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The　whole　of　London　seemed　to　have　disgorged　its　shops　into　this

room；　he　looked　at　Miss　Casserol's　face；　and　was　greatly　struck　by

the　shrewd　acquisitiveness　of　her　small　eyes。



〃Is　that　your　future　brother…in…law？〃　she　asked；　pointing　to　Bill

Dennant　with　a　little　movement　of　her　chin；　〃I　think　he's　such　a

bright　boy。　　I　want　you　both　to　come　to　dinner；　and　help　to　keep

things　jolly。　　It's　so　deadly　after　a　wedding。〃



And　Shelton　said　they　would。



They　adjourned　to　the　hall　now；　to　wait　for　the　bride's　departure。

Her　face　as　she　came　down　the　stairs　was　impassive；　gay；　with　a

furtive　trouble　in　the　eyes；　and　once　more　Shelton　had　the　odd

sensation　of　having　sinned　against　his　manhood。　　Jammed　close　to　him

was　her　old　nurse；　whose　puffy；　yellow　face　was　pouting　with　emotion；

while　tears　rolled　from　her　eyes。　　She　was　trying　to　say　something；

but　in　the　hubbub　her　farewell　was　lost。　　There　was　a　scamper　to　the

carriage；　a　flurry　of　rice　and　flowers；　the　shoe　was　flung　against

the　sharply　drawn…up　window。　　Then　Benjy's　shaven　face　was　seen　a

moment；　bland　and　steely；　the　footman　folded　his　arms；　and　with　a

solemn　crunch　the　brougham　wheels　rolled　away。　　〃How　splendidly　it

went　off！〃　　said　a　voice　on　Shelton's　right。　　〃She　looked　a　little

pale；〃　said　a　voice　on　Shelton's　left。　　He　put　his　hand　up　to　his

forehead；　behind　him　the　old　nurse　sniffed。



〃Dick；〃　said　young　Dennant　in　his　ear；　〃this　isn't　good　enough；　I

vote　we　bolt。〃



Shelton　assenting；　they　walked　towards　the　Park；　nor　could　he　tell

whether　the　slight　nausea　he　experienced　was　due　to　afternoon

champagne　or　to　the　ceremony　that　had　gone　so　well。



〃What's　up　with　you？〃　asked　Dennant；　〃you　look　as　glum　as　any

m…monkey。〃



〃Nothing；〃　said　Shelton；　〃I　was　only　thinking　what　humbugs　we　all

are！〃



Bill　Dennant　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　crossing；　and　clapped　his

