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unfitted to understand the drift of his feelings or the impulses
that governed them。 Fate had endowed her with a son； in limiting
the endowment to a solitary offspring Fate had certainly shown a
moderation which Francesca was perfectly willing to acknowledge and
be thankful for； but then； as she pointed out to a certain
complacent friend of hers who cheerfully sustained an endowment of
half…a…dozen male offsprings and a girl or two； her one child was
Comus。 Moderation in numbers was more than counterbalanced in his
case by extravagance in characteristics。
Francesca mentally compared her son with hundreds of other young
men whom she saw around her； steadily； and no doubt happily；
engaged in the process of transforming themselves from nice boys
into useful citizens。 Most of them had occupations； or were
industriously engaged in qualifying for such； in their leisure
moments they smoked reasonably…priced cigarettes； went to the
cheaper seats at music…halls； watched an occasional cricket match
at Lord's with apparent interest； saw most of the world's
spectacular events through the medium of the cinematograph； and
were wont to exchange at parting seemingly superfluous injunctions
to 〃be good。〃 The whole of Bond Street and many of the tributary
thoroughfares of Piccadilly might have been swept off the face of
modern London without in any way interfering with the supply of
their daily wants。 They were doubtless dull as acquaintances； but
as sons they would have been eminently restful。 With a growing
sense of irritation Francesca compared these deserving young men
with her own intractable offspring； and wondered why Fate should
have singled her out to be the parent of such a vexatious variant
from a comfortable and desirable type。 As far as remunerative
achievement was concerned； Comus copied the insouciance of the
field lily with a dangerous fidelity。 Like his mother he looked
round with wistful irritation at the example afforded by
contemporary youth； but he concentrated his attention exclusively
on the richer circles of his acquaintance； young men who bought
cars and polo ponies as unconcernedly as he might purchase a
carnation for his buttonhole； and went for trips to Cairo or the
Tigris valley with less difficulty and finance…stretching than he
encountered in contriving a week…end at Brighton。
Gaiety and good…looks had carried Comus successfully and； on the
whole； pleasantly； through schooldays and a recurring succession of
holidays； the same desirable assets were still at his service to
advance him along his road； but it was a disconcerting experience
to find that they could not be relied on to go all distances at all
times。 In an animal world； and a fiercely competitive animal world
at that； something more was needed than the decorative ABANDON of
the field lily； and it was just that something more which Comus
seemed unable or unwilling to provide on his own account； it was
just the lack of that something more which left him sulking with
Fate over the numerous breakdowns and stumbling…blocks that held
him up on what he expected to be a triumphal or； at any rate；
unimpeded progress。
Francesca was； in her own way； fonder of Comus than of anyone else
in the world； and if he had been browning his skin somewhere east
of Suez she would probably have kissed his photograph with genuine
fervour every night before going to bed； the appearance of a
cholera scare or rumour of native rising in the columns of her
daily news…sheet would have caused her a flutter of anxiety； and
she would have mentally likened herself to a Spartan mother
sacrificing her best…beloved on the altar of State necessities。
But with the best…beloved installed under her roof； occupying an
unreasonable amount of cubic space； and demanding daily sacrifices
instead of providing the raw material for one； her feelings were
tinged with irritation rather than affection。 She might have
forgiven Comus generously for misdeeds of some gravity committed in
another continent； but she could never overlook the fact that out
of a dish of five plovers' eggs he was certain to take three。 The
absent may be always wrong； but they are seldom in a position to be
inconsiderate。
Thus a wall of ice had grown up gradually between mother and son； a
barrier across which they could hold converse； but which gave a
wintry chill even to the sparkle of their lightest words。 The boy
had the gift of being irresistibly amusing when he chose to exert
himself in that direction； and after a long series of moody or
jangling meal…sittings he would break forth into a torrential flow
of small talk； scandal and malicious anecdote； true or more
generally invented； to which Francesca listened with a relish and
appreciation； that was all the more flattering from being so
unwillingly bestowed。
〃If you chose your friends from a rather more reputable set you
would be doubtless less amusing； but there would be compensating
advantages。〃
Francesca snapped the remark out at lunch one day when she had been
betrayed into a broader smile than she considered the circumstances
of her attitude towards Comus warranted。
〃I'm going to move in quite decent society to…night；〃 replied Comus
with a pleased chuckle； 〃I'm going to meet you and Uncle Henry and
heaps of nice dull God…fearing people at dinner。〃
Francesca gave a little gasp of surprise and annoyance。
〃You don't mean to say Caroline has asked you to dinner to…night？〃
she said； 〃and of course without telling me。 How exceedingly like
her！〃
Lady Caroline Benaresq had reached that age when you can say and do
what you like in defiance of people's most sensitive feelings and
most cherished antipathies。 Not that she had waited to attain her
present age before pursuing that line of conduct； she came of a
family whose individual members went through life； from the nursery
to the grave； with as much tact and consideration as a cactus…hedge
might show in going through a crowded bathing tent。 It was a
compensating mercy that they disagreed rather more among themselves
than they did with the outside world； every known variety and shade
of religion and politics had been pressed into the family service
to avoid the possibility of any agreement on the larger essentials
of life； and such unlooked…for happenings as the Home Rule schism；
the Tariff…Reform upheaval and the Suffragette crusade were
thankfully seized on as furnishing occasion for further differences
and sub…divisions。 Lady Caroline's favourite scheme of
entertaining was to bring jarring and antagonistic elements into
close contact and play them remorselessly one against the other。
〃One gets much better results under those circumstances〃 she used
to observe； 〃than by asking people who wish to meet each other。
Few people talk as brilliantly to impress a friend as they do to
depress an enemy。〃
She admitted that her theory broke down rather badly if you applied
it to Parliamentary debates。 At her own dinner table its success
was usually triumphantly vindicated。
〃Who else is to be there？〃 Francesca asked； with some pardonable
misgiving。
〃Courtenay Youghal。 He'll probably sit next to you； so you'd
better think out a lot of annihilating remarks in readiness。 And
Elaine de Frey。〃
〃I don't think I've heard of her。 Who is she？〃
〃Nobody in particular； but rather nice…looking in a solemn sort of
way； and almost indecently rich。〃
〃Marry her〃 was the advice which sprang to Francesca's lips； but
she choked it back with a salted almond； having a rare perception
of the fact that words are sometimes given to us to defeat our
purposes。
〃Caroline has probably marked her down for Toby or one of the
grand…nephews；〃 she said； carelessly； 〃a little money would be
rather useful in that quarter； I imagine。〃
Comus tucked in his underlip with just the shade of pugnacity that
she wanted to see。
An advantageous marriage was so obviously the most sensible course
for him to embark on that she scarcely dared to hope that he would
seriously entertain it； yet there was just a chance that if he got
as far as the flirtation stage with an attractive （and attracted）
girl who was also an heiress； the sheer perversity of his nature
might carry him on to more definite courtship； if only from the
desire to thrust other more genuinely enamoured suitors into the
background。 It was a forlorn hope； so forlorn that the idea even
crossed her mind of throwing herself on the mercy of her BETE
NOIRE； Courtenay Youghal； and trying to enlist the influence which
he seemed to possess over Comus for the purpose of furthering her
hurriedly conceived project。 Anyhow； the dinner promised to be
more interesting than she had originally anticipated。
Lad