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On some cushions at her feet reclined Courtenay Youghal； smoothly
preened and youthfully elegant； the personification of decorative
repose； equally decorative； but with the showy restlessness of a
dragonfly； Comus disported his flannelled person over a
considerable span of the available foreground。
The intimacy existing between the two young men had suffered no
immediate dislocation from the circumstance that they were tacitly
paying court to the same lady。 It was an intimacy founded not in
the least on friendship or community of tastes and ideas； but owed
its existence to the fact that each was amused and interested by
the other。 Youghal found Comus； for the time being at any rate；
just as amusing and interesting as a rival for Elaine's favour as
he had been in the ROLE of scapegrace boy…about…Town； Comus for his
part did not wish to lose touch with Youghal； who among other
attractions possessed the recommendation of being under the ban of
Comus's mother。 She disapproved； it is true； of a great many of
her son's friends and associates； but this particular one was a
special and persistent source of irritation to her from the fact
that he figured prominently and more or less successfully in the
public life of the day。 There was something peculiarly
exasperating in reading a brilliant and incisive attack on the
Government's rash handling of public expenditure delivered by a
young man who encouraged her son in every imaginable extravagance。
The actual extent of Youghal's influence over the boy was of the
slightest； Comus was quite capable of deriving encouragement to
rash outlay and frivolous conversation from an anchorite or an
East…end parson if he had been thrown into close companionship with
such an individual。 Francesca； however； exercised a mother's
privilege in assuming her son's bachelor associates to be
industrious in labouring to achieve his undoing。 Therefore the
young politician was a source of unconcealed annoyance to her； and
in the same degree as she expressed her disapproval of him Comus
was careful to maintain and parade the intimacy。 Its existence； or
rather its continued existence； was one of the things that faintly
puzzled the young lady whose sought…for favour might have been
expected to furnish an occasion for its rapid dissolution。
With two suitors； one of whom at least she found markedly
attractive； courting her at the same moment； Elaine should have had
reasonable cause for being on good terms with the world； and with
herself in particular。 Happiness was not； however； at this
auspicious moment； her dominant mood。 The grave calm of her face
masked as usual a certain degree of grave perturbation。 A
succession of well…meaning governesses and a plentiful supply of
moralising aunts on both sides of her family； had impressed on her
young mind the theoretical fact that wealth is a great
responsibility。 The consciousness of her responsibility set her
continually wondering； not as to her own fitness to discharge her
〃stewardship；〃 but as to the motives and merits of people with whom
she came in contact。 The knowledge that there was so much in the
world that she could buy； invited speculation as to how much there
was that was worth buying。 Gradually she had come to regard her
mind as a sort of appeal court before whose secret sittings were
examined and judged the motives and actions； the motives
especially； of the world in general。 In her schoolroom days she
had sat in conscientious judgment on the motives that guided or
misguided Charles and Cromwell and Monck； Wallenstein and
Savonarola。 In her present stage she was equally occupied in
examining the political sincerity of the Secretary for Foreign
Affairs； the good…faith of a honey…tongued but possibly loyal…
hearted waiting…maid； and the disinterestedness of a whole circle
of indulgent and flattering acquaintances。 Even more absorbing；
and in her eyes； more urgently necessary； was the task of
dissecting and appraising the characters of the two young men who
were favouring her with their attentions。 And herein lay cause for
much thinking and some perturbation。 Youghal； for example； might
have baffled a more experienced observer of human nature。 Elaine
was too clever to confound his dandyism with foppishness or self…
advertisement。 He admired his own toilet effect in a mirror from a
genuine sense of pleasure in a thing good to look upon； just as he
would feel a sensuous appreciation of the sight of a well…bred；
well…matched； well…turned…out pair of horses。 Behind his careful
political flippancy and cynicism one might also detect a certain
careless sincerity； which would probably in the long run save him
from moderate success； and turn him into one of the brilliant
failures of his day。 Beyond this it was difficult to form an exact
appreciation of Courtenay Youghal； and Elaine； who liked to have
her impressions distinctly labelled and pigeon…holed； was
perpetually scrutinising the outer surface of his characteristics
and utterances； like a baffled art critic vainly searching beneath
the varnish and scratches of a doubtfully assigned picture for an
enlightening signature。 The young man added to her perplexities by
his deliberate policy of never trying to show himself in a
favourable light even when most anxious to impart a favourable
impression。 He preferred that people should hunt for his good
qualities； and merely took very good care that as far as possible
they should never draw blank； even in the matter of selfishness；
which was the anchor…sheet of his existence； he contrived to be
noted； and justly noted； for doing remarkably unselfish things。 As
a ruler he would have been reasonably popular； as a husband he
would probably be unendurable。
Comus was to a certain extent as great a mystification as Youghal；
but here Elaine was herself responsible for some of the perplexity
which enshrouded his character in her eyes。 She had taken more
than a passing fancy for the boy … for the boy as he might be； that
was to say … and she was desperately unwilling to see him and
appraise him as he really was。 Thus the mental court of appeal was
constantly engaged in examining witnesses as to character； most of
whom signally failed to give any testimony which would support the
favourable judgment which the tribunal was so anxious to arrive at。
A woman with wider experience of the world's ways and shortcomings
would probably have contented herself with an endeavour to find out
whether her liking for the boy out…weighed her dislike of his
characteristics； Elaine took her judgments too seriously to
approach the matter from such a simple and convenient standpoint。
The fact that she was much more than half in love with Comus made
it dreadfully important that she should discover him to have a
lovable soul； and Comus； it must be confessed； did little to help
forward the discovery。
〃At any rate he is honest；〃 she would observe to herself； after
some outspoken admission of unprincipled conduct on his part； and
then she would ruefully recall certain episodes in which he had
figured； from which honesty had been conspicuously absent。 What
she tried to label honesty in his candour was probably only a
cynical defiance of the laws of right and wrong。
〃You look more than usually thoughtful this afternoon；〃 said Comus
to her； 〃as if you had invented this summer day and were trying to
think out improvements。〃
〃If I had the power to create improvements anywhere I think I
should begin with you；〃 retorted Elaine。
〃I'm sure it's much better to leave me as I am；〃 protested Comus；
〃you're like a relative of mine up in Argyllshire； who spends his
time producing improved breeds of sheep and pigs and chickens。 So
patronising and irritating to the Almighty I should think； to go
about putting superior finishing touches to Creation。〃
Elaine frowned； and then laughed； and finally gave a little sigh。
〃It's not easy to talk sense to you；〃 she said。
〃Whatever else you take in hand；〃 said Youghal； 〃you must never
improve this garden。 It's what our idea of Heaven might be like if
the Jews hadn't invented one for us on totally different lines。
It's dreadful that we should accept them as the impresarios of our
religious dreamland instead of the Greeks。〃
〃You are not very fond of the Jews；〃 said Elaine。
〃I've travelled and lived a good deal in Eastern Europe；〃 said
Youghal。
〃It seems largely a question of geography；〃 said Elaine； 〃in
England no one really is anti…Semitic。〃
Youghal shook his head。 〃I know a great many Jews who are。〃
Servants had quietly； almost reverently； placed tea and its
accessories on the wicker table； and quietly receded from the
landscape。 Elaine sat like a grave young goddess about to