future　brother…in…law　upon　the　shoulder。



〃Oh；〃　said　he；　〃if　you're　going　to　talk　shop；　I　'm　off。〃









CHAPTER　IX



THE　DINNER



The　dinner　at　the　Casserols'　was　given　to　those　of　the　bride's

friends　who　had　been　conspicuous　in　the　day's　festivities。　　Shelton

found　himself　between　Miss　Casserol　and　a　lady　undressed　to　much　the

same　degree。　　Opposite　sat　a　man　with　a　single　diamond　stud；　a　white

waistcoat；　black　moustache；　and　hawk…like　face。　　This　was；　in　fact；

one　of　those　interesting　houses　occupied　by　people　of　the　upper

middle　class　who　have　imbibed　a　taste　for　smart　society。　　Its

inhabitants；　by　nature　acquisitive　and　cautious；　economical；

tenacious；　had　learnt　to　worship　the　word　〃smart。〃　　The　result　was　a

kind　of　heavy　froth；　an　air　of　thoroughly　domestic　vice。　　In　addition

to　the　conventionally　fast；　Shelton　had　met　there　one　or　two　ladies；

who；　having　been　divorced；　or　having　yet　to　be；　still　maintained

their　position　in　〃society。〃　　Divorced　ladies　who　did　not　so　maintain

their　place　were　never　to　be　found；　for　the　Casserols　had　a　great

respect　for　marriage。　　He　had　also　met　there　American　ladies　who　were

〃too　amusing〃never；　of　course；　American　men；　Mesopotamians　of　the

financial　or　the　racing　type；　and　several　of　those　gentlemen　who　had

been；　or　were　about　to　be；　engaged　in　a　transaction　which　might　or

again　might　not；　〃come　off；〃　and　in　conduct　of　an　order　which　might；

or　again　might　not　be　spotted。　　The　line　he　knew；　was　always　drawn　at

those　in　any　category　who　were　actually　found　out；　for　the　value　of

these　ladies　and　these　gentlemen　was　not　their　claim　to　pitynothing

so　sentimentalbut　their　〃smartness；〃　clothes；　jokes；　racing　tips；

their　〃bridge　parties；〃　and　their　motors。



In　sum；　the　house　was　one　whose　fundamental　domesticity　attracted　and

sheltered　those　who　were　too　〃smart〃　to　keep　their　heads　for　long

above　the　water。



His　host；　a　grey；　clean…shaven　city　man；　with　a　long　upper　lip；　was

trying　to　understand　a　lady　the　audacity　of　whose　speech　came　ringing

down　the　table。　　Shelton　himself　had　given　up　the　effort　with　his

neighbours；　and　made　love　to　his　dinner；　which；　surviving　the

incoherence　of　the　atmosphere；　emerged　as　a　work　of　art。　　It　was　with

surprise　that　he　found　Miss　Casserol　addressing　him。



〃I　always　say　that　the　great　thing　is　to　be　jolly。　　If　you　can't　find

anything　to　make　you　laugh；　pretend　you　do；　it's　so　much　'smarter　to

be　amusin'。　　Now　don't　you　agree？〃



The　philosophy　seemed　excellent。



〃We　can't　all　be　geniuses；　but　we　can　all　look　jolly。〃



Shelton　hastened　to　look　jolly。



〃I　tell　the　governor；　when　he　's　glum；　that　I　shall　put　up　the

shutters　and　leave　him。　　What's　the　good　of　mopin'　and　lookin'

