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I wonder you can think of such a thing! And we generally dine out." Mrs. Marvelle was silent again, and, when she did speak, it was on a less delicate matter. "When is your great 'crush, Clara?" she inquired, "You sent me a card, but I forget the date." "On the twenty-fifth," replied Lady Winsleigh. "This is the fifteenth.
And Mrs. Marvelle fixed her glasses more firmly on her small nose, and regarded her husband almost reproachfully. "Don't tell me, Montague, that you've forgotten that scandal about him!
Anyhow they seemed as jolly as pipers, as for that woman, she'll drive everybody out of their wits about her before half the season's over." "But she's a mere peasant!" said Mrs. Marvelle loftily. "Entirely uneducated a low, common creature!" "Ah, indeed!" and Sir Francis again yawned extensively. "Well, I don't know anything about that!
Then she resumed in her old careless way "You must be getting very goody-goody, Mimsey, to talk to me about my husband! Why don't you read me a lecture on the duties of wives and the education of children? I am sure you know how profoundly it would interest me!" She paced up and down the room slowly while Mrs. Marvelle remained discreetly silent.
Marvelle evidently enjoyed, flavored as it was with the high spice of scandal concerning their most immediate and mutual friends, who were, after much interesting discussion, one by one condemned as of "questionable" repute, and uncertain position. Then Lady Winsleigh summoned her maid, and was arrayed cap-a-pie in "carriage-toilette," while Mrs.
Meanwhile Mrs. Marvelle, in her way across the great hall to the "boo-dwar," had been interrupted and nearly knocked down by the playful embrace of a handsome boy, who sprang out upon her suddenly with a shout of laughter, a boy of about twelve years old, with frank, bright blue eyes and clustering dark curls. "Hullo, Mimsey!" cried this young gentleman-"here you are again!
Van Clupp is so very grateful!" She sighed placidly, and appeared to meditate. Then she smiled sweetly and, approaching Mr. Marvelle, patted his shoulder caressingly. "I think we'll do the Italian lakes, dear what do you say?" "Charming charming!" declared, not her lord and master, but her slave and vassal. "Nothing could be more delightful!" And to the Italian lakes accordingly they went.
"At a public-school, you see, the boys are educated on hard and fast lines all ground down to one pattern, there's no chance of any originality possible. But don't let me detain you, Mrs. Marvelle you have no doubt much to say to Lady Winsleigh. Come, Ernest! If I let you off Virgil, you must do the rest of your work thoroughly."
"Commend me to a woman for spite!" he said carelessly. "But I'll not presume to contradict you, Clara! You know best, I dare say! Ta-ta! I'll come for you to-night, you know we're bound for the theatre together. By-bye, Mrs. Marvelle! You look younger than ever!" And Sir Francis Lennox sauntered easily away, leaving the ladies to resume their journey through the Park.
Marvelle at once entered, and the occupant of the room sprang up in haste from her luxurious reading-chair, where she was having her long tresses brushed out by a prim-looking maid, and uttered an exclamation of delight. "My dearest Mimsey!" she cried, "this is quite too sweet of you! You're just the very person I wanted to see!"