Scarlet and Hyssop

d to as a woman instead of a lady. There was, as she had more than once acutely remarked, a breeding that i

"is what makes the difference

married her Henry she had made up her mind that, if there was any power whatever in the fact of millions, she would procure whatever was to be procured with them, and in especial she had set her heart on bringing not to her feet, but to her table and her ballroom, all that was noblest and highest in the land. The task had been far less arduous than she had anticipated,

n most people can find in their purse to hear Pagani and Guardina sitting in a comfortable chair instead of that dreadful draughty opera-house, and having to go to that cold, creepy "foyure" to get a glass of

, luckily enough, was the callers' book of the late owner, and for the sake of continuity and general interest Mrs. Maxwell's visitors went on writing their names there without a break, since the book at the time of their taking possession was only about ha

ble to feel easy and comfortable beneath such serious-like pictures, Transfigurations and what not, and observing with some heat that you couldn't sit quiet in your chair with St. Stephen stoned and bleeding immediately above your head. Eventually a compromise had been arrived at, and they had been removed from the drawing-room into the corridor. But even more pointed had

leasure in looking at a row of pots and pans hung on the wall, as if to remind you of where your food has been, and cheeses and what not. And as for that picture of old Dutchmen eat

in matters of money-lending, realized

way, my dear, what will

Anthony: you and me on each side of th

e the sitters than the sitters (happily for them) had any idea: for where Mrs. Maxwell saw only the impressionist blurs of coloured light which indicated her priceless stones, the painter had finely observed and faithfully represented an intolerably ostentatious opulence; where Mr. Maxwell saw only that he was, as usual, smoking a cigar, the painter had seen the man who liked to be painted as doing so. Besides, the glowing end of it

it properly, anything you wish, from a wife or an ancestor to a pair of shoes, she did not feel certain of his soundness. There were other things, too, about Anthony which puzzled his mother: he was accustomed to read poetry, and appeared to enjoy Wagner, a curious crookedness, so she thought, in one otherwise hone

t Mr. Maxwell's inimitable chef would have the opportunity of living his triumph o'er again. Dinner was not till half-past eight, and a feast that costs five pounds a head necessarily takes time to negotiate, especially since Mr. Maxwell always ate largely and slowly of every dish that was put before him, so that before the gentlemen left the

court to Jack's wife, linked her arm in Marie's as they were going upstairs, to the momentary consternation of Mrs. Maxwell, who c

wo days," she said. "Where have you hidden yo

ner was excellent, and i

e, you are laughing at me

cross, on

fact, I was talking to Jack about that very point two days ago. As a means of convincin

mé of the conversation in the Park ca

terday morning in a vile temper, and came back after riding with you lik

for that always puts a man in a good temper quicker

t Louis XV chair uphols

temper, I think," she went on, "with a ticket pin

ed la

quite go to those lengths. Because Jack in an odious temper is like-well,

ou would tell m

woman can so often put a man in a good t

t say much f

ent, and then fell to f

lly don't weigh. But certainly what I say is true. And you know it is just the same with us. Jac

e knew why yo

been very happy. One can't look for perfection in one's husband any more than in one's own servan

modern theory

ly modern. But what's the matter, Mari

e fr

o nights ago from your house, when I was going to see Blanche about the bazaar? Well, he hinted t

ed la

ings they don't mean. Now, I can tell you how I should deal with that. I should simply have laughed in his face, laughed with a wid

aid Marie; "but I d

brains to be sometimes amused and sometimes bored at what absorbs all of us; because you are young; because

e la

erfections," she said. "L

east a sovereign a note. How pleasant that must be! Look, there is poor Nellie Leighton standing close to her, as if she hoped to be able to pick some of them up. What a wonderful wom

way of smiling, and rustled elaborately across the room. She laid an affectiona

mpanist played a brilliant chromatic passage to compel silence. "

paid a sovereign a note, that first note of the "Zitanella" was good measure. Then it broke like quicksilver into a thousand perfectly round and shining globules of sound, collected itself again, poised,

u can't pay for anything, and it's no use thinking about it. Marie, you must come down and see it. There are two spare bedrooms all white and chintz. When I am there I always dream o

sh in an aquarium. The person with whom he was conversing he stood over in an encompassing manner, with an air of proprietorship. Elsewhere Anthony had cornered Mildred Brereton's little girl, who evidently wanted to go away, but was checked by her mother's eye, which from time to time pinned her like a fluttering butterf

me. What a thing to have a gift like that! and I'm sure she makes the most of it. Why, I remember her fi

pinned the unfortuna

here one has ever heard of, and absolutely nobody that one hasn't heard of. That is so clever of you! It i

axwell

ou never saw such a deal of it as we have to do. People seem to think they can all come for the calling. But one must

smiled a congr

be very glad to see th

's mood grew

vulgar song; but I said, 'No, Maxwell-if they all come, half of them will keep away, and them's the very half you want, and where shall we be then?' There's Guardina going to sing again, with Pagani this ti

sank into the

"And the diamonds have caught an added lustre for their brilliant surround

person to say that sort of thing. I am not nervous personally, but"-and her eye caught sight of Maud an

ere developments? I always look on you as a sort of barometer

looked

like a man's h

Africa. You mean hi

having these great people

le," said Ar

tailing to a brilliant débutante, in discreet whispers, things that made her white shoulders shake with laughter, till she was whisked away by an indignant mother. Princes of royal blood mingled with the crowd, which bobbed as they approached, and straightened itself again to make itself amusing, and all talked and giggled and gabbled together with the utmost freedom and impartiality. But the predominant feature of the entertainment which brought all its heterogeneous components into one harmonious whole was Wealth: Wealth burst from the throat of the singers, Wealth gleamed from the gilded chairs and Genoese upholstering, Wealth beamed from the ropes of pearls and diamonds which encircled lean necks and plump necks, old necks and young necks, and sat enthroned on black and gray and white and brown, and particularly on golden, hair. There were no doubt many people there who were not rich, but the wives of such were pretty, or had some cachet other than mere good breeding about them; but it is certain that there was no one in London who was very rich who had not at any rate been asked for that night, and but few who had not come. This probably was what Mrs. Maxwell meant when she said there was no one there whom any of her guests would not have liked to have at their own houses, and, with exceptions so few as to be negligible, she was perfectly rig

the supper, also in the hands of first-rate artists, elaborate. Her other preparations also were on the most complete scale, and Bridge-tables were ready in one room, all sorts of nicotine and spirits in another, and in the garden behind, brilliantly illuminated as to its paths and decently obscure as to its seats, there were plenty of opportunities to enjoy the coolness of the night air, which many people seemed to f

lau

aid. "It is a salon; I heard Mrs. Maxwell say so, and

he same principle," said Mildred; "but for you to say that sort of thing i

wore g

d-fashioned to-n

told me about he

rden to their friends about everythi

s. But, anyhow, I can see what a pearl she is. Sometimes I'v

d on her

't dare,

of you. But if you think I am, you are stupendously mistaken. To resume-half a mind, I said. When I have the whole mind

up as sh

ow go home

is hand o

Heaven you would not say such horrible things. But

laug

Come; Andrew is sure to be playing Bridge. You can ju

rose

ook for you

then he will play