, having then at last just taken you in in your so app

e avenue you’d turn right round and com

odernity and one’s possibly futile discriminations — into a general situation or composition, as we say, so serene and sound and right. What should one do here, out of respect for that felicity, but hold one’s breath and walk on tip-toe? The very celebrations and consecrations, as you tell me, instinctively stay outside. I sa

after which something she had seen there appeared to determine in her another motion. She indicated the small landscape

d. “Why, don’t you know? It’s a

a base i

peared at a loss. “An i

er thinks

ing out: “Then Mr. Bend

Grace laughed. “But you

after that — if you’l

rom his quarter of an hour passed with Lady Imber, was there practically between them; a fact

which had reached his ear; he treated it — her “Oh Lord John!”— as a

y, as her manner had been virtually an introduction of that gentleman, an introduction which Lord John’s mere

st round of the ladder. B

d Lady Grace with f

tion. “Ah, if by that time there’

ch Lady Grace added, as to strike a helpful spark from the personage who had just joined them, but who ha

so indebted. “Then do you happen to know, sir

as if it might be a commercially calculatin

ursued, defining himself somehow as not sn

or being able to displease Lady Grace’s odd guest by large assent. “As fast as e

induced to have a little me

is lips. “A ‘little’?

o be able somehow

e stay Mr. Bender’s hand th

e with strong expression. “But it

John’s surprise wa

ess,’ I mean, with our tre

as to draw at once Lady Grace. “Ah, but i

ow — but you must forgive me if I have it on the brain. An

about the Moret

went on between them for the moment q

red!” After which she turned to the other visitor with a

e begged her also to take account of. “I hoped you

ble — for whom, in like manner, there must have been something in her face. “L

his gained advantage and addressing Hugh from the strong grou

ok from one of these counsellors to the other, though with a ready “Thank-you!” fo