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clever enough； with such mild undiscriminating eyes。 If those eyes
were St。 George's the problem； presented by the ill…matched parts
of his genius would be still more difficult of solution。 Besides；
the deportment of their proprietor was not； as regards the lady in
the red dress； such as could be natural； toward the wife of his
bosom； even to a writer accused by several critics of sacrificing
too much to manner。 Lastly Paul Overt had a vague sense that if
the gentleman with the expressionless eyes bore the name that had
set his heart beating faster （he also had contradictory
conventional whiskers … the young admirer of the celebrity had
never in a mental vision seen HIS face in so vulgar a frame） he
would have given him a sign of recognition or of friendliness；
would have heard of him a little； would know something about
〃Ginistrella；〃 would have an impression of how that fresh fiction
had caught the eye of real criticism。 Paul Overt had a dread of
being grossly proud； but even morbid modesty might view the
authorship of 〃Ginistrella〃 as constituting a degree of identity。
His soldierly friend became clear enough： he was 〃Fancourt；〃 but
was also 〃the General〃； and he mentioned to the new visitor in the
course of a few moments that he had but lately returned from twenty
years service abroad。
〃And now you remain in England？〃 the young man asked。
〃Oh yes； I've bought a small house in London。〃
〃And I hope you like it；〃 said Overt； looking at Mrs。 St。 George。
〃Well； a little house in Manchester Square … there's a limit to the
enthusiasm THAT inspires。〃
〃Oh I meant being at home again … being back in Piccadilly。〃
〃My daughter likes Piccadilly … that's the main thing。 She's very
fond of art and music and literature and all that kind of thing。
She missed it in India and she finds it in London； or she hopes
she'll find it。 Mr。 St。 George has promised to help her … he has
been awfully kind to her。 She has gone to church … she's fond of
that too … but they'll all be back in a quarter of an hour。 You
must let me introduce you to her … she'll be so glad to know you。
I dare say she has read every blest word you've written。〃
〃I shall be delighted … I haven't written so very many；〃 Overt
pleaded； feeling； and without resentment； that the General at least
was vagueness itself about that。 But he wondered a little why；
expressing this friendly disposition； it didn't occur to the
doubtless eminent soldier to pronounce the word that would put him
in relation with Mrs。 St。 George。 If it was a question of
introductions Miss Fancourt … apparently as yet unmarried … was far
away； while the wife of his illustrious confrere was almost between
them。 This lady struck Paul Overt as altogether pretty； with a
surprising juvenility and a high smartness of aspect； something
that … he could scarcely have said why … served for mystification。
St。 George certainly had every right to a charming wife； but he
himself would never have imagined the important little woman in the
aggressively Parisian dress the partner for life； the alter ego； of
a man of letters。 That partner in general； he knew； that second
self； was far from presenting herself in a single type：
observation had taught him that she was not inveterately； not
necessarily plain。 But he had never before seen her look so much
as if her prosperity had deeper foundations than an ink…spotted
study…table littered with proof…sheets。 Mrs。 St。 George might have
been the wife of a gentleman who 〃kept〃 books rather than wrote
them； who carried on great affairs in the City and made better
bargains than those that poets mostly make with publishers。 With
this she hinted at a success more personal … a success peculiarly
stamping the age in which society； the world of conversation； is a
great drawing…room with the City for its antechamber。 Overt
numbered her years at first as some thirty； and then ended by
believing that she might approach her fiftieth。 But she somehow in
this case juggled away the excess and the difference … you only saw
them in a rare glimpse； like the rabbit in the conjurer's sleeve。
She was extraordinarily white； and her every element and item was
pretty； her eyes； her ears； her hair； her voice； her hands； her
feet … to which her relaxed attitude in her wicker chair gave a
great publicity … and the numerous ribbons and trinkets with which
she was bedecked。 She looked as if she had put on her best clothes
to go to church and then had decided they were too good for that
and had stayed at home。 She told a story of some length about the
shabby way Lady Jane had treated the Duchess； as well as an
anecdote in relation to a purchase she had made in Paris … on her
way back from Cannes； made for Lady Egbert； who had never refunded
the money。 Paul Overt suspected her of a tendency to figure great
people as larger than life； until he noticed the manner in which
she handled Lady Egbert； which was so sharply mutinous that it
reassured him。 He felt he should have understood her better if he
might have met her eye； but she scarcely so much as glanced at him。
〃Ah here they come … all the good ones！〃 she said at last； and Paul
Overt admired at his distance the return of the church…goers …
several persons； in couples and threes； advancing in a flicker of
sun and shade at the end of a large green vista formed by the level
grass and the overarching boughs。
〃If you mean to imply that WE'RE bad； I protest；〃 said one of the
gentlemen … 〃after making one's self agreeable all the morning！〃
〃Ah if they've found you agreeable … ！〃 Mrs。 St。 George gaily
cried。 〃But if we're good the others are better。〃
〃They must be angels then；〃 said the amused General。
〃Your husband was an angel； the way he went off at your bidding；〃
the gentleman who had first spoken declared to Mrs。 St。 George。
〃At my bidding？〃
〃Didn't you make him go to church？〃
〃I never made him do anything in my life but once … when I made him
burn up a bad book。 That's all！〃 At her 〃That's all！〃 our young
friend broke into an irrepressible laugh； it lasted only a second；
but it drew her eyes to him。 His own met them； though not long
enough to help him to understand her； unless it were a step towards
this that he saw on the instant how the burnt book … the way she
alluded to it！ … would have been one of her husband's finest
things。
〃A bad book？〃 her interlocutor repeated。
〃I didn't like it。 He went to church because your daughter went；〃
she continued to General Fancourt。 〃I think it my duty to call
your attention to his extraordinary demonstrations to your
daughter。〃
〃Well； if you don't mind them I don't；〃 the General laughed。
〃Il s'attache e ses pas。 But I don't wonder … she's so charming。〃
〃I hope she won't make him burn any books！〃 Paul Overt ventured to
exclaim。
〃If she'd make him write a few it would be more to the purpose；〃
said Mr