The Education of Eric Lane

a hundred other men-several of them, like George Oakleigh, undisguisedly in love with her-might ha

ld spread in twenty-fours through all of the London that knew him and half of the London that knew her; and Eric Lane would be quoted

interest most keenly-intimate stories about herself or her friends, the proved history of what to them had hitherto been but alluring gossip, anecdotes of Government House and the minor secrets and scandals of h

atch and jumped apologetically to his feet. As he hurried out of th

she explained wheedlingly,

embered one phase of a rambling story in which her love of getting her own way had caused her cavalier of the day to wait in his car from midnight until six because she had forgotten to leave a message that she had already gone

he told her, brusquely enough to dismiss the appe

f defiance which he had seen once

e rehearsal," she begged. "It

ay," Eric i

r head long e

king Mr.

ppens that

with a clucking n

, do-ant quarrel! If Lady Barbara wants to come, let her! It's against the rules, but I'll make an ex

m, I can ta

at all, it's worth taking seriously," cried Eric

Dire experience of the jealous and irascible had taught him t

se not to talk," he prop

-Mr. Manders, I can't get Eric to see what bad plays he writes

ric's shoulder. "See about a taxi, boy. I don't let my peo

wn a cork-screw staircase and along several short passages which branched disconcertingly to right or left as soon as Barbara fancied that she could walk ahead with impunity. From above came the mechanical runs and flourishes of a piano-o

py in the taxi. And I made such a success of your lunch. Mr.

nders in the velvety da

"But it's possible to be amusing even when you're makin

rough the darkness, and he fe

little bit b

and wait out in the snow for you all night-and give you mat

ke-up they were white and featureless in the glare of the foot-lights; they were jaded and a little impatient, too, but Manders, who seemed to make his personality unyielding and metallic on entering a theatre, galvanized them into alertness. A wooden platform had been built over the m

turning the leaves of the manuscript and tapping them impressively with his pencil. One player after another emerged from the wings and stoo

hey've been at the job for years and you're a new-comer.… Some of my spoiled darli

bara answered. "If I had a c

ed an unseen

at's all. And, if you see you're ma

her for a moment's resentful scrutiny by a young woman who had been arguing with winsome

arbara whispered, as

l Els

like my being here.… Doe

that. Now, Lady Barbara, remem

cattering pencil-marks in the margin of the script, restrained, impassive and absorbed. Barbara sat with her hands clasped round her ankl

ce where--" He rustled back into the middle of

pleased and hopeful. His earlier irritability was forgotten save when it obtruded its

he murmured, as they came

ing me home and offering m

ice of visiting young unmarried men in their rooms should be pro

curious how you seem to have made up y

o make much differ

ly for a moment. Then her assurance left her

afternoon; and I wasn't so very much in the way, was I? Don't you like me to enjoy myself? Don'

quite easy, than

and felt hims

es

understand you, I don't

your women are romantic dolls. We're much better and much w

ome to-day, though that wasn't as bad.… What d'you imagine people like Grierson or Manders t

and walked for some t

mising you with your fri

compromise yourse

ed into a provocative laugh. "If you don't mind being compromised by me, I'd make you writ

y," he interrupted. "We meet

weren't going!" she murmured. "

ed a pass

ough. "You amuse me-and you interest me enor

e taxi and held out her

call for me to-nig

nfronting a strange butler, being pushed into a room to wait for her, meeting and explaining himself

at Mrs. Shell

wn, and he could see

ry," she

no need

ng you another opportunity of refusin

tolerably spoiled; nothing that you did was right, there was altoget

you wa