Red Pottage

think now the jung

Bandar-log -

y was hopelessly worldly and mercenary, that people only met to eat and to abuse each other, that the law of cutlet for cutlet was universal, that young men, especially those in the Guards, were g

soon made the further one that in order to raise the tone of social gatherings it is absolutely necessary to infuse into them a leaven of "clever people." Further light on this interesting subject showed her that most of the really "clever people" did not belong to her set. The discovery which all who love adulation quickly make - namely, th

cts was a new view. She had not the horrid perception of difference between the real and the imitation which spoils the lives of many. She was equally delighted with both, and remained

s, who, Sybell hoped, might influence for his good the young agnostic poet who had written a sonnet on her muff-chain, a very daring sonnet, which Doll, who did not care for poetry, had not been shown. Hither, by mistake, thinking it was an ordinary dinner-party, came Hugh, whom Sybell said she had discovered, and who was

wards her because she was not "clever" as far as her appearance went. At any rate, she ha

red round his wife, whose remarks were calling forth admiring laughter. "I don't understand half they say, a

don't go in for anything. But

and felt the conversation was on the slippery verge of becoming d

r it might be, had pierced beyond the surface feelings of anger and impatience, and had reached the quick of his heart. The young man, pallid and heavy-eyed, bore himself well, and Rachel respected him for his quiet demeanour and a certain dignity, which,

f the night before. He had never spoken to her till this moment, but yet he felt that her eyes were old friends, tried to the uttermost and found faithful in some forgotten past. Rachel's eyes had a certain calm fixity in them that comes not of natural temperament but of past conflict, long waged, and barely but irrevocably won. A faint ray of comfort stole acr

at conversation he found that he had relapsed into silence, and that it was she who was talking. Presently the heavy cloud upo

ve his balance in public with his frightful invisible burden

rs of an exile something like Nebuchadnezzar's, and there are two things which I find as

" asked Hugh. "It has alway

on that. Surely my present sample is not so mu

a faint smile. "If it really is I can only say I shall have b

up to laugh and break at his feet. He did not recognise that this tiniest runlet which fell

d conversation, and perhaps we ought to be practising a little. I feel certain that after dinner you will be 'drawn through the clefts of confession' by

Hugh, looking resentfully at a large-faced woman, who was t

etic instinct,

himself at last to the dish which was presented to him, to Rache

Bis

, after your d

uneven and his hair is so long. Why do literary men wear their ha

ng between the bald young man with the fat hand and the immense r

that the young man with the ring is M

is plate to conc

n, and into it fell straightway the voice of

erty. West London in satin and diamonds does not hear her sister East London in rags calling to h

h awed admiratio

tiful though

on,'" said Hugh, "is a voice which,

pince-nez on a bone l

ittle book," she said. "It is mi

is a very clever man. In fact, I am not sure he isn't the cleverest of the two. She and I have great talks. We have so much

warfed to the scope of the young English girl (he pronounced it gurl) who writes from her imagination a

the world to say that "Unashamed" w

e of her previous dinner-parties had

e ought to see life, and cultivated society would do so much for her. I found her out a year ago, and I'm always begging p

a level voice; "but if 'The Idyll' received only partial recogni

e, and conceived a faint dislike

peak simultaneously, but the female

the manner of her kind, "but it is a misfortune to the cause of suffering humanity - to our cause - when the books which

and Mr. Harvey. As I often say to Hester, 'How can you describe anything if you don't go anywhere or see anything; I can'

em the pink transparent colour that generall

ignorant of the life she describes

ir mouths at the same moment, only to regi

e whole table was listening. She s

said, sententiously, "would recognise at once the impo

seem real,"

ry, can hardly be expected to look at life with the same eyes as a poor waif like myself, who has pen

earned my bread among them. Miss Gresley's book may not be palatable in some respects, the district visitor and the woman mis

tirred all the occupants of the room. Every one looked at her

have said in her place," said Sybel

table to the company in general. "If it will only go on for a

ned instantly to Hugh, before Mr. Harvey, leanin

d sacrificed her natural reserve, which he could see was great; she had even set good taste at defiance to defend Hester Gresley's book. Hugh had shuddered as he h

ed and died, and who, after several years of dire poverty, had lately inherited a vast fortune fr

tion for Miss Gresley,"

sliked her I hope I should have said the same. Surely it is

at her, and wished that she

st learn to use words as counters, not as coins. I need not disbelieve what I say, but I must not speak of anything to which I attach value. I perceive that to do this is an art and a means of defence from invasion. But I, on the contrary, become interested, as you have just se

r to hear Miss Gresley patronised by all these failures and amateurs. But unless I am v

smash any more ch

nse of freshness, of expectation was in the air. The great gathered oce

He spoke of her with sympathy and appreciation, and presently det

perceptible travelling of the summer se

ess and the rain. At the door with them the horror and despair of the morning were in w

m. He took it and held it tightly

et you again?" h

entreaty leaped to his eyes. Hers, sad and steadfast, met the appeal in h

he said. "You can join me th

great gentleness out

down again on Hugh's