The Vision of Desire

nch of narcissi in his grubby little hand and trying to induce the good-natured foreigner to purchase his wares, to the usually stolid h?teliers, vying with each other as to which of their c

e of flowers, and attractions innumerable during the course of the da

illa Mon R?ve short

e proceedings?" he inq

ook he

ion," she replied. "But we're not competing for any

ther," moodily. "But we've got a female relative of Uncle Philip's on our hands-a wealthy old cousin, name of 'Gr

ll do it nic

. "But you needn't worry. I got all my best manners down

" Ann nodd

this precious Venetian f?te is over. I'd have liked to go on the lake, but Uncle Philip has ordained that we are to watch the proceedings from our balcony at the

nty-nine nowadays," sugg

't end at ten." Then, se

, if Lady Susan doesn'

nin

to the room. She still limped a little, l

s with Tony. "I'm sure to want you," addressing Ann, "but I

g: "But of course I shan't think of

nk of it," contradicted

wasn't for this wretc

lip and I could tread a

im doing it!" sh

ony. "So long. I'll call for

lmost every window depended flags and coloured streamers, flapping gaily in the breeze. Cars hastened hither and thither; some, elaborately decorated, were evidently intended to compete for the prizes offe

ll self-important cannon signalised the commencement of the battle. Carriages and cars passed and repassed, flower

when, as the two-seater glided past Sir Philip's Rolls-Royce, he flung an exquisite

ent sailing over his head. But her eyes were very soft as she turned to Ann. "The beauty of not being married is that you

ering her way deftly through the traffic and bringing the two-s

llent chance of it. Do y

ago he'd be pelting me w

be the tradesmen's

icked

r hand impulsively

marriage may mean heaven on earth. But they so often forget"-a little wistfully. "A

ntervening between herself and the car-load of friends. She had already raised her arm to speed a final rosebud on its way, and then, with a sudden shock of surprise, she recognised in one of the occupants of

in her line of fire, the bud, sped with hearty goodwill, hit him straight on the nose. Ann smiled-she couldn't help it. But th

h stained

she let in the clutch viciously as t

n laughed

ome, sulky-looking indiv

nn. I imagine he thinks

ely the conclusion she had arrived at herself

od looks and bad temper," pursued Lady Susan. "Evid

e of laughter

le bud," she said vindicti

rew a swift g

Have you met him b

night Tony and I had such good luck. I dropped

manoeuvring the two-seater through the streets. They did not encounter the Englishman's car

ady Susan compla

een out driving too long in the hot sun. "Elderly ladies should refrain from tumbling about; it shakes them up too mu

tisfaction when Ann assu

It will entertain me far more than gazing at a l

aid Ann. "I'd rather like to see it all at c

y enjoyable hours together, pulling about on the lake, and she

y is coming to take you to the da

en, sheltered from the road by a high wall and, at its farthest end, skirting the lake itself. Here a small wooden landing-stage had been erected, and moored against it lay a light rowin

emed to dart and circle and hover above the dusky surface of the lake. Motor-launches flashed here and there, in and out amongst the slower craft, while from one of the lake steamers, decks and riggi

ats delighted her, some agleam with Chinese lanterns-giant glow-worms floating on the water, others with phantom sails of

ed in. To her right lay a biggish sailing vessel, blocking the view on that side, behind her a small fry of miscellaneous craft, packed together like a flotilla of Thames boats on a summer's day awaiting the opening of the

olently in her ears, and a motor-boat, overloaded by half-tipsy revellers and travelling too fast for safety, drove past the bows of the sailing vessel and veered drunkenly towards her. Instinctively she clutc

and

elt her frail barque rock beneath her feet, then strong arms grasped her-strong as tempe

ve, staving in her side so that in an instant she had filled with water, her gunwale level with the lake. T

own deliverer who had snatched her bodily from the doomed boat she herself would be struggling in that almost fathomless d

ht." Again that strangely famili

nd peered up at the face of their owner. A flickering gleam of l

med under her bre

to her through the dusk. "Your creed has proved false, you see. I e

it quite like that,"

whereas I've gained a passenger.

nd she stirred restlessly, suddenly acutely conscious

l right?" came

little. "This is a very stead

tor-boat,

accident had died away, she could hear

the boat which ran you down are still blundering about, and may quite probably cannon

ow how to thank you," she began haltingly, after a moment. S

y," he replied

g, but Ann returned to the

adn't been for you I should

so many people close at hand, some one would have been sure to fish you out. You'd have got a wetting-and so would your un

e jumped in after me?"

boat, his arm on the tiller, a

woman chooses to go monkeying about in a

nn indignantly. "I suppose you'll say nex

Who in the name of Heaven allowed you to go out on the lake alone

," she replied short

lau

ly. How old are you?

Ann, "and you'l

Perhaps he was recalling her as he had seen her at the Kursaal-boyishly s

of a clock striking came wafted faintl

exclaimed. "I'd forgott

crossed the ma

thing in the quality of his voice which

rry?" he resumed composedly. "One

" said Ann. "Some one-they are comin

ed for her, a veiled irony in his voice.

te

longer, I can land you wherever you wish and you would still be i

motor-boat, and the unconventionality of the circumstances added a spice of adventure to the situation. On the other, like

y?" said th

ommand than a question.

overboard in

stay," sh

e really desired the pleasure of her company, but merely in order that he might not be inconvenienced by the necessity of taking her back to Montricheux before he himself was ready to go. She had all the

him of her discomfort, he held out his hand with a sudden smi

o to bed to-night you'll be able to feel

eld out to her. His strong fingers closed round it possessively and she was awa

sake of saying something-anything-which should b

ur of your companionship on the lonelies

on," flashed back Ann, remembering the pret

tion adroitly. "But I only won third prize, so I'm still in need

Anyway, you've nothing to grumble at. We didn't win anyth

u were enjoying it all,"

urse I did.

y-till some one

nore the latter p

er you condescended to take part in anythi

ged his

des, it reminded m

close relation of Methusela

t. "Old enough, at any rate,

he curtly uttered speech that Ann's warm

them back for you,"

he lights rimming the boat's gunwale

aid of," he said. "That y

leaving Montric

, hard speeches fell on her like so many blows, and yet behind them she felt as though there were s

fferent once more, bro

like to g

d hastily. His abrupt changes of mood disconcerted her. There seemed no accounting for what he might

was dexterously edging her way through the throng till she e

ed firmly round Ann's as he helped h

nervously. "And thank you so

ompelling eyes of his. She felt her breath coming and going unevenly. For a

oice was utterly expressionles