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departure。 The tete…a…tete had not been a pleasant one； at any
rate as far as Francesca was concerned； but at least it had brought
her the information for which she had been seeking。 Her role of
looker…on from a tactful distance had necessarily left her much in
the dark concerning the progress of the all…important wooing； but
during the last few hours she had； on slender though significant
evidence； exchanged her complacent expectancy for a conviction that
something had gone wrong。 She had spent the previous evening at
her brother's house； and had naturally seen nothing of Comus in
that uncongenial quarter； neither had he put in an appearance at
the breakfast table the following morning。 She had met him in the
hall at eleven o'clock； and he had hurried past her； merely
imparting the information that he would not be in till dinner that
evening。 He spoke in his sulkiest tone； and his face wore a look
of defeat； thinly masked by an air of defiance； it was not the
defiance of a man who is losing； but of one who has already lost。
Francesca's conviction that things had gone wrong between Comus and
Elaine de Frey grew in strength as the day wore on。 She lunched at
a friend's house； but it was not a quarter where special social
information of any importance was likely to come early to hand。
Instead of the news she was hankering for； she had to listen to
trivial gossip and speculation on the flirtations and 〃cases〃 and
〃affairs〃 of a string of acquaintances whose matrimonial projects
interested her about as much as the nesting arrangements of the
wildfowl in St。 James's Park。
〃Of course；〃 said her hostess； with the duly impressive emphasis of
a privileged chronicler； 〃we've always regarded Claire as the
marrying one of the family； so when Emily came to us and said；
'I've got some news for you；' we all said； 'Claire's engaged！'
'Oh； no；' said Emily； 'it's not Claire this time； it's me。' So
then we had to guess who the lucky man was。 'It can't be Captain
Parminter；' we all said； 'because he's always been sweet on Joan。'
And then Emily said … 〃
The recording voice reeled off the catalogue of inane remarks with
a comfortable purring complacency that held out no hope of an early
abandoning of the topic。 Francesca sat and wondered why the
innocent acceptance of a cutlet and a glass of indifferent claret
should lay one open to such unsparing punishment。
A stroll homeward through the Park after lunch brought no further
enlightenment on the subject that was uppermost in her mind； what
was worse； it brought her； without possibility of escape； within
hailing distance of Merla Blathington； who fastened on to her with
the enthusiasm of a lonely tsetse fly encountering an outpost of
civilisation。
〃Just think；〃 she buzzed inconsequently； 〃my sister in
Cambridgeshire has hatched out thirty…three White Orpington
chickens in her incubator！〃
〃What eggs did she put in it？〃 asked Francesca。
〃Oh； some very special strain of White Orpington。〃
〃Then I don't see anything remarkable in the result。 If she had
put in crocodile's eggs and hatched out White Orpingtons； there
might have been something to write to COUNTRY LIFE about。〃
〃What funny fascinating things these little green park…chairs are；〃
said Merla； starting off on a fresh topic； 〃they always look so
quaint and knowing when they're stuck away in pairs by themselves
under the trees； as if they were having a heart…to…heart talk or
discussing a piece of very private scandal。 If they could only
speak； what tragedies and comedies they could tell us of； what
flirtations and proposals。〃
〃Let us be devoutly thankful that they can't；〃 said Francesca； with
a shuddering recollection of the luncheon…table conversation。
〃Of course； it would make one very careful what one said before
them … or above them rather；〃 Merla rattled on； and then； to
Francesca's infinite relief； she espied another acquaintance
sitting in unprotected solitude； who promised to supply a more
durable audience than her present rapidly moving companion。
Francesca was free to return to her drawing…room in Blue Street to
await with such patience as she could command the coming of some
visitor who might be able to throw light on the subject that was
puzzling and disquieting her。 The arrival of George St。 Michael
boded bad news； but at any rate news； and she gave him an almost
cordial welcome。
〃Well； you see I wasn't far wrong about Miss de Frey and Courtenay
Youghal； was I？〃 he chirruped； almost before he had seated himself。
Francesca was to be spared any further spinning…out of her period
of uncertainty。 〃Yes； it's officially given out；〃 he went on； 〃and
it's to appear in the MORNING POST to…morrow。 I heard it from
Colonel Deel this morning； and he had it direct from Youghal
himself。 Yes； please； one lump； I'm not fashionable； you see。〃 He
had made the same remark about the sugar in his tea with unfailing
regularity for at least thirty years。 Fashions in sugar are
apparently stationary。 〃They say；〃 he continued； hurriedly； 〃that
he proposed to her on the Terrace of the House； and a division bell
rang； and he had to hurry off before she had time to give her
answer； and when he got back she simply said； 'the Ayes have it。'〃
St。 Michael paused in his narrative to give an appreciative giggle。
〃Just the sort of inanity that would go the rounds；〃 remarked
Francesca； with the satisfaction of knowing that she was making the
criticism direct to the author and begetter of the inanity in
question。 Now that the blow had fallen and she knew the full
extent of its weight； her feeling towards the bringer of bad news；
who sat complacently nibbling at her tea…cakes and scattering
crumbs of tiresome small…talk at her feet； was one of wholehearted
dislike。 She could sympathise with； or at any rate understand； the
tendency of oriental despots to inflict death or ignominious
chastisement on messengers bearing tidings of misfortune and
defeat； and St。 Michael； she perfectly well knew； was thoroughly
aware of the fact that her hopes and wishes had been centred on the
possibility of having Elaine for a daughter…in…law； every purring
remark that his mean little soul prompted him to contribute to the
conversation had an easily recognizable undercurrent of malice。
Fortunately for her powers of polite endurance； which had been put
to such searching and repeated tests that day； St。 Michael had
planned out for himself a busy little time…table of afternoon
visits； at each of which his self…appointed task of forestalling
and embellishing the newspaper announcements of the Youghal…de Frey
engagement would be hurriedly but thoroughly performed。
〃They'll be quite one of the best…looking and most interesting
couples of the Season； won't they？〃 he cried； by way of farewell。
The door closed and Francesca Bassington sat alone in her drawing…
room。
Before she could give way to the bitter luxury of reflection on the
downfall of her hopes； it was prudent to take precautionary
measures against unwelcome intrusion。 Summoning the maid who had
just speeded the departing St。 Michael； she gave the order： 〃I am
not at home this afternoon to Lady Caroline Benaresq。〃 On second
thoughts she extended the taboo to all possible callers； and sent a
telephone message to catch Comus at his club； asking him to come
and see her as soon as he could manage before it was time to dress
for dinner。 Then she sat down to think； and her thinking was
beyond the relief of tears。
She had built herself a castle of hopes； and it had not been a
castle in Spain； but a structure well on the probable side of the
Pyrenees。 There had been a solid foundation on which to build。
Miss de Frey's fortune was an assured and unhampered one； her
liking for Comus had been an obvious fact； his courtship of her a
serious reality。 The young people had been much together in
public； and their names had naturally been coupled in the match…
making gossip of the day。 The only serious shadow cast over the
scene had been the persistent presence； in foreground or
background； of Courtenay Youghal。 And now the shadow suddenly
stood forth as the reality； and the castle of hopes was a ruin； a
hideous mortification of dust and debris； with the skeleton
outlines of its chambers still standing to make mockery of its
discomfited architect。 The daily anxiety about Comus and his
extravagant ways and intractable disposition had been gradually
lulled by the prospect of his making an advantageous marriage；
which would have transformed him from a ne'er…do…well and
adventurer into a wealthy idler。 He might even have been moulded；
by the resourceful influence of an ambitious wife； into a man with
some definite purpose in life。 The prospect