The Whirlpool

ohn Avenue. He had little mind for the semi-fashionable crowd and the amateur music, but he could no

om their social palingenesis, when, after obscure prosperity in a southern suburb, they fluttered to the northern heights, and were observed of the paragraphists. Long before that, Bennet Frothingham had been known in the money-market; it was the 'Britannia'-Loan, Assurance, Investment, and Banking Company, Limited-that made him nationally prominent, and gave an opportunity to his wife (in second marriage) and his daughter (by the first). Three years ago, when Carnaby (already lured by the charms of Sibyl Larkfield) presented his f

liar figure at the Frothinghams'; but this form of pleasure soon wearied him, and he was glad to escape from London in June. He knew the shadowy and intermittent temptation which beckoned him to that house; music had power over him, and he grew conscious of watching Alma Frothingham, her white little chin on the brown fiddle, with too

taircase. As he neared the landing, there sounded the shrill squeak of a violin and a 'cello's deep harmonic growl. His hostess, small, slen

I shot at a venture, an

e just b

r Wilenski has promis

new them all, but had eyes only for one; in truth, only one rewarded observation. Miss Leach was a meagre blonde, whose form, face, and attitude enhanced by contrast the graces of the First Violin. Alma's countenance shone-possibly with the joy of the artist, perhaps only with gratified vanity. As she grew warm, the rosy blood mantled in her cheeks and flushed her neck. Every muscle and nerve tense as the strings from which she struck music, she presently swayed forward on the points of her feet, and seemed to gain in stature, to become a more commanding type. He

figure, and, at some distance, her daughter Mrs. Carnaby, no shadow of gloom upon her handsome features. Hugh was not in sight; probably he felt in no mood for parties. Next to Mrs. Carnaby sat 'that fellow', Cyrus Redgrave, smiling as always, and surveying the people

ut him as a general relief, and when, on the last note, there broke forth (familiar ambiguity) sounds of pleasure and of applause, he at once stood up. But he had no intention of pressing into the throng that rapid

lease

t down

n your face, and I'm tired of it. Besi

All women puzzled, and often disconcerted, him; with Sibyl he could never talk freely, knowing not whether to dislike or to admire her. He was no

e adornment of jewels. Perhaps she had happened to be wearing these things on the evening of the robbery;

remarked, indicating the qua

wore at times an air of cold abstraction which was all but austerity. Rolfe imagined her the most selfish of women, thought her incapable of sentiment; yet how was her marriage to be accounted for, save by supposing that she fell in love with Hugh Carnaby? Such a woman might surely have sold h

warmth to be subdued by the vigorous passion of such a fine fellow as Carnaby. On the whole, Rolfe preferred this hypothesis. He had never heard her say anything really bright, or witty

s gazing at her, try

o to Australia,' said Sibyl

ht; indiscreet, but natural. One could not sup

we were talking about the

ame of those

but with what express

e old tree,' said Rolfe. '

s, and I have a decided preference for ci

ibyl rose, just bent her head to him,

arvey said in his min

her, and there exchanged a word or two with the player of the viola, Miss Leach-a good, ingenuous creature, he had always thought; dangerous to no man's peace, but rat

a.... A string quartet is to a symphony what a delicate water-colour is to an oil-painting

l of disorderly hair, and shaven face; harsh-featured, sensual, utterly lacking refinement.

he a

dy was paine

ost beautiful song-don't you know it?-"Margot". It's very li

er,' said Rolfe to h

n the face, with that amused smile which he could never interpret. Did it mean that she thought him 'good fun'? Had she discussed him wi

e, Mr. Rolfe. And what

praise, and never hesitated to ask for it

ce when I talk of music

dn't think it ve

ly my opinion

vey felt the conviction that, by absurd sincerity, he ha

tones. Her voice was as pleasant to the ear as her face to look upo

ndous

sorry I haven't to get my living by it; it's rathe

n't be marketabl

Then I might really do something. It would be splendid!- Oh, what do you think of that shameful affair in Hamilton Terrace? Mrs Carnaby takes it like

re diffi

inting them out. They think it a crime if wome

so conse

swan's-down. To his profound annoyance, someone intervened-a lady bringing someone else to be introduced. Rolfe turned on his heel, and was face to face with Cyrus Redgrave. Nothing could be suaver or m

lewoman, and thorough goodness of heart, appeared in all her sayings and doings; she was never offensive, never wholly ridiculous. Small-talk flowed from her with astonishing volubility, tone and subject dictated by the characteristics of the person with whom she gossiped; yet her preference was for talk on homely topics, reminiscences of a time when she knew not luxury. 'You may not believe it,' she said to him in a moment of confide

not as a mere phrase of civility, but in a

time, for th

time, and you're not a bit like him. Nothing would gratify my curiosity more tha

pit

gress, and Alma does work so hard! I'm

o sign o

m, with manifest pride and affection. Of Alma she always

am is not here

whilst we were at dinner, and refused to believe that Mr. Frothingham was not at home, and made quite a disturbance at the door-so they told me afterwards. I'm really quite nervous sometimes; crazy pe

an paused before Mrs. Frothi

F. Hasn't he put i

ewhere else,' replied the hostess, risin

oked gravely for a moment at Rolfe,

ng of the 'crazy people' of whom Mrs. Frothingham spoke so lightly. A man such as Bennet Frothingham must become familiar with many forms of 'craziness', must himself be responsible for a good deal of folly such as leads to downright aberration. Recalling Mrs. Frothingham's innocent curiosity concerning his own life, Harvey wished, in turn, that it were possible

ttle enough about his 'religion'. What did Alma think as she listened? Was she overcome by the despair of the artist-soul struggling in its immaturity? Or did she smile, as ever, and congratulate herself on the five h

ma'. It had a theatrical sou

e babble of tongues began again. Rolfe, sauntering before the admirable pictu

sty. Will you

ure; Alma must have seen i

e asked confusedly, as they

o sing "Wie bist du, meine Koniginn"-Brahms, y

stounding

or it. I've known that s

you do. That needs education, and something mor

the Melo

, I

superiority, but

oks you think me a nincompoop.-That word used to amuse me so when I was a child. I

in an absent undertone, as he caught a glimps

palate: this house was famed for its hospitable abundance. Alma, having asked her companion to get her some lemonade, talked awhile with two ladies who had begun to eat and d

r years he has never had more than six hours sleep; and the work he does! He can't take a holiday; idleness makes him ill. We were down in Hampshire in July with s

arked Rolfe, as the least of

ock and Share, just after the paper started. It didn't interest me very much; but I pretended it did, because Papa always takes an interest in my affairs. But I found there was something else. After we had seen the printing machinery, and so on, he took me up to the top of the building into a small room, whe

terestin

kly. 'Oh, there's miss Beaufoy; do l

lfe's groaning reluctance

for habit, must have been an unutterable weariness to the least intelligent of mortals. He was resolved never to come here again; never again to upset his peace of mind and sully his self-respect by grimacing amid such a crowd. He enjoyed human fellowship, timely merry-making; but to throng one's house with people for whom, with one or two exceptions, one cared not a sn

s and eyes unnaturally lustrous. What a grossly sensual life was masked by thei

r. 'Come in at five o'clock on Wednesday, that's our quiet day; only a f

d Mr. Felix Dymes, the

ll be popular. I'll give you the recipe, and charge nothing You must have a sudden change t

eft the house in