not the son of Mr. William Bax. There was a pause. Then Mrs. Thornbury
remarked that she was still in the habit of saying Queen instead of
King in the National Anthem. There was another pause. Then Miss Allan
observed reflectively that going to church abroad always made her feel
as if she had been to a sailor's funeral.

There was then a very long pause, which threatened to be final, when,
mercifully, a bird about the size of a magpie, but of a metallic blue
colour, appeared on the section of the terrace that could be seen from
where they sat. Mrs. Thornbury was led to enquire whether we should
like it if all our rooks were blue--"What do _you_ think, William?" she
asked, touching her husband on the knee.

"If all our rooks were blue," he said,--he raised his glasses;
he actually placed them on his nose--"they would not live long in
Wiltshire," he concluded; he dropped his glasses to his side again. The
three elderly people now gazed meditatively at the bird, which was so
obliging as to stay in the middle of the view for a considerable space
of time, thus making it unnecessary for them to speak again. Hewet began
to wonder whether he might not cross over to the Flushings' corner, when
Hirst appeared from the background, slipped into a chair by Rachel's
side, and began to talk to her with every appearance of familiarity.
Hewet could stand it no longer. He rose, took his hat and dashed out of
doors.





Chapter XVIII