Moth and Rust; Together with Geoffrey's Wife and The Pitfall

nned against t

und

sed the hall, and she crept noiselessly upstairs towards her own room. She felt as if she were quite unable to bear so soon again the strain of that s

not we

ersation, streaked with nervous laughter, of a young man. Anne saw at a glance that he must be Janet's brother, and she insti

ing, and inserted suddenly into the Easthope drawing-room, in Janet's proximity, he changed like a chameleon, and appeared dilapidated, in spite of being over-dressed, irretrievably second-rate, and unwholesome-looking. He was so like

Trefusis, possibly mindful of Anne's appeal, had evidently asked her future daughter-in-law to pour out tea for her. And

tea-table, vaguely aware that something was

relaxed as

pleasure in her grave face. She gave the impressio

e into the world willing to serve, and she did not mind whom she served. She did gracefully, even gaily, the things that others did not think worth while. This was, of course,

gh of relief. George said: "Hi, Ponto! How are ye?" and

did not like cream, and then, while she swallowed a cu

nstraint and a galvanized familiarity. Anne loved horses, but she did not talk of them to Fred

elf as plainly as a craving for alcohol on the

ed against the Government for its refusal to buy thousands of hypothetical Kaffir ponies, and as he posted Anne in the private workings of the mind of her cousin, the Prime Minister. Fred had even hea

on his homeward way. "Woman of the world. Knows her way about. And how she holds hers

y Va

rri

-n

talks. She reads the papers, takes an interest in politics. That's what a man likes. You do the same.

Fred; w

an whether he lives in a large house or a small one, and the real snobs are the people who think different.

brother's reasoning, which, until to-day, had appeared to

ant you to be rude, but you let her know that she is the d

clever

proudly. "And I've brought some dollars with me for th

es

it down. Get this Lady Varney or Mrs Brand to recommend the s

Are you s

voice became hoarse, "get Brand to wait a bit. He has my I O U, and he has waited once, but he warned me he would not again. He said it was against his rules; as if rules matter between gentlemen. He's as hard as nails. The I O U falls due

face was so white and set. "But why don't you take my two thousand and pay him back? I said you co

to light a cigarette. He knew that that two thousand, Janet's little fortune, existed

fuse a pretty woman anything. I can't. You ask Brand-as if it was to plea

to be hers. She did not think of that as she looked up at the long lines of stone-mullioned windows. She th

a mistake which many gentle, commonplace souls make, who go through life disillusioned as to the sincerity of certain other attractive, brilliant creatures with whom they have come in momentary contact, to whom they can give nothing, but from whom they have received a generous measure of delicate sympathy and kindness, which they mistook for the prelude of friendship; a friendship which neve

elf liked Anne, and, being a simple soul, she said to

ve felt that there was not marked encouragement in the

of her welcome. Every one was

diaphanous white garment, the like of which Janet had never seen. It was held at the neck by a pale green ribbon, cunningly drawn through lace insert

t as to whether her presence was urgently needed vanished. Anne must have been ex

travelled t

rst moment it was summoned, could not disguise the fatigue

said Janet. "I wish yo

g devotion in them, and also a certai

cordially. "That is

?" said Janet, sitting down nevertheless,

, closing the book, but keeping

your book

asmu

wrote

er Gr

says that Mr Smith does not approve of her books; they have such a low tone. I th

le

upon Anne, "I should like to read the books you read, and

s face, and she looked down embar

Janet. "Not beginning at the beginning,

not care for it any m

y read like Mr Smi

N

n't poetry. Is

es

about love, but now I think

took up the book, and slowly opened it. Janet

oked at her own far more beautiful but slightly tanned han

moment, and the

heard he was a dweller in the sheltered gardens, which were not for me. Nevertheless he went with me. I never stopped for him, or turned aside out of my path to seek him, for I had met his counterfeit when I was

bow through his hand. I was one with the snowdrop and with the thunderstorm. And we went together upon the sea, swiftly up its hurrying mountains, swiftly down into its rushing valleys. And

e crowd. And, last of all, he showed me myself, wit

faith, and hope, and intuition, and service. I even gave him truth. I put my hands under his

ess and smote it. And in the anguish

ar, without the human veil between me and it. And it was the Face of God. And I saw that Love and God are one, and that, because of His exceeding glory, He had been constr

ed, as the face of one who, in patient endurance, has long rowed against the stream, and who at last lets the benign, constraining current take her w

d what it means, because I was not sure whether

e voice. It seemed to recall her from a great distance. She had f

tively. "It means something the same as the sermon did this mor

was a

little, "perhaps it does. I had not thought of it in t

ht to put re

-y

I had an idea that you and I should feel the same about"-she hesitated-"ab

d Anne, in the tone of one who g

topic, and looking at her with tender confidence,

all

, except two lines that

love me

me all i

t recovered her

"It's all in all. And then I am afraid that

God more because

at work upon the suggestion, as you hear a cof

elow her breath, "I thank God all the time for se

d with sudden tea

said, laying her hand on Janet's. It

closed slowly

am not his equal. I knew that in a way from the first, but I see it more and mo

oes not take fa

not often angry, but if I am I stay angry. I don't alter. I was once angry with Fred for a year. I've thought a great deal about that since I've cared for George. And sometimes I fa

know Mr

ys she learnt it when she went out so mu

dee

usis against me. I don't think she would mind if I told lies and had a bad temper, and could

but Anne made no sign as it was driven in. She considered a moment, and then said, as if she had decided to risk something: "You are r

Janet, who might be reckoned on

nd leaned back

n getting her slow barge heavily under way, "you would have

them," said Anne, "and that wo

l me of anythi

self in the least-but it would be b

u would like me to

. We do not know eac

ought I t

call me 'L

ed Mr Thornton, our member. Fred sold him a hunter. And she is sometimes c

linger on the subject, "it would please Mrs Tre

at her advise

in getting well into the middle. But I saw I ought to try, and not to hesitate near the door, because, you see, it obliges old ladies, and people l

n very slow, but then she's a married woman, and she says she likes to give people time to realise her. I

ed, and ro

ivialities. But remember always that they are trivial. The only thing that is of any real imp

kissed her. And then suddenly, why she knew not, Janet discovered

emembered that she had intended to consult Anne as to the advisab

stion of her hair. Fred had said she would never look up to date till she cut a fringe. George had opined that her hair looked very nic

she saw Janet was still wavering. And she even offered to help Janet with her trousseau, to take her to Vernon, her own tailor, and to her own hatter and dress-maker. Jane

hankfulness, this offer was grateful

had offered to help her with her trousseau. Did Lady Var-Anne know Mrs Macalpine Brand? She went ou

le Mrs Brand, who had made bare-faced but fruitless attempts to scrape ac

working with Mrs Forrester. She had an excellent head for

cko

Mrs Forrester's charity most g

shall be staying with her all this next fortnight.

lf a second befor

lpine Brand never took advantage of it. Even at that moment as they spoke of her, she was ab

ace, in its halo of happiness, was as Janet nodded to her through the