December Love

d himself young. At the F.O. there are usually a good many old young men, just as in London society there are always a great many young old women. Craven was one of the former. He was clever, di

t old, especially in London. There was something in the London atmosphere which he considered antagonistic to youth. He had felt decades younger in Italy, espe

me to the poems of William Watson, which were next to Rupert Brooke's poems. After looking at the index he found the lyric he wanted, sat down, lit his pipe, an

at something definite had come into his life which had made a change in it. This something was his acquaintance with La

his fascination, or something akin to it, hung about Lady Sellingworth, and even about the house in which she dwelt, and drew him to both. He knew that he had never been in any house in London which he liked so much as he liked hers, that in no other London house had he ever felt so much at home, so almost curiously in place. The mere thought of the hall with its blazing fire, its beehive-chair, its staircase with the balustrade of wrought ironwork and gold, filled him with a longing to return to it, to hang up his

n he saw on entering it was Francis Braybrooke just back from Paris. Braybrooke was b

not busy we might have a talk. I shall like t

e settled in two deep arm-chairs in a quiet corner, and

ld Adela Sellingworth ever be a back nu

lightly

s i

id Braybrooke, g

young fool

rase that has pushed its way

n to Lady Sellingworth. You were right. She has a wonderful charm. It's a privilege for a young man, as I a

extremely please

hows that real distinction has still a certain

u know

raised hi

know her when I am constan

she's very muc

lives very unconventionally, although Fa

y Cro

e de com

y who reads

ld do without peril to her reputation. But somehow she brings them off. Mind, I haven't a word to say against her. She is exceedingly clever and has mastered the difficult art o

She is lovely and

n rave ab

renchw

ry things through. Her bronzes are quite remarkable. By the way, she has an excellent brain. She care

dy Sellingworth. She wants

lingworth

y n

s now. It is years sinc

pause Cr

tery, I think. I wonder-I wonder if she

lonely than seem lon

somehow Lady Sellingworth seems lone

cke

I fe

you find her

meant of s

looked rath

herself with irony, while Miss Van Tuyn looks upon others with irony. Perhaps,

'm

ed at his grey-

met and suitably faced-that is, with dignity and self-respect, such as Adela Sellingworth undoubtedly shows-has no reaso

it neve

oke, signing to an attendant in livery, who at that mome

Let it be dry Martinis. E

nt went away B

he Foreign Office habit of being older than your years? I hope you will

d and felt su

to go to his head, and became, for him, almost unbuttoned. Craven, entertained by his elderly friend's unwonted exuberance, talked more freely

asked Braybrooke. "Vesuvius all over the wall

Craven described the restaurant, the company, the general atmosphere, the Chianti and Toscanas, and, proceeding with artful ingenuity, at last came to h

feigned astonishment. "What could have induced her-but to be sure, Beryl Van Tuyn is famous for her escapades, and for b

himself

very strong!" he murmured i

't thi

l cocktails are rank poison

ind?" ask

stion, in fact. How poor Adela

te at home. Besides, she has been to m

go. And in Paris it is all so di

ing. When he came to the Cafe Royal suggestion

aid. "How could Beryl Van Tuyn? And with a B

he Georgians

word. We are all subjects of King George. No one has a right to claim a mono

s,

certain groups and coteries! If anybody is a Georgian we are

Sellingworth is d

poets and painters like to imagine that everyone who h

! It isn't

dry Martinis! How

illings

rth is as much a Georgian as any young person who writes bad poe

and in that of Sir Seymour Portman and Miss V

tement!" said Braybrooke, drinking

n Edwardian. She would not have it that

to caprice. It is the greatest mistake to class yourself as belon

real life was then. I don't think she chooses to realize

r about it. And besides, apart from the personal question, one owes something to one's contemporaries. Upon my word

e 'old guard

y-but it is not for me to criticise her. Only there is nothing people-women-are more sensitive about than the question of age. No one likes to be laid on the shelf. Adela Sellingworth has chosen to-w

she d

d the world's governess,

her to Berke

d! g

to the door of

Shaftesbu

es

Monico and-Picc

es

time w

afte

say, teems, that's the word-teems with people whom nobody knows or could ever wish to know. Beryl Van Tuyn should really

scores of

eople she knows-w

hink she w

e. But that is merely one man's opinion. But to retire from life, a great life such as hers was, and then after ten years to burst forth int

wildness," said Craven, wit

What a very str

an teach us. But Lady Sellingworth will never be the one to give us such a horrible lesson. If there is a woman in London

denly surprised and t

eried, after a slight

es

s she is, ever have too m

me a weapon against the happiness of the one who has it. Those who have no d

d Braybrooke, in an

serve, and reserve shuts out natural happiness, I think, and creates loneliness. I'm

e told

-no. But she

erved Braybrooke. "She could

ne her with a

ame de compagnie.

t blue eyes lo

is always there w

our?" cri

Braybrooke, almost wit

his

der than Sir Seymour, though not

way suitable to Adele Selli

, b

o

husband. Oh, no! It wouldn't do. She would nev

is lips together and

for her and for him. Now I really must be going. I am dining to-night rather early with-oh, by the way, it is with one of your chiefs-Eric Learington. A good fellow-a good fellow! We are going to

tly suitable to one another. She is a delightful creature, but

way, walking with a certain unwonted self-conscio