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Spelvexit； in an impressive and assertive tone。
〃The sort of popular pulpiteer who spanks the vices of his age and
lunches with them afterwards；〃 said Lady Caroline。
〃Hardly a fair summary of the man and his work；〃 protested Ada。
〃I've been to hear him many times when I've been depressed or
discouraged； and I simply can't tell you the impression his words
leave … 〃
〃At least you can tell us what you intend to make trumps；〃 broke in
Lady Caroline； gently。
〃Diamonds；〃 pronounced Ada； after a rather flurried survey of her
hand。
〃Doubled；〃 said Lady Caroline； with increased gentleness； and a few
minutes later she was pencilling an addition of twenty…four to her
score。
〃I stayed with his people down in Herefordshire last May；〃 said
Ada； returning to the unfinished theme of the Canon； 〃such an
exquisite rural retreat； and so restful and healing to the nerves。
Real country scenery； apple blossom everywhere。〃
〃Surely only on the apple trees；〃 said Lady Caroline。
Ada Spelvexit gave up the attempt to reproduce the decorative
setting of the Canon's homelife； and fell back on the small but
practical consolation of scoring the odd trick in her opponent's
declaration of hearts。
〃If you had led your highest club to start with； instead of the
nine； we should have saved the trick；〃 remarked Lady Caroline to
her partner in a tone of coldly； gentle reproof； 〃it's no use； my
dear；〃 she continued； as Serena flustered out a halting apology；
〃no earthly use to attempt to play bridge at one table and try to
see and hear what's going on at two or three other tables。〃
〃I can generally manage to attend to more than one thing at a
time；〃 said Serena； rashly； 〃I think I must have a sort of double
brain。〃
〃Much better to economise and have one really good one；〃 observed
Lady Caroline。
〃LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCI scoring a verbal trick or two as usual；〃
said a player at another table in a discreet undertone。
〃Did I tell you Sir Edward Roan is coming to my next big evening；〃
said Serena； hurriedly； by way； perhaps； of restoring herself a
little in her own esteem。
〃Poor dear； good Sir Edward。 What have you made trumps？〃 asked
Lady Caroline； in one breath。
〃Clubs；〃 said Francesca； 〃and pray； why these adjectives of
commiseration？〃
Francesca was a Ministerialist by family interest and allegiance；
and was inclined to take up the cudgels at the suggested
disparagement aimed at the Foreign Secretary。
〃He amuses me so much；〃 purred Lady Caroline。 Her amusement was
usually of the sort that a sporting cat derives from watching the
Swedish exercises of a well…spent and carefully thought…out mouse。
〃Really？ He has been rather a brilliant success at the Foreign
Office； you know；〃 said Francesca。
〃He reminds one so of a circus elephant … infinitely more
intelligent than the people who direct him； but quite content to go
on putting his foot down or taking it up as may be required； quite
unconcerned whether he steps on a meringue or a hornet's nest in
the process of going where he's expected to go。〃
〃How can you say such things？〃 protested Francesca。
〃I can't；〃 said Lady Caroline； 〃Courtenay Youghal said it in the
House last night。 Didn't you read the debate？ He was really
rather in form。 I disagree entirely with his point of view； of
course； but some of the things he says have just enough truth
behind them to redeem them from being merely smart； for instance；
his summing up of the Government's attitude towards our
embarrassing Colonial Empire in the wistful phrase 'happy is the
country that has no geography。'〃
〃What an absurdly unjust thing to say；〃 put in Francesca； 〃I
daresay some of our Party at some time have taken up that attitude；
but every one knows that Sir Edward is a sound Imperialist at
heart。〃
〃Most politicians are something or other at heart； but no one would
be rash enough to insure a politician against heart failure。
Particularly when he happens to be in office。〃
〃Anyhow； I don't see that the Opposition leaders would have acted
any differently in the present case；〃 said Francesca。
〃One should always speak guardedly of the Opposition leaders；〃 said
Lady Caroline； in her gentlest voice； 〃one never knows what a turn
in the situation may do for them。〃
〃You mean they may one day be at the head of affairs？〃 asked
