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lumber…room and brought to life。 Sitting there in the little
paddock； grown thickly with tall weeds and rank grasses； and
shadowed by the weather…beaten old grey barn； listening to this
chronicle of wonderful things； half fanciful； half very real； she
could scarcely believe that a few miles away there was a garden…
party in full swing； with smart frocks and smart conversation；
fashionable refreshments and fashionable music； and a fevered
undercurrent of social strivings and snubbings。 Did Vienna and the
Balkan Mountains and the Black Sea seem as remote and hard to
believe in； she wondered； to the man sitting by her side； who had
discovered or invented this wonderful fairyland？ Was it a true and
merciful arrangement of fate and life that the things of the moment
thrust out the after…taste of the things that had been？ Here was
one who had held much that was priceless in the hollow of his hand
and lost it all； and he was happy and absorbed and well…content
with the little wayside corner of the world into which he had
crept。 And Elaine； who held so many desirable things in the hollow
of her hand； could not make up her mind to be even moderately
happy。 She did not even know whether to take this hero of her
childhood down from his pedestal； or to place him on a higher one；
on the whole she was inclined to resent rather than approve the
idea that ill…health and misfortune could so completely subdue and
tame an erstwhile bold and roving spirit。
The mare was showing signs of delicately…hinted impatience； the
paddock； with its teasing insects and very indifferent grazing； had
not thrust out the image of her own comfortable well…foddered
loose…box。 Elaine divested her habit of some remaining crumbs of
bun…loaf and jumped lightly on to her saddle。 As she rode slowly
down the lane； with Keriway escorting her as far as its gate； she
looked round at what had seemed to her； a short while ago； just a
picturesque old farmstead； a place of bee…hives and hollyhocks and
gabled cart…sheds； now it was in her eyes a magic city； with an
under…current of reality beneath its magic。
〃You are a person to be envied；〃 she said to Keriway； 〃you have
created a fairyland； and you are living in it yourself。〃
〃Envied？〃
He shot the question out with sudden bitterness。 She looked down
and saw the wistful misery that had come into his face。
〃Once；〃 he said to her； 〃in a German paper I read a short story
about a tame crippled crane that lived in the park of some small
town。 I forget what happened in the story； but there was one line
that I shall always remember： 'it was lame； that is why it was
tame。'〃
He had created a fairyland； but assuredly he was not living in it。
CHAPTER IX
IN the warmth of a late June morning the long shaded stretch of
raked earth； gravel…walk and rhododendron bush that is known
affectionately as the Row was alive with the monotonous movement
and alert stagnation appropriate to the time and place。 The
seekers after health； the seekers after notoriety and recognition；
and the lovers of good exercise were all well represented on the
galloping ground； the gravel…walk and chairs and long seats held a
population whose varied instincts and motives would have baffled a
social catalogue…maker。 The children； handled or in perambulators；
might be excused from instinct or motive； they were brought。
Pleasingly conspicuous among a bunch of indifferent riders pacing
along by the rails where the onlookers were thickest was Courtenay
Youghal； on his handsome plum…roan gelding Anne de Joyeuse。 That
delicately stepping animal had taken a prize at Islington and
nearly taken the life of a stable…boy of whom he disapproved； but
his strongest claims to distinction were his good looks and his
high opinion of himself。 Youghal evidently believed in thorough
accord between horse and rider。
〃Please stop and talk to me；〃 said a quiet beckoning voice from the
other side of the rails； and Youghal drew rein and greeted Lady
Veula Croot。 Lady Veula had married into a family of commercial
solidity and enterprising political nonentity。 She had a devoted
husband； some blonde teachable children； and a look of unutterable
weariness in her eyes。 To see her standing at the top of an
expensively horticultured staircase receiving her husband's guests