miserable？　　Are　you　going　to　the　Four…in…Hand　Meet？　　We're　making　a

party。　　Such　fun；　all　the　smart　people！〃



The　splendour　of　her　shoulders；　her　frizzy　hair　（clearly　not　two

hours　out　of　the　barber's　hands）；　might　have　made　him　doubtful；　but

the　frank　shrewdness　in　her　eyes；　and　her　carefully　clipped　tone　of

voice；　were　guarantees　that　she　was　part　of　the　element　at　the　table

which　was　really　quite　respectable。　　He　had　never　realised　before　how

〃smart〃　she　was；　and　with　an　effort　abandoned　himself　to　a　sort　of

gaiety　that　would　have　killed　a　Frenchman。



And　when　she　left　him；　he　reflected　upon　the　expression　of　her　eyes

when　they　rested　on　a　lady　opposite；　who　was　a　true　bird…of…prey。

〃What　is　it；〃　their　envious；　inquisitive　glance　had　seemed　to　say；

〃that　makes　you　so　really　'　smart'？〃　　And　while　still　seeking　for　the

reason；　he　noticed　his　host　pointing　out　the　merits　of　his　port　to

the　hawk…like　man；　with　a　deferential　air　quite　pitiful　to　see；　for

the　hawk…like　man　was　clearly　a　〃bad　hat。〃　　What　in　the　name　of

goodness　did　these　staid　bourgeois　mean　by　making　up　to　vice？　　Was　it

a　craving　to　be　thought　distinguished；　a　dread　of　being　dull；　or

merely　an　effect　of　overfeeding？　　Again　he　looked　at　his　host；　who

had　not　yet　enumerated　all　the　virtues　of　his　port；　and　again　felt

sorry　for　him。



〃So　you're　going　to　marry　Antonia　Dennant？　　said　a　voice　on　his

right；　with　that　easy　coarseness　which　is　a　mark　of　caste。　　〃Pretty

girl！　　They've　a　nice　place；　the；　Dennants。　　D'　ye　know；　you're　a

lucky　feller！〃



The　speaker　was　an　old　baronet；　with　small　eyes；　a　dusky；　ruddy　face；

and　peculiar　hail…fellow…well…met　expression；　at　once　morose　and　sly。

He　was　always　hard　up；　but　being　a　man　of　enterprise　knew　all　the

best　people；　as　well　as　all　the　worst；　so　that　he　dined　out　every

night。



〃You're　a　lucky　feller；〃　he　repeated；　〃he's　got　some　deuced　good

shootin'；　Dennant！　　They　come　too　high　for　me；　though；　never　touched

a　feather　last　time　I　shot　there。　　She's　a　pretty　girl。　　You　're　a

lucky　feller！〃



〃I　know　that；〃　said　Shelton　humbly。



〃Wish　I　were　in　your　shoes。　　Who　was　that　sittin'　on　the　other　side

of　you？　　I'm　so　dashed　short…sighted。　　Mrs。　Carruther？　　Oh；　ay！〃　　An

expression　which；　if　he　had　not　been　a　baronet；　would　have　been　a

leer；　came　on　his　lips。



Shelton　felt　that　he　was　referring　to　the　leaf　in　his　mental　pocket…

book　covered　with　the　anecdotes；　figures；　and　facts　about　that　lady。

〃The　old　ogre　means；〃　thought　he；　〃that　I'm　lucky　because　his　leaf　is

blank　about　Antonia。〃　　But　the　old　baronet　had　turned；　with　his

smile；　and　his　sardonic；　well…bred　air；　to　listen　to　a　bit　of　scandal

on　the　other　side。



The　two　men　to　Shelton's　left　were　talking。



〃What！　　You　don't　collect　anything？　　How's　that？　　Everybody　collects

something。　　I　should　be　lost　without　my　pictures。〃



〃No；　I　don't　collect　anything。　　Given　it　up；　I　was　too　awfully　had

over　my　Walkers。〃



Shelton　had　expected　a　more　lofty　reason；　he　applied　himself　to　the

Madeira　in　his　glass。　　That；　had　been　〃collected〃　by　his　host；　and

its　price　was　going　up！　　You　couldn't　get　it　every　day；　worth　two

guineas　a　bottle！　　How　precious　the　idea　that　other　people　couldn't

get　it；　made　it　seem！　　Liquid　delight；　the　price　was　going　up！　　Soon

there　would　be　none　left；　immense！　　Absolutely　no　one；　then；　could

drink　it！



〃Wish　I　had　some　of　this；〃　said　the　old　baronet；　〃but　I　have　drunk

all　mine。〃



〃Poor　old　chap！〃　　thought　Shelton；　〃after　all；　he's　not　a　bad　old

boy。　　I　wish　I　had　his　pluck。　　His　liver　must　be　splendid。〃



The　drawing…room　was　full　of　people　playing　a　game　concerned　with

horses　ridden　by　jockeys　with　the　latest　seat。　　And　Shelton　was

compelled　to　help　in　carrying　on　this　sport　till　early　in　the

morning。　　At　last　he　left；　exhausted　by　his　animation。



He　thought　of　the　wedding；　he　thought　over　his　dinner　and　the　wine

that　he　had　drunk。　　His　mood　of　satisfaction　fizzled　out。　　These

people　were　incapable　of　being　real；　even　the　smartest；　even　the　most

respectable；　they　seemed　to　weigh　their　pleasures　in　the　scales　and

to　get　the　most　that　could　be　gotten　for　their　money。



Between　the　dark；　safe　houses　stretching　for　miles　and　miles；　his

thoughts　were　of　Antonia；　and　as　he　reached　his　roo