The Tragic Muse

the end of which time she observed: "I suppose one must have food at any rate," and, getting up, quitted

rs. One of these functionaries approached them with eagerness and with a "Mesdames sont seules?" receiving in return from her ladyship the slightly snappish announcement "Non; nous sommes beaucoup!" He introduced them to a table larger than most of the others, and under his protection they took their places at it and began rather languidly and vaguely to co

e remark, but dropped her eye-glass and laid down the greasy document. "What does it signify? I daresay i

come!" her ladyship exclaimed, t

s mignons sauce bearnai

which she imposed them on the waiter as original, practical, and economical, showed the high executive woman, the mother of children, the daughter of earls, the consort of an official, the dispenser of hospitality, looking back upon a lifetime of luncheons. She carried many cares, and the feeding of multitudes-she was honourably conscious of having fed them decently, as she had always done everything-had ever been one of them. "Everything's absurdly dear," she remarked to

t to torment one. One can't

o mention her, but

mentions her

mething more's required to prove it," Lady Agnes continued to meditate. "Sometimes

suitable," said Gra

put it upon. Then she appeared to find this loftier level in the

er than that she like

and her tone suggested that she knew mor

went on. "If there were nothing else there would be a reason in

-that's what I s

to be like papa?" She waited for an answer that didn't come; after

t," said Lady

? Certainly

a space. "There's no

en with a rapid transition: "It would be so

ving followed the return, quick as it was. "Much good does it do her

or her. I do, and I think she knows it," Grace de

icularly sympathetic rejoinder. "There are other women who a

ce in Julia. Her fortune would be thrown in;

t," said Lady Agnes

arming. And he could do a

her had no fort

n't Uncle Per

ped him," sai

There's one thing," she added: "that

ou mean by

he marries

udged. "It will all depend on Nick's

t Mr. Carteret's beneficence a part of th

isn't so hard to prevent

. "Does he want him to be

And what he'll do for him he'll d

d then, before her mother could answe

nd such optimism as she cultivated was a thin tissue with the sense of things as they are showing through.

!" Grace

ary as it used to be," her ladyship went on broodingly. "Those who s

mpelled to evoke as a corrective a more cheerful idea. "I daresay

's the fact tha

r, who jumped in her place and gasped, "Oh mother!" The next instant, however, she added in a

only early that morning. There had accordingly been a delay in his receiving Nick Dormer's two notes. If Nick had come to the embassy in person-he might have done him the honour to call-he would have learned that the second secretary was absent. Lady Agnes was not altogether successful in assigning a motive to her son's neglect of this courteous form; she could but say: "I expected him, I wanted him to go; and indeed, not hearing from you, he would have gone immediately-an hour or two hence, on leaving this place. But we're here so quietly-not to go out, not to seem to appeal to the

but had only been there since that morning; he had seen her before proceeding to the Champs Elysées. She had come up to Paris by an early train-- she had been staying at Versailles, of all places in the world. She had been a week in Paris on her return from Cannes-her stay there had been of nearly a month: fancy!-and then had gone out to Versailles to see

hurst-how very good-natured o

nice to her," S

Dormer exhaled. "Why didn

his, passed between the two ladies and Peter went on: "Sh

Agnes declared. "Nick went to as

uldn't give her the rooms

e said complacently. Then she added:

s not what she has in her head this morning. She h

n her head?" La

ws from London

ts Nick

and?" both

ot the seat at the general election. He dropped down in London-disease of the heart or s

er mentioned it!"

her?-abroad he only

nce with him," her ladysh

ut if it returned a Liberal a year ago very likely it will do so again. Julia at any rate

an do it she will,

do something for himself," sai

Sherringham returned good-naturedly. The

penses, poor dear boy! And it's dread

may look to Julia. I

If poor Sir Nicholas could have known! Of c

ike that,"

ve to go witho

u've only just come," Peter suggested; "to say not

with Julia to protect

ay; she'll go ov

man

hese last words caused the eyes of Peter Sherringham's companions

es panted. "Of course Nick

e must see first i

m? Why how can he t

headquarters, the fe

, do you suppose there will be the least dou

eat name, Cousin Agn

test, simply," L

n the world!" said Gr

didn't prevent hi

s: it was too odious!

a case as that why didn't they imm

xtraordinary lack of openings-I never saw anything like it-for a year. They've h

hasn't t

. "He's so very odd

no trouble." Her mother suffered this statement to pass unchallenged, and sh

what does he do, what has he

been p

usly!" Lady A

y," said Peter Sherr

to this, but Lady Agnes said: "He has spoke

nificently," G

living in far countries. And he's doin

what keeps them so long," Lady Agnes groane

"Aren't the things g

Agnes. "They're too

ople fall into if they live abroad.

ced at this point; "but they'v

n we want to talk!

ence of a little undulation. It was perhaps to conceal this plainness that he wore it very short. His teeth were white, his moustache was pointed, and so was the small beard that adorned the extremity of his chin. His face expressed intelligence and was very much alive; it had the further distinction that it often struck superficial observers with a certain foreignness of cast. The deeper sort, however, usually felt it latently English enough. There was an idea that, having taken up the diplomatic career and gone to live in strange lands, he cultivated the ma