The Sacred Fount

it to him that he would proba

going then

off by myself somewhere long enough to tell myself how much I do enjoy them. That’s what I was cultivating solitude for when I happened just now to come upon you. When I found you there with Lady

ied, “I’m glad you turned up. I w

nk I know

little to keep him, and I was reassured as I felt him, though I had now released him, linger instead of leaving me. I had made him uneasy last night, and a new reason or two for my doing so had possibly even since then come up; yet these things also would depend on the wa

hed, “I know

at present remembered how the effect of this had told for me at luncheon, contrasted as it was with that o

had a right to call people, and I felt a glow — also, I feared, too visible — as soon as I had seen whom he meant. His meaning Lady John did me somehow so much good that I believed it would have done me still more to hear him call her a harridan or a Jezebel. It was none of my business; how little was anything, when it came to that, my business! — yet indefinably, unutterably, I felt assuaged for him and comforted. I verily believe it hung in the balance a minute or two that in my impulse to draw him out, so that I might give him my sympathy, I was prepared to risk overturning the edifice of my precautions. I luckily, as it happened, did nothing of t

he answered with an accent that

to a fellow like you as old as Lady John. She has at any rate

thing, which all but made me star

ssible, refuge in a surp

to spe

e he could on other women, or on the particular one, at least, who mattered to me. I felt I really knew what I was about, for to draw him on Mrs. Server was in truth to draw him indirectly on himself. It was indeed perhaps because I had by this time in a measure expressed, in terms however general, the interest with which he inspired me, that I now found myself free to shift the ground of my indiscretion. I only wanted him to know that on the question of Mrs. Serv

onversation whatever,

dered.

ithout uneasiness now. “Why, ha

” I laughed, “her absence of topics suffers it to be either a privilege or a deluge! She affects me, in any case, as determined to have nothing to do with me. She walks all the rest of you about; she gives you each

There was even a particular place, if I could but guess it, where he would have li

— re

an, that I thought you s

’ve had to notice it at a distance,

u haven’t any idea at

thought that, as I tell you, marked. What does her avoidance of m

after another moment, “that

ised. “The most harml

was a touch of the comic in hearing h

lse,” I replied, “I doubt if y

g me. But instead of leaving me he brought out the next moment: “I don’t want anyone to back me. I don’t care. I didn’t mean just now,” he continued,

ock. “A creature so bea

ound myself checked by my

brillian

ention again. “Is

cious of rather an inspiration, a part of which was to be j

ty as ever, he was, thanks to his preoccupation, not disagreeably a

ea of

got it straight. “Well, of

there is,” I went on, “there’s s

ou don’t know

ithout detaining him on this, “Of what in

hinking so — that ther

t it struck me too much.

ay, how it had done so. “T

waited, showed a discomfort. “Do yo

self. “Haven’t th

ken. Moreover I wou

aimed. “If you’ve kept them off, it m

y think! However, I repeat,” I added, “that I shouldn’t even

there you are!

rned. You see, at any rate, how little it need make her af

it a description that applies here to a dozen other women? You can’t say, you kn

however, doubtless admonished me as to the need of presence of mi

me,” he said with

Brissenden, I

y shoul

And among the ladies I except Mrs. Brissenden, with wh

hich, as I but amicably shook my head for no, he had his fi

he won’t

? That won’t alter the fact

lready again put my hand into his arm, and we strolled for a little till I threw off that I was sure Mrs. Server was waiting for him. To this he replied that if I wished to get rid of him he was as willin

expected. “Do you ask me that in orde

f at a loss. “

at we’ve ma

scretion. All the more that what on earth have we made out? I assure you I haven’t a secret

d at it. “Well,

just

radiant. That she’s so tremendously happy. It’s the question,

ried not to show it. “My

know,” he after

her happy?” I the more easily represented such a convict

all with his own thou

ith her under her appearance ——? Then wha

hat one doesn’t see anything wha

you mean in her

as none too much money; she has had three children and lost them; and nobo

r. “How you do

with her to be the more bew

ay you’re charmed? That always — doesn’t it? — describes

er for himself; he had his way of being lucid without brightness. “I’m not at all easily charm

’s the last thing!” I laughed. “But isn’t this — quite (wha

ture emphasised by a snap of his forefinger and thumb. “I knew

there must be something the matter. I only desire — not unnaturally — that there should be, to put me in the right for having thought, if, as you’re so sure, suc

before him as he slowly shook his head. “Th

lectual eyes, to ascertaining just how queer the person under discussion might be. “Oh, of course I’m not speaking of her as a

t not for a fellow like me

ou mean,

fferently. “Well, to

the firm ground. And you mean you’re no

be kind to her. Theref

be kind to her, you get on with her, as we were saying, quite enough for my argument. And is

relief, some greater help than I was as yet conscious of the courage to offer. “It

the world sh

fies me. She has s

relation to the small secret thrill produced in me by these

ays. What she tries for is this

But isn’t that

le to have t

’t for her? If it a

pectedly to me, came out the rest of his confession. “I want to — I try to; that’s what I mean by being ki

st felt I had burnt my ships and didn’t care how much I showe

s, and his melancholy eyes ranging far over my head — over t

st the man. Are

ged the tree

s. You’ve the wherewithal to give. It’s th

tude, another pause. “It

I’m not

in down to me. “I think you’re

t cost you anything if — as I confess to

fter talking of it this way

t you are as kind as the case requires and that you do help. I daresay that you’ll find her even now on the terrace looking out for you.” I patted his back, as we went

returned, “but you

ouldn’t keep out of it if she wanted me as much as she wants

her go for you. I think I want your assi

ou already every ounce of mine I can squeeze out

w how you know it — which I’ve not a notion of. It’s just what

I suppose you to allude to the oddity of my being so

rissenden said; “and a cl

I laughed, “fro

ed. “Does

all, to dodge a l

e found out what

ask her. I wonder even tha

nconsciousness he had yet shown me — “well,

ck to where most of our party is gathered. You’re not going for tea — you’re going for Mrs. Server: just of wh

a manner for himself. “It’s as if something might happen to her. It’s what I told you — that she may break down. If you ask me how, or in what,” he continued, “how can I tell you?

’? The effort you distinguish in her is the effort of concealment — vain, as I ga

e me, before he had quite arrived, a queer sidelong glance. “Wouldn’t it really be better if

part of your admirable consideration. But I must

airly pleaded. “But

!” I almost triu

e wha

d, between you and Mrs. Server, as

tually speaking, plastic wax in my

e not to,”

. “And being will

er of it — should know? Well, for all those things, and in spite of w

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