This Book was first published in March, 1904.



THE WOMAN WITH THE FAN

BY

ROBERT HICHENS



CHAPTER I

IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered
about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment
of a piano. The sound of the voice came from an inner room, towards which
most of these people were looking earnestly. Only one or two seemed
indifferent to the fascination of the singer.

A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back
on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin,
elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came. His
mouth worked slightly under his stiff white moustache, and his eyes, in
colour a faded blue, were fixed and stern. Upon his knees his thin and
lemon-coloured hands twitched nervously, as if they longed to grasp
something and hold it fast. The little dark woman glanced down at these
hands, and then sharply up at the elderly man's face. A faint and
malicious smile curved her full lips, which were artificially reddened,
and she turned her shoulder to him with deliberation and looked about the