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but some of the complacency had filtered out of her voice。 Suzette
came into the room； wearing the dress that she had worn in the Park
that morning。
〃Of course； you've been hearing all about THE engagement from
mother；〃 she cried； and then set to work conscientiously to cover
the same ground。
〃We met at Grindelwald； you know。 He always calls me his Ice
Maiden because we first got to know each other on the skating rink。
Quite romantic； wasn't it？ Then we asked him to tea one day； and
we got to be quite friendly。 Then he proposed。〃
〃He wasn't the only one who was smitten with Suzette；〃 Mrs。
Brankley hastened to put in； fearful lest Elaine might suppose that
Egbert had had things all his own way。 〃There was an American
millionaire who was quite taken with her； and a Polish count of a
very old family。 I assure you I felt quite nervous at some of our
tea…parties。〃
Mrs。 Brankley had given Grindelwald a sinister but rather alluring
reputation among a large circle of untravelled friends as a place
where the insolence of birth and wealth was held in precarious
check from breaking forth into scenes of savage violence。
〃My marriage with Egbert will； of course； enlarge the sphere of my
life enormously；〃 pursued Suzette。
〃Yes；〃 said Elaine； her eyes were rather remorselessly taking in
the details of her cousin's toilette。 It is said that nothing is
sadder than victory except defeat。 Suzette began to feel that the
tragedy of both was concentrated in the creation which had given
her such unalloyed gratification； till Elaine had come on the
scene。
〃A woman can be so immensely helpful in the social way to a man who
is making a career for himself。 And I'm so glad to find that we've
a great many ideas in common。 We each made out a list of our idea
of the hundred best books； and quite a number of them were the
same。〃
〃He looks bookish；〃 said Elaine； with a critical glance at the
photograph。
〃Oh； he's not at all a bookworm；〃 said Suzette quickly； 〃though
he's tremendously well…read。 He's quite the man of action。〃
〃Does he hunt？〃 asked Elaine。
〃No； he doesn't get much time or opportunity for riding。〃
〃What a pity；〃 commented Elaine； 〃I don't think I could marry a man
who wasn't fond of riding。〃
〃Of course that's a matter of taste；〃 said Suzette； stiffly；
〃horsey men are not usually gifted with overmuch brains； are they？〃
〃There is as much difference between a horseman and a horsey man as
there is between a well…dressed man and a dressy one；〃 said Elaine；
judicially； 〃and you may have noticed how seldom a dressy woman
really knows how to dress。 As an old lady of my acquaintance
observed the other day； some people are born with a sense of how to
clothe themselves； others acquire it； others look as if their
clothes had been thrust upon them。〃
She gave Lady Caroline her due quotation marks； but the sudden
tactfulness with which she looked away from her cousin's frock was
entirely her own idea。
A young man entering the room at this moment caused a diversion
that was rather welcome to Suzette。
〃Here comes Egbert；〃 she announced； with an air of subdued triumph；
it was at least a satisfaction to be able to produce the captive of
her charms； alive and in good condition； on the scene。 Elaine
might be as critical as she pleased； but a live lover outweighed
any number of well…dressed straight…riding cavaliers who existed
only as a distant vision of the delectable husband。
Egbert was one of those men who have no small talk； but possess an
inexhaustible supply of the larger variety。 In whatever society he
happened to be； and particularly in the immediate neighbourhood of
an afternoon…tea table； with a limited audience of womenfolk； he
gave the impression of someone who was addressing a public meeting；
and would be happy to answer questions afterwards。 A suggestion of
gas…lit mission…halls； wet umbrellas； and discreet applause seemed
to accompany him everywhere。 He was an exponent； among other
things； of what he called New Thought； which seemed to lend itself
conveniently to the employment of a good deal of rather stale
phraseology。 Probably in the course of some thirty odd years of
existence he had never been of any notable use to man； woman； child
or animal； but it was his firmly…announced intention to leave the
