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prize to the person who heard it oftenest in the course of the
Season； the competitors being under an honourable understanding not
to lead up to the subject。 Ada Spelvexit and a boy in the Foreign
Office were at present at the top of the list with five recitals
each to their score； but the former was suspected of doubtful
adherence to the rules and spirit of the competition。
〃And there； dear lady；〃 concluded the Colonel； 〃were the eleven
dead pigeons。 What had become of the bandicoot no one ever knew。〃
Francesca thanked him for his story； and complacently inscribed the
figure 4 on the margin of her theatre programme。 Almost at the
same moment she heard George St。 Michael's voice pattering out a
breathless piece of intelligence for the edification of Serena
Golackly and anyone else who might care to listen。 Francesca
galvanised into sudden attention。
〃Emmeline Chetrof to a fellow in the Indian Forest Department。
He's got nothing but his pay and they can't be married for four or
five years； an absurdly long engagement； don't you think so？ All
very well to wait seven years for a wife in patriarchal times； when
you probably had others to go on with； and you lived long enough to
celebrate your own tercentenary； but under modern conditions it
seems a foolish arrangement。〃
St。 Michael spoke almost with a sense of grievance。 A marriage
project that tied up all the small pleasant nuptial gossip…items
about bridesmaids and honeymoon and recalcitrant aunts and so
forth； for an indefinite number of years seemed scarcely decent in
his eyes； and there was little satisfaction or importance to be
derived from early and special knowledge of an event which loomed
as far distant as a Presidential Election or a change of Viceroy。
But to Francesca； who had listened with startled apprehension at
the mention of Emmeline Chetrof's name； the news came in a flood of
relief and thankfulness。 Short of entering a nunnery and taking
celibate vows； Emmeline could hardly have behaved more conveniently
than in tying herself up to a lover whose circumstances made it
necessary to relegate marriage to the distant future。 For four or
five years Francesca was assured of undisturbed possession of the
house in Blue Street； and after that period who knew what might
happen？ The engagement might stretch on indefinitely； it might
even come to nothing under the weight of its accumulated years； as
sometimes happened with these protracted affairs。 Emmeline might
lose her fancy for her absentee lover； and might never replace him
with another。 A golden possibility of perpetual tenancy of her
present home began to float once more through Francesca's mind。 As
long as Emmeline had been unbespoken in the marriage market there
had always been the haunting likelihood of seeing the dreaded
announcement； 〃a marriage has been arranged and will shortly take
place；〃 in connection with her name。 And now a marriage had been
arranged and would not shortly take place； might indeed never take
place。 St。 Michael's information was likely to be correct in this
instance； he would never have invented a piece of matrimonial
intelligence which gave such little scope for supplementary detail
of the kind he loved to supply。 As Francesca turned to watch the
fourth act of the play； her mind was singing a paean of
thankfulness and exultation。 It was as though some artificer sent
by the Gods had reinforced with a substantial cord the horsehair
thread that held up the sword of Damocles over her head。 Her love
for her home； for her treasured household possessions； and her
pleasant social life was able to expand once more in present
security； and feed on future hope。 She was still young enough to
count four or five years as a long time； and to…night she was
optimistic enough to prophesy smooth things of the future that lay
beyond that span。 Of the fourth act； with its carefully held back
but obviously imminent reconciliation between the leading
characters； she took in but little； except that she vaguely
understood it to have a happy ending。 As the lights went up she
looked round on the dispersing audience with a feeling of
friendliness uppermost in her mind； even the sight of Elaine de
Frey and Courtenay Youghal leaving the theatre together did not
inspire her with a tenth part of the annoyance that their entrance
had caused her。 Serena's invitation to go on to the Savoy for
supper fitted in exactly with her mood of exhilaration。 It would
be a fit and appropriate wind…up to an auspicious evening。 The
cold chicken and modest brand of Chablis waiting for her at home
should give way to a banquet of more festive nature。
In the crush of the vestibule； friends and enemies； personal and
political； were jostled and locked together in the general effort
to rejoin temporarily estranged garments and secure the attendance
of elusive vehicles。 Lady Caroline found herself at close quarters
with the estimable Henry Greech； and experienced some of the joy
which comes to the homeward wending sportsman when a chance shot
presents itself on which he may expend his remaining cartridges。
〃So the Government is going to climb down； after all；〃 she said；
with a provocative assumption of private information on the
subject。
〃I assure you the Government will do nothing of the kind；〃 replied
the Member of Parliament with befitting dignity； 〃the Prime
Minister told me last night that under no circumstances … 〃
〃My dear Mr。 Greech；〃 said Lady Caroline； 〃we all know that Prime
Ministers are wedded to the truth； but like other wedded couples
they sometimes live apart。〃
For her； at any rate； the comedy had had a happy ending。
Comus made his way slowly and lingeringly from the stalls； so
slowly that the lights were already being turned down and great
shroud…like dust…cloths were being swaythed over the ornamental
gilt…work。 The laughing； chattering； yawning throng had filtered
out of the vestibule； and was melting away in final groups from the
steps of the theatre。 An impatient attendant gave him his coat and
locked up the cloak room。 Comus stepped out under the portico； he
looked at the posters announcing the play； and in anticipation he
could see other posters announcing its 200th performance。 Two
hundred performances； by that time the Straw Exchange Theatre would
be to him something so remote and unreal that it would hardly seem
to exist or to have ever existed except in his fancy。 And to the
laughing chattering throng that would pass in under that portico to
the 200th performance； he would be； to those that had known him；
something equally remote and non…existent。 〃The good…looking
Bassington boy？ Oh； dead； or rubber…growing or sheep…farming or
something of that sort。〃
CHAPTER XIV
THE farewell dinner which Francesca had hurriedly organised in
honour of her son's departure threatened from the outset to be a
doubtfully successful function。 In the first place； as he observed
privately； there was very little of Comus and a good deal of
farewell in it。 His own particular friends were unrepresented。
Courtenay Youghal was out of the question； and though Francesca
would have stretched a point and welcomed some of his other male
associates of whom she scarcely approved； he himself had been
opposed to including any of them in the invitations。 On the other
hand； as Henry Greech had provided Comus with this job that he was
going out to； and was； moreover； finding part of the money for the
necessary outfit； Francesca had felt it her duty to ask him and his
wife to the dinner； the obtuseness that seems to cling to some
people like a garment throughout their life had caused Mr。 Greech
to accept the invitation。 When Comus heard of the circumstance he
laughed long and boisterously； his spirits； Francesca noted； seemed
to be rising fast as the hour for departure drew near。
The other guests included Serena Golackly and Lady Veula； the
latter having been asked on the inspiration of the moment at the
theatrical first…night。 In the height of the Season it was not
easy to get together a goodly selection of guests at short notice；
and Francesca had gladly fallen in with Serena's suggestion of
bringing with her Stephen Thorle； who was alleged； in loose
feminine phrasing； to 〃know all about〃 tropical Africa。 His
travels and experiences in those regions probably did not cover
much ground or stretch over any great length of time； but he was
one of those individuals who can describe a continent on the
strength of a few days' stay in a coast town as intimately and
dogmatically as a paleontologist will reconstruct an extinct mammal
from the evidence of a stray shin bone。 He had the loud
penetrating voice and the prominent penetrating eyes o