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aspersions of her friends。
〃He's on the Stock Exchange； and he's a typical broker。 I think he'd
bore you to death。〃
〃Does he bore you？〃 I asked。
〃You see； I happen to be his wife。 I'm very fond of him。〃
She smiled to cover her shyness； and I fancied she had a fear that I
would make the sort of gibe that such a confession could hardly have
failed to elicit from Rose Waterford。 She hesitated a little。 Her eyes grew
tender。
〃He doesn't pretend to be a genius。 He doesn't even make much
money on the Stock Exchange。 But he's awfully good and kind。〃
〃I think I should like him very much。〃
〃I'll ask you to dine with us quietly some time； but mind； you come at
your own risk； don't blame me if you have a very dull evening。〃
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Chapter VI
But when at last I met Charles Strickland； it was under circumstances
which allowed me to do no more than just make his acquaintance。 One
morning Mrs。 Strickland sent me round a note to say that she was giving a
dinner…party that evening； and one of her guests had failed her。 She
asked me to stop the gap。 She wrote：
〃It's only decent to warn you that you will be bored to extinction。 It
was a thoroughly dull party from the beginning； but if you will come I
shall be uncommonly grateful。 And you and I can have a little chat by
ourselves。〃
It was only neighbourly to accept。
When Mrs。 Strickland introduced me to her husband； he gave me a
rather indifferent hand to shake。 Turning to him gaily； she attempted a
small jest。
〃I asked him to show him that I really had a husband。 I think he was
beginning to doubt it。〃
Strickland gave the polite little laugh with which people acknowledge
a facetiousness in which they see nothing funny； but did not speak。 New
arrivals claimed my host's attention； and I was left to myself。 When at
last we were all assembled； waiting for dinner to be announced； I reflected；
while I chatted with the woman I had been asked to 〃take in；〃 that
civilised man practises a strange ingenuity in wasting on tedious exercises
the brief span of his life。 It was the kind of party which makes you
wonder why the hostess has troubled to bid her guests； and why the guests
have troubled to come。 There were ten people。 They met with
indifference； and would part with relief。 It was； of course； a purely social
function。 The Stricklands 〃owed〃 dinners to a number of persons； whom
they took no interest in； and so had asked them； these persons had
accepted。 Why？ To avoid the tedium of dining ； to give
their servants a rest； because there was no reason to refuse； because they
were 〃owed〃 a dinner。
The dining…room was inconveniently crowded。 There was a K。C。 and
his wife； a Government official and his wife； Mrs。 Strickland's sister and
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her husband； Colonel MacAndrew； and the wife of a Member of
Parliament。 It was because the Member of Parliament found that he
could not leave the House that I had been invited。 The respectability of
the party was portentous。 The women were too nice to be well dressed；
and too sure of their position to be amusing。 The men were solid。 There
was about all of them an air of well…satisfied prosperity。
Everyone talked a little louder than natural in an instinctive desire to
make the party go； and there was a great deal of noise in the room。 But
there was no general conversation。 Each one talked to his neighbour； to his
neighbour on the right during the soup； fish； and entree； to his neighbour
on the left during the roast； sweet； and savoury。 They talked of the
political situation and of golf； of their children and the latest play； of the
pictures at the Royal Academy； of the weather and their plans for the
holidays。 There was never a pause； and the noise grew louder。 Mrs。
Strickland might congratulate herself that her party was a success。 Her
husband played his part with decorum。 Perhaps he did not talk very
much； and I fancied there was towards the end a look of fatigue in the
faces of the women on either side of him。 They were finding him heavy。
Once or twice Mrs。 Strickland's eyes rested on him somewhat anxiously。
At last she rose and shepherded the ladies out of one room。 Strickland
shut the door behind her； and； moving to the other end of the table； took
his place between the K。C。 and the Government official。 He passed
round the port again and handed us cigars。 The K。C。 remarked on the
excellence of the wine； and Strickland told us where he got it。 We began
to chat about vintages and tobacco。 The K。C。 told us of a case he was
engaged in； and the Colonel talked about polo。 I had nothing to say and
so sat silent； trying politely to show interest in the conversation； and
because I thought no one was in the least concerned with me； examined
Strickland at my ease。 He was bigger than I expected： I do not know
why I had imagined him slender and of insignificant appearance； in point
of fact he was broad and heavy； with large hands and feet； and he wore his
evening clothes clumsily。 He gave you somewhat the idea of a coachman
dressed up for the occasion。 He was a man of forty； not good…looking；
and yet not ugly； for his features were rather good； but they were all a little
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larger than life…size； and the effect was ungainly。 He was clean shaven；
and his large face looked uncomfortably naked。 His hair was reddish； cut
very short； and his eyes were small； blue or grey。 He looked
commonplace。 I no longer wondered that Mrs。 Strickland felt a certain
emb