about him: he could feel that he and Nataly stood in the minds of the
worthy people variously with the brightness if not with the warmth
distinguishable in the bosom of Beaves Urmsing--the idea of whom gave
Lakelands an immediate hearth-glow.

Armandine was thirteen minutes, by his watch, behind the time she had
named. Small blame to her. He excused her to Lady Carmine, Lady
Swanage, Lady Blachington, Mrs. Fanning, Sir Abraham Quatley, Mr. Danny
(of Bacon fame) and the rest of the group surrounding Nataly on the mound
leftward of the white terraces descending to the lake; where she stood
beating her foot fretfully at the word brought by Nesta, that Dartrey
Fenellan had departed. It was her sunshine departed. But she went
through her task of conversing amiably. Colney, for a wonder, consented
to be useful in assisting Fenellan to relate stories of French Cooks;
which were, like the Royal Hanoverian oyster, of an age for offering
acceptable flavour to English hearers. Nesta drew her mother's attention
to Priscilla Graves and Skepsey; the latter bending head and assenting.
Nataly spoke of the charm of Priscilla's voice that day, in her duet with
the Rev. Septimus. Mr. Pempton looked; he saw that Priscilla was
proselytizing. She was perfection to him but for one blotting thing.
With grief on his eyelids, he said to Nataly or to himself: 'Meat!'

'Dear friend, don't ride your hobby over us,' she replied.

'But it's with that object they mount it,' said Victor.

The greater ladies of the assembly were quite ready to accuse the
sections, down to the individuals, of the social English (reserving our
elect) of an itch to be tyrants.