The Awkward Age

s addressed to Mr. Mitchett, while their companion, in obedience to the former and affected, as it seemed, by an unrepressed familiar accent t

then while Mitchy again subsided into his place, "You're not, as a race, clever, you're not delicate, you're

ed. "Do you really t

rned, in each, rather different ways, a way safer for him as a man, and more triumphant for her as-

ase of Lady Fanny, however, the object itself-and quite by the same law that had worked, though less profoundly, on the entrance of little Aggie-superseded the usual rapt communion very much in the manner of some beautiful tame tigress who might really coerce attention. There was in Mrs. Brookenham's way of looking up at her a dim despairing abandonment of the idea of any common personal ground. Lady Fanny, magnificent, simple, stupid, had almost the stature of her brother, a forehead unsurpassably low and an air of sombre concentration just sufficiently corrected by something in her movements that failed to give it a point. Her blue eyes were heavy in spite of being perhaps a couple of shades too clear, and the wealth of her black hair, the disposition of the massive coils of which was all her own, had possibly a satin sheen depreciated by the current fashion. But the great thing in her was that she was, with unconscious heroism, thoroughly herself; and what were Mrs. Brook and Mrs. Brook's intimates after all, in their

ncurred was apparently grave enough to make his companion just falter in the infliction of it; which gave him the opportunity of replying that the little person was perhaps not more preposterous than any one else, that there was something in her he rather like

and in general I've been disposed to let those pass that I can't help him to meet. YOU'VE made, I judge," he went on, "a better use of oppor

'grounds' for anything-for any indignation, I mean, or for any revenge worth twopence. In this particular case at all events they've been sacrificed

who had, after all, his delicacie

y love her for here when they say 'Watch her now!'-like an angry saint; but she's neither a saint nor, to be perfectly fair to her, really angry at all. She has only just enough reflexion to make out that it may some day be a little better for her that her husband shall, on his side too

ring. "But what has our littl

mple of Mr. Cashmore's fine taste that we have there before us: what was my surprise at the tone taken by Mrs. Brook to deny on this little lady's behalf the soft impeachment? It was quite a mistake that anything had happened-Mrs. Donner had pulle

of freedom of mind to examine. "Do I understa

ate of Mrs. Brook's information? Precisely-it was 'the latest befo

wondered. "But how

ally very present to the extremely unoccupied Tishy, who is unhappily married into the bargain, who has no children, and whose house, as you may imagine, has a good thick atmosphere of partisanship. So,

under the influence of this rapid evocation, had already t

it happens, here; but that there are matters as to which she's not in general at all befogged is exactly the worst I ever s

ed it over.

s the peculiar range of aspects and interests she's compelled to cultivate by the special intima

Donner was taking leave, and there occurred among the three ladies in connexion with the circumstance a somewhat striking exchange of endearments. Mr. Mitchett, observing this,

and the little wail of her baffled imagina

right. Mrs. Brook has

doesn't 'act'!" his in

ruggle between its artificial and its natural elegance. "Well," Mitchy said with decision as he caught it-"I

d the visitor approached him with her sweet bravery of alarm. "I go on Thursday to my

ht positively have been reflected. "Why

ut half carried off her asperity, "Mrs. Br

quick flare of Mitchy's wit. "Tell her, please-if, as I suppose, you came here to ask the same of her moth

treating visitor, now formally taken over at the door by Edward Brookenham, to Lady Fanny and her hostess, who, in spite of the embraces just performed, had again subsided together while Mrs. Brook gazed up in exalted intelligence. "It's a funny house," said the Duchess at last. "She

h evident kindness and gaiety-a conjunction that evidently excited Mitchy's intere

on, a minute later, had joined her; old Edward had left the room with Mrs. Donner; his wife and Lady Fanny were still more closely engaged; and the young Agnesina, though visibly a little scared at Mitchy's queer countenance, had beg

her interloc

ent on without noticing his

ared to wish to leave

espair of you. He's in every way your superior, and I like hi

m practically. "I could wish for him that he would.

itchett, and I trust you'll underst

That's much better," Pe

t air, which made her, in the connexion,

his bright brutality. "Oh my dear, I can

bysmally coarse that I often wonder-!" But as the door reopened she caught herself. I

