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The Crown of Life by George Gissing
page 89 of 482 (18%)
perceive his hostess. Mrs. Jacks, for a moment, failed to remember
him; but needless to say that this did not appear in her greeting,
which, as she recollected, dropped upon a tone of special
friendliness. To her, Piers Otway was the least interesting of young
men; but her husband had spoken of him very favourably, and Mrs.
Jacks had a fine sense of her duty on such points. Piers was dazzled
by the lady's personal charm; her brilliantly pure complexion, her
faultless shoulders and soft white arms, her pose of consummate
dignity and courtesy. Happily, his instincts and his breeding held
their own against perilous circumstance; excited as he was, nothing
of the cause appeared in his brief colloquy with the hostess, and he
acquitted himself very creditably. A little farther on, John Jacks
advanced to him with cordial welcome.

"So glad you could come. By the bye"--he lowered his voice--"if
you have any trouble about trains back to Ewell, do let us put you
up for the night. Just stay or not, as you like. Delighted if you
do."

Piers replied that he was staying at his brother's. Whereupon John
Jacks became suddenly thoughtful, said, "Ah, I see," and with a
pleasant smile turned to someone else. Only when it was too late did
Piers remember that Mr. Jacks possibly had a private opinion about
Jerome Otway's elder sons. He wished, above all things, that he
could have accepted the invitation. But doubtless it would be
repeated some other time.

As he looked about him at the gathering guests, he recalled his
depression this afternoon in Bryanston Square, and it seemed to him
so ridiculous that he could have laughed aloud. As if he would not
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