Serena； briskly。
〃I mean they may one day lead the Opposition。 One never knows。〃
Lady Caroline had just remembered that her hostess was on the
Opposition side in politics。
Francesca and her partner scored four tricks in clubs； the game
stood irresolutely at twenty…four all。
〃If you had followed the excellent lyrical advice given to the Maid
of Athens and returned my heart we should have made two more tricks
and gone game；〃 said Lady Caroline to her partner。
〃Mr。 Youghal seems pushing himself to the fore of late；〃 remarked
Francesca； as Serena took up the cards to deal。 Since the young
politician's name had been introduced into their conversation the
opportunity for turning the talk more directly on him and his
affairs was too good to be missed。
〃I think he's got a career before him；〃 said Serena； 〃the House
always fills when he's speaking； and that's a good sign。 And then
he's young and got rather an attractive personality； which is
always something in the political world。〃
〃His lack of money will handicap him； unless he can find himself a
rich wife or persuade someone to die and leave him a fat legacy；〃
said Francesca； 〃since M。P。's have become the recipients of a
salary rather more is expected and demanded of them in the
expenditure line than before。〃
〃Yes； the House of Commons still remains rather at the opposite
pole to the Kingdom of Heaven as regards entrance qualifications；〃
observed Lady Caroline。
〃There ought to be no difficulty about Youghal picking up a girl
with money；〃 said Serena； 〃with his prospects he would make an
excellent husband for any woman with social ambitions。〃
And she half sighed； as though she almost regretted that a previous
matrimonial arrangement precluded her from entering into the
competition on her own account。
Francesca； under an assumption of languid interest； was watching
Lady Caroline narrowly for some hint of suppressed knowledge of
Youghal's courtship of Miss de Frey。
〃Whom are you marrying and giving in marriage？〃
The question came from George St。 Michael； who had strayed over
from a neighbouring table； attracted by the fragments of small…talk
that had reached his ears。
St。 Michael was one of those dapper bird…like illusorily…active
men； who seem to have been in a certain stage of middle…age for as
long as human memory can recall them。 A close…cut peaked beard
lent a certain dignity to his appearance … a loan which the rest of
his features and mannerisms were continually and successfully
repudiating。 His profession； if he had one； was submerged in his
hobby； which consisted of being an advance…agent for small
happenings or possible happenings that were or seemed imminent in
the social world around him； he found a perpetual and unflagging
satisfaction in acquiring and retailing any stray items of gossip
or information； particularly of a matrimonial nature； that chanced
to come his way。 Given the bare outline of an officially announced
engagement he would immediately fill it in with all manner of
details； true or； at any rate； probable； drawn from his own
imagination or from some equally exclusive source。 The MORNING
POST might content itself with the mere statement of the
arrangement which would shortly take place； but it was St。
Michael's breathless little voice that proclaimed how the
contracting parties had originally met over a salmon…fishing
incident； why the Guards' Chapel would not be used； why her Aunt
Mary had at first opposed the match； how the question of the
children's religious upbringing had been compromised； etc。； etc。；
to all whom it might interest and to many whom it might not。
Beyond his industriously…earned pre…eminence in this special branch
of intelligence； he was chiefly noteworthy for having a wife
reputed to be the tallest and thinnest woman in the Home Counties。
The two were sometimes seen together in Society； where they passed
under the collective name of St。 Michael and All Angles。
〃We are trying to find a rich wife for Courtenay Youghal；〃 said
Serena； in answer to St。 Michael's question。
〃Ah； there I'm afraid you're a little late；〃 he observed； glowing
with the importance of pending revelation； 〃I'm afraid you're a
little late；〃 he repeated； watching the effect of his words as a
gardener might watch the development of a bed of carefully tended
asparagus。 〃I think th