was rather like watching an animal performing on a music…hall
stage。
One always tells oneself that the animal likes it； and one always
knows that it doesn't。
〃Lady Veula is an ardent Free Trader； isn't she？〃 someone once
remarked to Lady Caroline。
〃I wonder；〃 said Lady Caroline； in her gently questioning voice； 〃a
woman whose dresses are made in Paris and whose marriage has been
made in Heaven might be equally biassed for and against free
imports。〃
Lady Veula looked at Youghal and his mount with slow critical
appraisement； and there was a note of blended raillery and
wistfulness in her voice。
〃You two dear things； I should love to stroke you both； but I'm not
sure how Joyeuse would take it。 So I'll stroke you down verbally
instead。 I admired your attack on Sir Edward immensely； though of
course I don't agree with a word of it。 Your description of him
building a hedge round the German cuckoo and hoping he was
isolating it was rather sweet。 Seriously though； I regard him as
one of the pillars of the Administration。〃
〃So do I；〃 said Youghal； 〃the misfortune is that he is merely
propping up a canvas roof。 It's just his regrettable solidity and
integrity that makes him so expensively dangerous。 The average
Briton arrives at the same judgment about Roan's handling of
foreign affairs as Omar does of the Supreme Being in his dealings
with the world： He's a good fellow and 'twill all be well。'〃
Lady Veula laughed lightly。 〃My Party is in power so I may
exercise the privilege of being optimistic。 Who is that who bowed
to you？〃 she continued； as a dark young man with an inclination to
stoutness passed by them on foot； 〃I've seen him about a good deal
lately。 He's been to one or two of my dances。〃
〃Andrei Drakoloff；〃 said Youghal； 〃he's just produced a play that
has had a big success in Moscow and is certain to be extremely
popular all over Russia。 In the first three acts the heroine is
supposed to be dying of consumption； in the last act they find she
is really dying of cancer。〃
〃Are the Russians really such a gloomy people？〃
〃Gloom…loving but not in the least gloomy。 They merely take their
sadness pleasurably； just as we are accused of taking our pleasures
sadly。 Have you noticed that dreadful Klopstock youth has been
pounding past us at shortening intervals。 He'll come up and talk
if he half catches your eye。〃
〃I only just know him。 Isn't he at an agricultural college or
something of the sort？〃
〃Yes； studying to be a gentleman farmer； he told me。 I didn't ask
if both subjects were compulsory。〃
〃You're really rather dreadful；〃 said Lady Veula； trying to look as
if she thought so； 〃remember； we are all equal in the sight of
Heaven。〃
For a preacher of wholesome truths her voice rather lacked
conviction。
〃If I and Ernest Klopstock are really equal in the sight of
Heaven；〃 said Youghal； with intense complacency； 〃I should
recommend Heaven to consult an eye specialist。〃
There was a heavy spattering of loose earth； and a squelching of
saddle…leather； as the Klopstock youth lumbered up to the rails and
delivered himself of loud； cheerful greetings。 Joyeuse laid his
ears well back as the ungainly bay cob and his appropriately
matched rider drew up beside him； his verdict was reflected and
endorsed by the cold stare of Youghal's eyes。
〃I've been having a nailing fine time；〃 recounted the newcomer with
clamorous enthusiasm； 〃I was over in Paris last month and had lots
of strawberries there； then I had a lot more in London； and now
I've been having a late crop of them in Herefordshire； so I've had
quite a lot this year。〃 And he laughed as one who had deserved
well and received well of Fate。
〃The charm of that story；〃 said Youghal； 〃is that it can be told in
any drawing…room。〃 And with a sweep of his wide…brimmed hat to
Lady Veula he turned the impatient Joyeuse into the moving stream
of horse and horsemen。
〃That woman reminds me of some verse I've read and liked；〃 thought
Youghal； as Joyeuse sprang into a light showy canter that gave full
recognition to the existence of observant human beings along the
side walk。 〃Ah； I have it。〃
And he quoted almost aloud； as one does in the exhilaration of a
canter：
〃How much I loved that way you had
Of smiling most； when very sad；
A smile which carried tender hints
Of sun and spring；
And yet； more than