Michael got out, and all the way downstairs he
looked for the tailbetween his legs.
Now the staff would turn on the wireless. He went
into his study, conscious that his wifewas following.
Before turning round again Wilfrid made himself a
drink andfinished it. Instantly shescrambled up, and stood, as it were, lost. Had
her instinct to wait forWilfrid to make the first move been wrong?
Perhapsits nothing, but being so sudden, I . Sir
Lawrence played a tune with his fingers on the window-pane. He closed so utterly
that the whip wasuseless and Muskham dropped it.
Youre right, Michael, said Sir Lawrence
unexpectedly. Her hand was still over her mouth, for her lips
weretrembling.
You were quite right, he said; I thought Id let you
know. A moment later they heard her cab move off.
Im sorry, said Wilfrid; you meant well, but you
cant help. Perhapsits nothing, but being so sudden, I . You were a brick to me when
I was up against it.
The stars in theircourses fought against
her!
He followed slowly upstairs, and for some
littletime stood in the doorway of his dressing-room.
None of the rest of us can, for one reason or
another. She walked fast, giddy and strange in herhead, and nothing but the word:
So! He heard hurrying footsteps, and, turning round, saw Desert behindhim. Inoticed
him distraight, miss, when I took the whisky in. Muskham could not pretend this was
not a publicoccasion. Is that paragraph in this mornings paper correct, about a
fightat Royston? Ill give him till eleven,thought Michael.
None of the rest of us can, for one reason or
another.
I ought to have known hed do that, thought Michael;
there goesmy chance! It would but wound his pride still further.
Well, said Dinny, shake hands, and remember what I
said.
Did theancients really believe that, or was it,
with them, as with her,just a manner of speaking?