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hurriedly conceived project。 Anyhow； the dinner promised to be
more interesting than she had originally anticipated。
Lady Caroline was a professed Socialist in politics； chiefly； it
was believed； because she was thus enabled to disagree with most of
the Liberals and Conservatives； and all the Socialists of the day。
She did not permit her Socialism； however； to penetrate below
stairs； her cook and butler had every encouragement to be
Individualists。 Francesca； who was a keen and intelligent food
critic； harboured no misgivings as to her hostess's kitchen and
cellar departments； some of the human side…dishes at the feast gave
her more ground for uneasiness。 Courtenay Youghal； for instance；
would probably be brilliantly silent； her brother Henry would
almost certainly be the reverse。
The dinner party was a large one and Francesca arrived late with
little time to take preliminary stock of the guests； a card with
the name； 〃Miss de Frey；〃 immediately opposite her own place at the
other side of the table； indicated； however； the whereabouts of the
heiress。 It was characteristic of Francesca that she first
carefully read the menu from end to end； and then indulged in an
equally careful though less open scrutiny of the girl who sat
opposite her； the girl who was nobody in particular； but whose
income was everything that could be desired。 She was pretty in a
restrained nut…brown fashion； and had a look of grave reflective
calm that probably masked a speculative unsettled temperament。 Her
pose； if one wished to be critical； was just a little too
elaborately careless。 She wore some excellently set rubies with
that indefinable air of having more at home that is so difficult to
improvise。 Francesca was distinctly pleased with her survey。
〃You seem interested in your VIS…A…VIS；〃 said Courtenay Youghal。
〃I almost think I've seen her before；〃 said Francesca； 〃her face
seems familiar to me。〃
〃The narrow gallery at the Louvre； attributed to Leonardo da
Vinci；〃 said Youghal。
〃Of course；〃 said Francesca； her feelings divided between
satisfaction at capturing an elusive impression and annoyance that
Youghal should have been her helper。 A stronger tinge of annoyance
possessed her when she heard the voice of Henry Greech raised in
painful prominence at Lady Caroline's end of the table。
〃I called on the Trudhams yesterday；〃 he announced； 〃it was their
Silver Wedding； you know； at least the day before was。 Such lots
of silver presents； quite a show。 Of course there were a great
many duplicates； but still； very nice to have。 I think they were
very pleased to get so many。〃
〃We must not grudge them their show of presents after their twenty…
five years of married life；〃 said Lady Caroline； gently； 〃it is the
silver lining to their cloud。〃
A third of the guests present were related to the Trudhams。
〃Lady Caroline is beginning well；〃 murmured Courtenay Youghal。
〃I should hardly call twenty…five years of married life a cloud；〃
said Henry Greech； lamely。
〃Don't let's talk about married life；〃 said a tall handsome woman；
who looked like some modern painter's conception of the goddess
Bellona； 〃it's my misfortune to write eternally about husbands and
wives and their variants。 My public expects it of me。 I do so
envy journalists who can write about plagues and strikes and
Anarchist plots； and other pleasing things； instead of being tied
down to one stale old topic。〃
〃Who is that woman and what has she written？〃 Francesca asked
Youghal； she dimly remembered having seen her at one of Serena
Golackly's gatherings； surrounded by a little Court of admirers。
〃I forget her name； she has a villa at San Remo or Mentone； or
somewhere where one does have villas； and plays an extraordinary
good game of bridge。 Also she has the reputation； rather rare in
your sex； of being a wonderfully sound judge of wine。〃
〃But what has she written？〃
〃Oh； several novels of the thinnish ice order。 Her last one； 'The
Woman who wished it was Wednesday；' has been banned at all the
libraries。 I expect you've read it。〃
〃I don't see why you should think so；〃 said Francesca； coldly。
〃Only because Comus lent me your copy yesterday；〃 said Youghal。 He
threw back his handsome head and gave her a sidelong glance of
quizzical amusement。 He knew that she hated his intimacy with
Comus； and he was secretly rather proud of his influence over the
boy； shallow and negative though he knew it to be。 It had been； on
his part； an unsought intimacy； and it would probably fall to
pieces the moment he tried seriously to take up the ROLE of mentor。
The fact that Comus's mother openly disapproved of the friendship
gave it perhaps its chief interest in the young politician's eyes。
Francesca turned her attention to her brother's end of the table。
Henry Greech had willingly availed himself of the invitation to
leave the subject of married life； and had launched forthwith into
the equally well…worn theme of current politics。 He was not a
person who was in much demand for public meetings； and the House
showed no great impatience to hear his views on the topics of the
moment； its impatience； indeed； was manifested rather in the
opposite direction。 Hence he was prone to unburden himself of
accumulated political wisdom as occasion presented itself …
sometimes； indeed； to assume an occasion that was hardly visible to
the naked intelligence。
〃Our opponents are engaged in a hopelessly uphill struggle； and
they know it；〃 he chirruped； defiantly； 〃they've become possessed；
like the Gadarene swine； with a whole legion of … 〃
〃Surely the Gadarene swine went downhill；〃 put in Lady Caroline in
a gently enquiring voice。
Henry Greech hastily abandoned simile and fell back on platitude
and the safer kinds of fact。
Francesca did not regard her brother's views on statecraft either
in the light of gospel or revelation； as Comus once remarked； they
more usually suggested exodus。 In the present instance she found
distraction in a renewed scrutiny of the girl opposite her； who
seemed to be only moderately interested in the conversational
efforts of the diners on either side of her。 Comus who was looking
and talking his best； was sitting at the further end of the table；
and Francesca was quick to notice in which direction the girl's
glances were continually straying。 Once or twice the eyes of the
young people met and a swift flush of pleasure and a half…smile
that spoke of good understanding came to the heiress's face。 It
did not need the gift of the traditional intuition of her sex to
enable Francesca to guess that the girl with the desirable banking
account was already considerably attracted by the lively young
Pagan who had； when he cared to practise it； such an art of winning
admiration。 For the first time for many； many months Francesca saw
her son's prospects in a rose…coloured setting； and she began；
unconsciously； to wonder exactly how much wealth was summed up in
the expressive label 〃almost indecently rich。〃 A wife with a
really large fortune and a correspondingly big dower of character
and ambition； might； perhaps； succeed in turning Comus's latent
energies into a groove which would provide him； if not with a
career； at least with an occupation； and the young serious face
opposite looked as if its owner lacked neither character or
ambition。 Francesca's speculations took a more personal turn。 Out
of the well…filled coffers with which her imagination was toying；
an inconsiderable sum might eventually be devoted to the leasing；
or even perhaps the purchase of； the house in Blue Street when the
present convenient arrangement should have come to an end； and
Francesca and the Van der Meulen would not be obliged to seek fresh
quarters。
A woman's voice； talking in a discreet undertone on the other side
of Courtenay Youghal； broke in on her bridge…building。
〃Tons of money and really very presentable。 Just the wife for a
rising young politician。 Go in and win her before she's snapped up
by some fortune hunter。〃
Youghal and his instructress in worldly wisdom were looking
straight across the table at the Leonardo da Vinci girl with the
grave reflective eyes and the over…emphasised air of repose。
Francesca felt a quick throb of anger against her match…making
neighbour； why； she asked herself； must some women； with no end or
purpose of their own to serve； except the sheer love of meddling in
the affairs of others； plunge their hands into plots and schemings
of this sort； in which the happiness of more than one person was
concerned？ And more clearly than ever she realised how thoroughly
she detested Courtenay Youghal。 She had disliked him as an evil
influence； setting before her son an ex