The Outcry

little, but soon broke ground. “He’ll have told you, I understand, that I’ve promised to

ile since,” the girl s

d I hope you listene

y well — and I’ve

. “Is that all — when I

ind, been liberal and gone far; but she wait

e my good opinio

een you like him and believe in him —

a real show.” But the character under discussion could after all be summed up w

sent. “He strikes me as naturally quick and — well, n

athy and confidence to help him to on

t he simplify too much, you would have felt her ask, and wasn’t his visible wish for brevity of debate a sign of his uncomfortable and inde

on. Then of course only; but of one thing I’m myself con

ure of myself.” After which, on his delaying to agree, she added frankly, as to

he slightly took himself up —“in the light of my having consented to do for him what I always hate to do: deviate from my normal pra

she said, “for sti

s not in reason. “You know,” he then re

tell him w

l send hi

There’s one thing more.” An embarrassment showed in her manner, but at the cost of some eff

the challenge. “‘My’ Amer

en Lord

e’s American, literally — to all appearance; and I’ve not to tell you, sure

ly,” she said. “You’r

mprove on that; but he added as if it were enough: “What the

ng of ours?” she

frown. “Are you afraid he has

ssess a Mantovano — haven’t we all, even I, an immense interest

s they so solidly sheltered was obviously unpleasant to him. But then it was as if he found at a stroke both

urs?” the g

lutely a

,” she cried, “

chose. “My dear child, for what do you take me?” With which he impatie

, her hands clasped in her lap and her dropped eyes fixed and unperceiving; but she sprang up as H

nd you! I must t

everything as

led, “I’ve s

asure. “Yes, we’ve

” he laughed. “You’v

ix?” she cried

x things of the first importance! But I think I ought to mention t

n’t a

than I’m

rand us — expo

be sure in these dreadful days — that’s always to remember; so that if you’re not good I’ll come down on you with

news. “Of the Manto-vano —

d been before him. “You don’t mean

y father h

,” he eagerly asked

r father — she considered a moment. “He always prefers old associations and appear

ll invoke. But I’m not afraid,” he resolutely said, “and I shall make t

come to us so. It’s awfully beautiful your having brought us this way, in a flash — as dropping

to the positive joy of it. “If I’ve brought the ‘light’ and the rest — that

protest “You’d have c

sive. Now at any rate I only know what has been.” She turned off for it, moving away from him as with a sense of mingled things that

was a different note in what she brought out. “I

u’ve told me nothing more monstr

ce of our not ‘going straight’? When you said you’d expose our bad

t anything — of your best! — ever leave Dedborough. By which I mean really of course leave the country.” She turned again on this, and someth

r ago,” she said as she came near

of that monster? What Mr. Bender wan

ss — there I feel safe. But he greatly needs a certain sum of mo

he has tol

d me quite other things. But the more I think of them t

lls?” Hugh broke in, looking ab

you think our state so ideal?” she asked —

ut you terribly interest me. May I as

e matter is — in the first place — that s

an you?” his since

she hadn’t a shade of coquetry. “Kitty

such a

nd mountains of others too. She t

them? There’s no on

“He’s only afraid there may be some else — that’s how she makes him do it,”

nd then, in the great place, while as, just spent by the effort of her disclosure, she moved f

.” And the renewal of her appeal brou

t answered. “It’

ly smiled, “who — by the ‘irony

n the light of it.

bstitute for the impossible Sir Josh

e value’s t

Bender wil

I’ll fix Mr. Bender!” Hugh declared

her; yet she had already asked: “What in the worl

but give me time.” And he took out his watch as already to me

a to become a l

at I’m afraid he’ll call me! Bu

ark. “He’ll have to learn in that c

y good reason wh

” she at last replied, and, having gone to touch an electric be

t a reason why I sh

nothing; but after t

ter of whom you

known her desire. “Please say to his lordship — in the saloon or wherever — that Mr. Crimble must go.” When Banks had departed, how

hen so heavi

more than

at these oddities of the gre

n her set, sh

oment’s exhibition of the extent to which he was out of

t in he

aid, “I don’t want to

t she broke in: “I

sure — and this deep exchange between t

ow wit

Hugh, “shak

. Lord Theign came upon them from the saloon in the midst of the process; on which they separated as with an air of its having consisted but of Hugh’s leave

u; but I must at least thank you for

ou rather a straight question, Lord Theign?” It sounded doubtless, and of a sudden, a little portentous — as was in fact testified to by his lordship’s quick stiff stare, full of wonder at so free a note. But Hugh had the courage of his under

ad also, independently of this, turned a

ed smile, quite the look of having counted the

of a very grand manner. “And pray by what

from whom you, on your sid

rit. “A service that you half an hour ago thrust on me, sir — and with w

man returned; “I’m sorry to have upset you i

the end of half an hour in this house! — to account to you for my personal

wn vision which he had made up his mind to “stand.” “I can only see the matter as I see it, and I should be ashamed not to have seized any chance to appeal to you.” Wh

o, showing in her face all the pain of the business, stood off at the distance to which a woman instinctively retreats when a scene turns to violence as precipitately as this one appeared to strike he

us — of all the people of England; who would deeply deplore such an act of alienati

of Dedborough fairly bristled with wond

cal smile, at almost any moment hovering, played over the que

ch of his authority, “that they’ll show it best by mindin

Hugh explicitly concluded, “what

! So that I need no longer detain you,” Lord Theign added with the l

ly for the cycling-cap he had laid down somewhere in the hall on his arrival. “I apologise, my lord, if I seem to you

chful witness, drew nearer hereupon, breaking her silence for the first

ted by her tone, judged her contribution superfluous. “I

you what he has.” The resolution she had gathered while she awaited her chance sat in her charming eyes, which met, as she spoke,

wed himself at this point master of the beautiful art of righting himself as without having been in the wrong. “Mr. Bend

she will doubtless let me say for her, that my idea about the Moretto would add to your power — wel

please, that, as I detach myself from any association with this gentleman’s ideas — whether about the M

f directly to Hugh, across their companion

is cap and, taking them together, bowed to the two, for departure, with high em

turn in wrath to Lady Grace. “I denounce the indece

o justify the terms into which it had broken, she became aware of a reason for his not following it up. She pronounced i

off, but”— he indicated the direction of the garden front —“you may

indecision, from his daughter’s suitor and his approved candidate to that contumacious young woman and back again; then choos

ing. “What on earth’s the

race unaidingly asked. “Is he

ndeed have passed for harmless amusement; but he shook everything off in view of a

u,” she interrupted, “and I as

h, it’s not for such a matter I’m here, Lady Grace — I’m here with that fond question of my own.” And then as she turned away, le

”— she raised forbidding hands. “

at he stared as if stricken by violence. “In God’s name t

ossible to listen to you.” And she moved as

o meet her in her quick circuit of the hall. “That’s all

ything more between us.” And her gesture cleared her path, permitting her to achieve her flight. “Never, no, never,” she repeated as she went —“never, never, never!” She got off by the door at which she had been aiming to