IRD. MR

a drop as he crossed the threshold. His precaution had only assured him the company of a stranger, for the person in the room to whom the servant announced him was not old Van. On the other hand this gentleman would clearly be old-what was it? the fellow Vanderbank had made it a matter of such importance he should "really know." But were they then simply to have tea there together? No

shy and apparently nervous, sidled about a little, swinging an eye-glass, yet glancing

d her hand in the matter. There was, however, something in his entertainer's face that somehow encouraged frankness; it had the sociability of surprise-it hadn't the chill. Mitchy saw at the same time that this friend of old Van's would neve

exion; but quickly after, to show he was not stupid-and indeed it seemed to show he w

t of laughs. "Well, I

erlocutor hastened to profess; "I meant on

gle attentively fi

HE

very

er hu

Mitchy laughed a

I call him

tchy returned-"even though it shoul

eciation of this, stopped swinging the nippers and

ic. He began, however, already to perceive the mystif

serve, "has told me a good deal about you." Then as if, in a finer ma

an't help it. He finds a

le to challenge it. "Well, that's reassuring

Mitchy. "But if it has struck you so, that's awfully in

His friend seemed to

ou will-but how shall I?" Then he caught himself up with a blush. "What

way to the joke. "What else c

to flower into a vision of opportunity that swept everything else away. "Excuse my insisting on your time of life-but you HAVE seen some?" The question was of such interest that he had already begun to f

e you've got an idea?" Mr. Mitchett brightly thought. "No. That must be just why I appeal to you. And it can

ain, as if distinctly excited by the subject. But it was as if his very exc

t be lots. In fact

ling the stranger up. "Ah

up to London, wondering, as you must, about what's happening-for Va

derbank's information, "I'm afra

hy returned, "of-the most exqu

ed for my age to cultivate." This was followed by a d

than prudent. But between my fear in the one direction and my desire in the other," he lightly added, "I s

immediately answering, again assumed th

I think-for

speaker hesitat

l tender, and we wouldn't for the world do to a person we don't like

looked as if he knew. "Some

at discrimination's our only

t will yo

h, sustainingly, "I'm 'Mi

I don't think I can quite begin. I'm Mr.

e. I defy any one to see you," Mitchy declared, "as anythi

ain gravity. "I gather from you-I've gathered indeed from Mr. Vander

wing-room-though sometimes also in old Van's, as you see, sometimes even in mine-and governed at any rate everywhere by Mrs. Brook, in our mysterious ebbs and flows, very much as the tides are governed by the moon. As I say," Mitchy pursued,

as to be asked to put down his name. "My friend Vanderbank swaggers so little

een ourselves, you know-that he's very much the best of us. Old Van in fact-if you really want a candid opinion," and Mitchy shone still

you're not?" Mr. Long

ook at me, as you must already have made out, to see I'm everything dreadful th

continued for a minute after Mitchy had paused. Then nervously and abruptly he turned away, his friend watching him rather aimle

im pleases and touches you. We're a little sort of religion then, you and I; we're an organisation of two, at any rate, an

ress so much," s

halfway. "I try to look funny-b

d it. "Do you thin

ge. Ask any o

do I

m Van's appearance they get the tip, and that then, don't you see? they've their term

h portfolios, with well-worn leather-cased boxes, with documents in neat piles. The place was a miscellany, yet not a litter, the picture of an admirable order. "If we're a fond association of t

nterlocutor, who again hung fire so long that he himself a

ognition. "You're very deep, but wi

ation he had pictured, for what "they" perceived. But he threw off after an instant an answer clearly intend

over the amenities about him. "He h

ery awful view of himself alone. And since we ARE burning this incense under his nose," he

ause. "They come ve

it. I give you that at any rate as his view. There are lots of them that would--and only too glad-'love him for himself'; but things a

feel himse

Of course you'll say there are women with money. There

exchanged a long regar

n hesitated

ch he presently terminated by one o

arly yet with a sharp emphasis, he himself resumed their collo

d. It was as if his friend had brought to the surface an inward excite

and each other. What I want now is just to say"-and Mitchy spoke with a simplicity and a gravity he had not yet used-"that if your in

ppeared to wonder, but emitted

tchy, "do, for God's sake, ju

as perhaps partly but the natural effec

-let me

man thoughtfully and wi

him an instant, then before speaking cau

t only to admit Vanderbank's servant. "Miss Brookenham!" the man announced; on which the tw