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While he was in the very act of placing himself at her disposal for
the return the situation underwent a change； Lord Masham had
suddenly turned up； coming back to them； overtaking them； emerging
from the shrubbery … Overt could scarcely have said how he appeared
… and Mrs。 St。 George had protested that she wanted to be left
alone and not to break up the party。 A moment later she was
walking off with Lord Masham。 Our friend fell back and joined Lady
Watermouth； to whom he presently mentioned that Mrs。 St。 George had
been obliged to renounce the attempt to go further。
〃She oughtn't to have come out at all；〃 her ladyship rather
grumpily remarked。
〃Is she so very much of an invalid？〃
〃Very bad indeed。〃 And his hostess added with still greater
austerity： 〃She oughtn't really to come to one！〃 He wondered what
was implied by this； and presently gathered that it was not a
reflexion on the lady's conduct or her moral nature： it only
represented that her strength was not equal to her aspirations。
CHAPTER III
The smoking…room at Summersoft was on the scale of the rest of the
place； high light commodious and decorated with such refined old
carvings and mouldings that it seemed rather a bower for ladies who
should sit at work at fading crewels than a parliament of gentlemen
smoking strong cigars。 The gentlemen mustered there in
considerable force on the Sunday evening； collecting mainly at one
end； in front of one of the cool fair fireplaces of white marble；
the entablature of which was adorned with a delicate little Italian
〃subject。〃 There was another in the wall that faced it； and；
thanks to the mild summer night； a fire in neither； but a nucleus
for aggregation was furnished on one side by a table in the
chimney…corner laden with bottles； decanters and tall tumblers。
Paul Overt was a faithless smoker； he would puff a cigarette for
reasons with which tobacco had nothing to do。 This was
particularly the case on the occasion of which I speak； his motive
was the vision of a little direct talk with Henry St。 George。 The
〃tremendous〃 communion of which the great man had held out hopes to
him earlier in the day had not yet come off； and this saddened him
considerably； for the party was to go its several ways immediately
after breakfast on the morrow。 He had； however； the disappointment
of finding that apparently the author of 〃Shadowmere〃 was not
disposed to prolong his vigil。 He wasn't among the gentlemen
assembled when Paul entered； nor was he one of those who turned up；
in bright habiliments； during the next ten minutes。 The young man
waited a little； wondering if he had only gone to put on something
extraordinary； this would account for his delay as well as
contribute further to Overt's impression of his tendency to do the
approved superficial thing。 But he didn't arrive … he must have
been putting on something more extraordinary than was probable。
Our hero gave him up； feeling a little injured； a little wounded；
at this loss of twenty coveted words。 He wasn't angry； but he
puffed his cigarette sighingly； with the sense of something rare
possibly missed。 He wandered away with his regret and moved slowly
round the room； looking at the old prints on the walls。 In this
attitude he presently felt a hand on his shoulder and a friendly
voice in his ear 〃This is good。 I hoped I should find you。 I came
down on purpose。〃 St。 George was there without a change of dress
and with a fine face … his graver one … to which our young man all
in a flutter responded。 He explained that it was only for the
Master … the idea of a little talk … that he had sat up； and that；
not finding him； he had been on the point of going to bed。
〃Well； you know； I don't smoke … my wife doesn't let me；〃 said St。
George； looking for a place to sit down。 〃It's very good for me …
very good for me。 Let us take that sofa。〃
〃Do you mean smoking's good for you？〃
〃No no … her not letting me。 It's a great thing to have a wife
who's so sure of all the things one can do without。 One might
never find them out one's self。 She doesn't allow me to touch a
cigarette。〃 They took possession of a sofa at a distance from the
group of smokers； and St。 George went on： 〃Have you got one
yourself？〃
〃Do you mean a cigarette？〃
〃Dear no … a wife。〃
〃No； and yet I'd give up my cigarette for one。〃
〃You'd give up a good deal more than that；〃 St。 George returned。
〃However； you'd get a great deal in return。 There's a something to
be said for wives；〃 he added； folding his arms and crossing his
outstretched legs。 He declined tobacco altogether and sat there
without returning fire。 His companion stopped smoking； touched by
his courtesy； and after all they were out of the fumes； their sofa
was in a far…away corner。 It would have been a mistake； St。 George
went on； a great mistake for them to have separated without a
little chat； 〃for I know all about you；〃 he said； 〃I know you're
very remarkable。 You've written a very distinguished book。〃
〃And how do you know it？〃 Paul asked。
〃Why； my dear fellow； it's in the air； it's in the papers； it's
everywhere。〃 St。 George spoke with the immediate familiarity of a
confrere … a tone that seemed to his neighbour the very rustle of
the laurel。 〃You're on all men's lips and； what's better； on all
women's。 And I've just been reading your book。〃
〃Just？ You hadn't read it this afternoon；〃 said Overt。
〃How do you know that？〃
〃I think you should know how I know it；〃 the young man laughed。
〃I suppose Miss Fancourt told you。〃
〃No indeed … she led me rather to suppose you had。〃
〃Yes … that's much more what she'd do。 Doesn't she shed a rosy
glow over life？ But you didn't believe her？〃 asked St。 George。
〃No； not when you came to us there。〃
〃Did I pretend？ did I pretend badly？〃 But without waiting for an
answer to this St。 George went on： 〃You ought always to believe
such a girl as that … always； always。 Some women are meant to be
taken with allowances and reserves； but you must take HER just as
she is。〃
〃I like her very much；〃 said Paul Overt。
Something in his tone appeared to excite on his companion's part a
momentary sense of the absurd； perhaps it was the air of
deliberation attending this judgement。 St。 George broke into a
laugh to reply。 〃It's the best thing you can do with her。 She's a
rare young lady！ In point of fact； however； I confess I hadn't
read you this afternoon。〃
〃Then you see how right I was in this particular case not to
believe Miss Fancourt。〃
〃How right？ how can I agree to that when I lost credit by it？〃
〃Do you wish to pass exactly for what she represents you？
Certainly you needn't be afraid；〃 Paul said。
〃Ah； my dear young man； don't talk about passing … for the likes of
me！ I'm passing away … nothing else than that。 She has a better
use for her young imagi