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of foreign affairs。 The young politician had not the strength of
character or convictions that keeps a man naturally in the
forefront of affairs and gives his counsels a sterling value； and
on the other hand his insincerity was not deep enough to allow him
to pose artificially and successfully as a leader of men and shaper
of movements。 For the moment； however； his place in public life
was sufficiently marked out to give him a secure footing in that
world where people are counted individually and not in herds。 The
woman whom he would make his wife would have the chance； too； if
she had the will and the skill； to become an individual who
counted。
There was balm to Elaine in this reflection； yet it did not wholly
suffice to drive out the feeling of pique which Comus had called
into being by his slighting view of her as a convenient cash supply
in moments of emergency。 She found a certain satisfaction in
scrupulously observing her promise； made earlier on that eventful
day； and sent off a messenger with the stipulated loan。 Then a
reaction of compunction set in； and she reminded herself that in
fairness she ought to write and tell her news in as friendly a
fashion as possible to her dismissed suitor before it burst upon
him from some other quarter。 They had parted on more or less
quarrelling terms it was true； but neither of them had foreseen the
finality of the parting nor the permanence of the breach between
them； Comus might even now be thinking himself half…forgiven； and
the awakening would be rather cruel。 The letter； however； did not
prove an easy one to write； not only did it present difficulties of
its own but it suffered from the competing urgency of a desire to
be doing something far pleasanter than writing explanatory and
valedictory phrases。 Elaine was possessed with an unusual but
quite over…mastering hankering to visit her cousin Suzette
Brankley。 They met but rarely at each other's houses and very
seldom anywhere else； and Elaine for her part was never conscious
of feeling that their opportunities for intercourse lacked anything
in the way of adequacy。 Suzette accorded her just that touch of
patronage which a moderately well…off and immoderately dull girl
will usually try to mete out to an acquaintance who is known to be
wealthy and suspected of possessing brains。 In return Elaine armed
herself with that particular brand of mock humility which can be so
terribly disconcerting if properly wielded。 No quarrel of any
description stood between them and one could not legitimately have
described them as enemies； but they never disarmed in one another's
presence。 A misfortune of any magnitude falling on one of them
would have been sincerely regretted by the other； but any minor
discomfiture would have produced a feeling very much akin to
satisfaction。 Human nature knows millions of these inconsequent
little feuds； springing up and flourishing apart from any basis of
racial； political； religious or economic causes； as a hint perhaps
to crass unseeing altruists that enmity has its place and purpose
in the world as well as benevolence。
Elaine had not personally congratulated Suzette since the formal
announcement of her engagement to the young man with the
dissentient tailoring effects。 The impulse to go and do so now；
overmastered her sense of what was due to Comus in the way of
explanation。 The letter was still in its blank unwritten stage； an
unmarshalled sequence of sentences forming in her brain； when she
ordered her car and made a hurried but well…thought…out change into
her most sumptuously sober afternoon toilette。 Suzette； she felt
tolerably sure； would still be in the costume that she had worn in
the Park that morning； a costume that aimed at elaboration of
detail； and was damned with overmuch success。
Suzette's mother welcomed her unexpected visitor with obvious
satisfaction。 Her daughter's engagement； she explained； was not so
brilliant from the social point of view as a girl of Suzette's
attractions and advantages might have legitimately aspired to； but
Egbert was a thoroughly commendable and dependable young man； who
would very probably win his way before long to membership of the
County Council。
〃From there； of course； the road would be open to him to higher
things。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Elaine； 〃he might become an alderman。〃
〃Have you seen their photographs； taken together？〃 asked Mrs。
Brankley； abandoning the subject of Egbert's prospective career。
〃No； do show me；〃 said Elaine； with a flattering show of interest；
〃I've never seen that sort of thing before。 It used to be the
fashion once for engaged couples to be photographed together；
didn't it？〃
〃It's VERY much the fashion now；〃 said Mrs。 Brankley assertively；
but some of the complacency had filtered out of her voice。 Suzette
came into the room； wearing the dress that she had worn in the Park
that morning。
〃Of course； you've been hearing all about THE engagement from
mother；〃 she cried； and then set to work conscientiously to cover
the same ground。
〃We met at Grindelwald； you know。 He always calls me his Ice
Maiden because we first got to know each other on the skating rink。
Quite romantic； wasn't it？ Then we asked him to tea one day； and
we got to be quite friendly。 Then he proposed。〃
〃He wasn't the only one who was smitten with Suzette；〃 Mrs。
Brankley hastened to put in； fearful lest Elaine might suppose that
Egbert had had things all his own way。 〃There was an American
millionaire who was quite taken with her； and a Polish count of a
very old family。 I assure you I felt quite nervous at some of our
tea…parties。〃
Mrs。 Brankley had given Grindelwald a sinister but rather alluring
reputation among a large circle of untravelled friends as a place
where the insolence of birth and wealth was held in precarious
check from breaking forth into scenes of savage violence。
〃My marriage with Egbert will； of course； enlarge the sphere of my
life enormously；〃 pursued Suzette。
〃Yes；〃 said Elaine； her eyes were rather remorselessly taking in
the details of her cousin's toilette。 It is said that nothing is
sadder than victory except defeat。 Suzette began to feel that the
tragedy of both was concentrated in the creation which had given
her such unalloyed gratification； till Elaine had come on the
scene。
〃A woman can be so immensely helpful in the social way to a man who
is making a career for himself。 And I'm so glad to find that we've
a great many ideas in common。 We each made out a list of our idea
of the hundred best books； and quite a number of them were the
same。〃
〃He looks bookish；〃 said Elaine； with a critical glance at the
photograph。
〃Oh； he's not at all a bookworm；〃 said Suzette quickly； 〃though
he's tremendously well…read。 He's quite the man of acti