She had a charming way of putting her head on one
sideand bending towards him.
People dont like being looked at, said Sara, when
theyretalking to themselves. Then Maggie bent over and looked at the child. He
hesitated;they were alone now; should he stay, or should he go?
Suddenly he said aloud:Possessiveness is the devil.
You neednt talk in a whisper, she said aloud.
I only think of better families when I dine inthis
sort of place, he thought.
The great man let himselfslowly down into a chair
beside his old friend Lady Warburton.
So Im just on time, hethought, and paid the driver.
Thats Mama fetching me, said Ann, advancing down the room with alittle flutter. Its
the spring, he said, as she passed them. Kitty glanced at it and then turned away.
You neednt put yourself to all that trouble, my goodfellow, Martin felt inclined to
say to him.
He was thinking that he had forgotten something;
but what,he did not know. He took off his hat and laidit on the grass.
I always want to take a knife and scrape it all
off, she said.
Joostice and liberty, said Martin, repeating his
words, as thefist thumped on the railing.
Im afraid I must, said Ann, withdrawing her
hand.
Heheard a paper boy calling in the street below,
and the hooting ofhorns.
The party was bound to break upsoon; it was only
the prelude to another party.
The door opened almost before he touched the bell,
as if he hadtrod on a spring.
Theyre like drops of glass under water, he
thought.
She glanced at the clock on her
dressing-table.
She looked at him asif she were bringing him back
to the field of vision. As theyreached her, the distant sound of a clock striking
was wafted onthe breeze.
He had let down a mask of infinitely wise tolerance
over hisface as she harangued them. Was it Grandpapa on the cob, or was it Uncle
William?
He stood for a seconddrawing at his pipe.