The Twelfth Hour

nstock! Lady

" said the butler, with a sudden and depressing change of manner, from correc

You look all ri

you can understand that, sir. My harsthma" (so he pro

xpression, and generally with an air of more self-control than seemed required for the occasion-walked up

icity, can

ere? Don'

on he entered the r

about everything-papa and the party-and, look out, dear, don't tread on my dresses!

-looking maid. Her little oval face, with its soft cloudy hair growing low on the forehead, long blue eyes, and rosebud mouth, had something of the romantic improbability of an eighteenth-century miniature. From the age of two Felicity had been an acknowledged beauty. She profited by her grasp of this fact merely by being more fra

brilliance, Lord Chetwode had insisted on her making the match of the previous season. He was a good-looking, amiable, and wealthy young man, who was as lavish as if

was not an expert in handwriting, nor had she time or patience to decipher them. So she merely treasured them (unread) in a green and white striped silk box. For under all her outward sentimentality, Felicity was full of tenderness, especially for her husband. This was not surprising, f

of this, and amidst all her tapestry and old French furniture, Felicity had a very contemporary air. About everything was the recent look characteristic of the home of a lately married couple. The room looked as if

es, English and French novels, and cigarettes were freely scattered about, and an expert would have seen at a glance that the dresses lying

a pink curved sofa,

icity, I want t

darl

what's going to win

's a certainty. But his certainties! (Everett, look out. You've been overdoing the waving lately. Remember how careful I have to b

r, as usual. One of the govern

et anywhere. It's a wonderful mixture,-a sort of Russian salad. How exciting it is, for instance,

, they've both refused,

me to laugh. Do you deny papa's peculiar ta

over about his new opera. He's all right. At

the great card th

oy Beaumont,

arth's he

apital chap, really. The only thing is, he wears hats that he t

is hats suit him?" said L

, because they're right, not because--Oh, girls don't understand dress! Don't le

they could," murmured Feli

Mervyn, the actor, are co

the only stupid person in a crowd of clever people? They

their wives, and Aunt William,

k millionaire

ker; it reminds me of T

ity l

sort of Snark, and you and papa are hu

course, Sylvia ought to marry him. All the pretty girls are marrying these Anglo-Aliens. He'

with a stiff smile, and a rainbow o

ned her chair round and put up he

fire away

y, stretched out his hand for the ci

n't grow any more! He

r with a pitying sm

s than that to do I can tell you. I have two rather awful troubles. Look here. Things are

ode's colo

run on Wednesday? Do be just to me! Do I make the racing engagements? You can't pretend th

-but can't you ma

des, it's not like a dinner-party, or his wedding, or anything li

first thing we've given

f the darling prefers racing! Don't you know by this time that whenever Chetwo

e's what he's lost a

is jockeys, and his bookmakers, and even his old furnit

rything under the sun you want! Because that wo

ys I ha

, if yo

uld ho

ty murmured

him, it's a fatal mistake. We'll make it up to you later-stay with you on

irthlessly, frowned gloomily, and then said with a

replied p

, and you never get

don't you see-th

o

men of the world, and yet I think you know

said his

the sake of the argument), and she's a decent sort of girl, and at the same time the poor chap is frightfully keen on

chap, S

, Felicity! Pull yourself toge

, y

es

winced at the feminine explicitness), "and you are

at. But there are tre

e she's married. Oh, Savile! How

," said Savile, with a reassu

, dear. But who

pocket, and blushingly showed it to

face expressed the mos

.... Oh, it's some mistake, surely! Yo

Savile snatched th

n those days known as an Alexandra curl on the left shoulder. She was leaning her head on her hand, and her elbow on a vague shelf or balcony. The photograph was oval in shape, and looked as if the lady were loo

make fun of everything! I gave it you by mistake. I to

c peep-and now tell me the real person,

don't! I jus

see the

nt William, gave a short lau

square. She accepted me. Very well. This holidays, I saw some one else; what is a fellow to do? And then I went

am," said L

out she met a chap she liked better, she was quite free; (not but what I jolly well intended to pu

he

where. At

concert,

once

y been to one in your life

t in once,

s

delina

and looked out

serious. Then

nk, dear, you should

way she sings 'Comin through the Rye!' Sh

just like papa. He was ma

Savile was

Physical Culture during the holidays. What are those exercises-Swedenborgian or something-anyhow, it takes up time. Besides, I somehow feel that that (the affair with Dolly) was more a sort of boy-a

-I'm not going to think about it any more. I know ther

rha

th you!... No, I won't. I'd r

. Now, what's th

ther worried

f yours! You're always harping on

houldn

And Sylvia is very happy at home; the head of

pect ... look here. Do you think Woodvil

sat up wi

, highly-cultivated, intellectual young man? Oh no! Oh

ou call it, and all that, it's not his fault, is it? He's a good-looking chap all the same. Face facts

aughed, an

with a figure and a profile in love with the pretty daughter of a pompous politician. He te

r I've given you a hint, and I don't ask you not

I talk so much that I never have time to repeat a

with us to-morrow, as C

. I'm dining with Mrs. Ogilv

n the mirror, and said in

vernor doesn't care for that go-ahe

anelagh,-to try her new motor,

hetwode

u knew he was

f you choose, but if I were you I'd somehow get Chetwode back

ot, Sa

rather rot, quite so soon. You're too young, and so on-been married a year,

weet in every way, and not dream of drifting apart for ages

put my last shilli

s really your last shillin

downstairs, softly humming to him

lgently on the weaknesses of her husband, cheerfully on the troubles of her brother, and