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Beyond that period lay chaos； the wrenching asunder of Francesca
from the sheltering habitation that had grown to be her soul。 It
is true that in imagination she had built herself a bridge across
the chasm； a bridge of a single span。 The bridge in question was
her schoolboy son Comus； now being educated somewhere in the
southern counties； or rather one should say the bridge consisted of
the possibility of his eventual marriage with Emmeline； in which
case Francesca saw herself still reigning； a trifle squeezed and
incommoded perhaps； but still reigning in the house in Blue Street。
The Van der Meulen would still catch its requisite afternoon light
in its place of honour； the Fremiet and the Dresden and Old
Worcester would continue undisturbed in their accustomed niches。
Emmeline could have the Japanese snuggery； where Francesca
sometimes drank her after…dinner coffee； as a separate drawing…
room； where she could put her own things。 The details of the
bridge structure had all been carefully thought out。 Only … it was
an unfortunate circumstance that Comus should have been the span on
which everything balanced。
Francesca's husband had insisted on giving the boy that strange
Pagan name； and had not lived long enough to judge as to the
appropriateness； or otherwise； of its significance。 In seventeen
years and some odd months Francesca had had ample opportunity for
forming an opinion concerning her son's characteristics。 The
spirit of mirthfulness which one associates with the name certainly
ran riot in the boy； but it was a twisted wayward sort of mirth of
which Francesca herself could seldom see the humorous side。 In her
brother Henry； who sat eating small cress sandwiches as solemnly as
though they had been ordained in some immemorial Book of
Observances； fate had been undisguisedly kind to her。 He might so
easily have married some pretty helpless little woman； and lived at
Notting Hill Gate； and been the father of a long string of pale；
clever useless children； who would have had birthdays and the sort
of illnesses that one is expected to send grapes to； and who would
have painted fatuous objects in a South Kensington manner as
Christmas offerings to an aunt whose cubic space for lumber was
limited。 Instead of committing these unbrotherly actions； which
are so frequent in family life that they might almost be called
brotherly； Henry had married a woman who had both money and a sense
of repose； and their one child had the brilliant virtue of never
saying anything which even its parents could consider worth
repeating。 Then he had gone into Parliament； possibly with the
idea of making his home life seem less dull； at any rate it
redeemed his career from insignificance； for no man whose death can
produce the item 〃another by…election〃 on the news posters can be
wholly a nonentity。 Henry； in short； who might have been an
embarrassment and a handicap； had chosen rather to be a friend and
counsellor； at times even an emergency bank balance； Francesca on
her part； with the partiality which a clever and lazily…inclined
woman often feels for a reliable fool； not only sought his counsel
but frequently followed it。 When convenient； moreover； she repaid
his loans。
Against this good service on the part of Fate in providing her with
Henry for a brother； Francesca could well set the plaguy malice of
the destiny that had given her Comus for a son。 The boy was one of
those untameable young lords of misrule that frolic and chafe
themselves through nursery and preparatory and public…school days
with the utmost allowance of storm and dust and dislocation and the
least possible amount of collar…work； and come somehow with a laugh
through a series of catastrophes that has reduced everyone else
concerned to tears or Cassandra…like forebodings。 Sometimes they
sober down in after…life and become uninteresting； forgetting that
they were ever lords of anything； sometimes Fate plays royally into
their hands； and they do great things in a spacious manner； and are
thanked by Parliaments and the Press and acclaimed by gala…day
crowds。 But in most cases their tragedy begins when they leave
school and turn themselves loose in a world that has grown too
civilised and too crowded and too empty to have any place for them。
And they are very many。
Henry Greech had made an end of biting small sandwiches； and
settled down like a dust…storm refreshed； to discuss one of the
fashionably prevalent topics of the moment； the prevention of
destitution。
〃It is a question that is only being nibbled at； smelt at； one
might say； at the present moment；〃 he observed； 〃but it is one that
will have to engage our serious attention and consideration before
long。 The first thing that we shall have to do is to get out of
the dilettante and academic way of approaching it。 We must collect
and assimilate hard facts。 It is a subject that ought to appeal to
all thinking minds； and yet； you know； I find it surprisingly
difficult to interest people in it。〃
Francesca made some monosyllabic response； a sort of sympathetic
grunt which was meant to indicate that she was； to a certain
extent； listening and appreciating。 In reality she was reflecting
that Henry possibly found it difficult to interest people in any
topic that he enlarged on。 His talents lay so thoroughly in the
direction of being uninteresting； that even as an eye…witness of
the massacre of St。 Bartholomew he would probably have infused a
flavour of boredom into his descriptions of the event。
〃I was speaking down in Leicestershire the other day on this
subject；〃 continued Henry； 〃and I pointed out at some length a
thing that few people ever stop to consider … 〃
Francesca went over immediately but decorously to the majority that
will not stop to consider。
〃Did you come across any of the Barnets when you were down there？〃
she interrupted； 〃Eliza Barnet is rather taken up with all those
subjects。〃
In the propagandist movements of Sociology； as in other arenas of
life and struggle； the fiercest competition and rivalry is
frequently to be found between closely allied types and species。
Eliza Barnet shared many of Henry Greech's political and social
views； but she also shared his fondness for pointing things out at
some length； there had been occasions when she had extensively
occupied the strictly limited span allotted to the platform oratory
of a group of speakers of whom Henry Greech had been an impatient
unit。 He might see eye to eye with her on the leading questions of
the day； but he persistently wore mental blinkers as far as her
estimable qualities were concerned； and the mention of her name was
a skilful lure drawn across the trail of his discourse； if
Francesca had to listen to his eloquence on any subject she much
preferred that it should be a disparagem