world a better； happier； purer place than he had found it； against
the danger of any relapse to earlier conditions after his
disappearance from the scene； he was； of course； powerless to
guard。 'Tis not in mortals to insure succession； and Egbert was
admittedly mortal。
Elaine found him immensely entertaining； and would certainly have
exerted herself to draw him out if such a proceeding had been at
all necessary。 She listened to his conversation with the
complacent appreciation that one bestows on a stage tragedy； from
whose calamities one can escape at any moment by the simple process
of leaving one's seat。 When at last he checked the flow of his
opinions by a hurried reference to his watch； and declared that he
must be moving on elsewhere； Elaine almost expected a vote of
thanks to be accorded him； or to be asked to signify herself in
favour of some resolution by holding up her hand。
When the young man had bidden the company a rapid business…like
farewell； tempered in Suzette's case by the exact degree of tender
intimacy that it would have been considered improper to omit or
overstep； Elaine turned to her expectant cousin with an air of
cordial congratulation。
〃He is exactly the husband I should have chosen for you； Suzette。〃
For the second time that afternoon Suzette felt a sense of waning
enthusiasm for one of her possessions。
Mrs。 Brankley detected the note of ironical congratulation in her
visitor's verdict。
〃I suppose she means he's not her idea of a husband； but； he's good
enough for Suzette；〃 she observed to herself； with a snort that
expressed itself somewhere in the nostrils of the brain。 Then with
a smiling air of heavy patronage she delivered herself of her one
idea of a damaging counter…stroke。
〃And when are we to hear of your engagement； my dear？〃
〃Now；〃 said Elaine quietly； but with electrical effect； 〃I came to
announce it to you but I wanted to hear all about Suzette first。
It will be formally announced in the papers in a day or two。〃
〃But who is it？ Is it the young man who was with you in the Park
this morning？〃 asked Suzette。
〃Let me see； who was I with in the Park this morning？ A very good…
looking dark boy？ Oh no； not Comus Bassington。 Someone you know
by name； anyway； and I expect you've seen his portrait in the
papers。〃
〃A flying…man？〃 asked Mrs。 Brankley。
〃Courtenay Youghal；〃 said Elaine。
Mrs。 Brankley and Suzette had often rehearsed in the privacy of
their minds the occasion when Elaine should come to pay her
personal congratulations to her engaged cousin。 It had never been
in the least like this。
On her return from her enjoyable afternoon visit Elaine found an
express messenger letter waiting for her。 It was from Comus；
thanking her for her loan … and returning it。
〃I suppose I ought never to have asked you for it；〃 he wrote； 〃but
you are always so deliciously solemn about money matters that I
couldn't resist。 Just heard the news of your engagement to
Courtenay。 Congrats。 to you both。 I'm far too stoney broke to buy
you a wedding present so I'm going to give you back the bread…and…
butter dish。 Luckily it still has your crest on it。 I shall love
to think of you and Courtenay eating bread…and…butter out of it for
the rest of your lives。〃
That was all he had to say on the matter about which Elaine had
been preparing to write a long and kindly…expressed letter； closing
a rather momentous chapter in her life and his。 There was not a
trace of regret or upbraiding in his note； he had walked out of
their mutual fairyland as abruptly as she had； and to all
appearances far more unconcernedly。 Reading the letter again and
again Elaine could come to no decision as to whether this was
merely a courageous gibe at defeat； or whether it represented the
real value that Comus set on the thing that he had lost。
And she would never know。 If Comus possessed one useless gift to
perfection it was the gift of laughing at Fate even when it had
struck him hardest。 One day； perhaps； the laughter and mockery
would be silent on his lips； and Fate would have the advantage of
laughing last。
CHAPTER XII
A DOOR closed and Francesca Bassington sat alone in her well…
beloved drawing…room。 The visitor who had been enjoying the
hospitality of her afternoon…tea table had just taken his
departure。 The tete…a…tete had not been a p