按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
and a titled woman of some sort in the chair； and he'll be
perfectly happy； I must say I hadn't realised how overpowering he
might be at a small dinner…party。〃
〃I should say he was a very good man；〃 said Mrs。 Greech； she had
forgiven the mutilation of her soup…plate story。
The party broke up early as most of the guests had other
engagements to keep。 With a belated recognition of the farewell
nature of the occasion they made pleasant little good…bye remarks
to Comus； with the usual predictions of prosperity and
anticipations of an ultimate auspicious return。 Even Henry Greech
sank his personal dislike of the boy for the moment； and made
hearty jocular allusions to a home…coming； which； in the elder
man's eyes； seemed possibly pleasantly remote。 Lady Veula alone
made no reference to the future； she simply said； 〃Good…bye；
Comus；〃 but her voice was the kindest of all and he responded with
a look of gratitude。 The weariness in her eyes was more marked
than ever as she lay back against the cushions of her carriage。
〃What a tragedy life is；〃 she said； aloud to herself。
Serena and Stephen Thorle were the last to leave； and Francesca
stood alone for a moment at the head of the stairway watching Comus
laughing and chatting as he escorted the departing guests to the
door。 The ice…wall was melting under the influence of coming
separation； and never had he looked more adorably handsome in her
eyes； never had his merry laugh and mischief…loving gaiety seemed
more infectious than on this night of his farewell banquet。 She
was glad enough that he was going away from a life of idleness and
extravagance and temptation； but she began to suspect that she
would miss； for a little while at any rate； the high…spirited boy
who could be so attractive in his better moods。 Her impulse； after
the guests had gone； was to call him to her and hold him once more
in her arms； and repeat her wishes for his happiness and good…luck
in the land he was going to； and her promise of his welcome back；
some not too distant day； to the land he was leaving。 She wanted
to forget； and to make him forget； the months of irritable jangling
and sharp discussions； the months of cold aloofness and
indifference and to remember only that he was her own dear Comus as
in the days of yore； before he had grown from an unmanageable
pickle into a weariful problem。 But she feared lest she should
break down； and she did not wish to cloud his light…hearted gaiety
on the very eve of his departure。 She watched him for a moment as
he stood in the hall； settling his tie before a mirror； and then
went quietly back to her drawing…room。 It had not been a very
successful dinner party； and the general effect it had left on her
was one of depression。
Comus； with a lively musical…comedy air on his lips； and a look of
wretchedness in his eyes； went out to visit the haunts that he was
leaving so soon。
CHAPTER XV
ELAINE YOUGHAL sat at lunch in the Speise Saal of one of Vienna's
costlier hotels。 The double…headed eagle； with its 〃K。u。K。〃
legend； everywhere met the eye and announced the imperial favour in
which the establishment basked。 Some several square yards of
yellow bunting； charged with the image of another double…headed
eagle； floating from the highest flag…staff above the building；
betrayed to the initiated the fact that a Russian Grand Duke was
concealed somewhere on the premises。 Unannounced by heraldic
symbolism but unconcealable by reason of nature's own blazonry；
were several citizens and citizenesses of the great republic of the
Western world。 One or two Cobdenite members of the British
Parliament engaged in the useful task of proving that the cost of
living in Vienna was on an exorbitant scale； flitted with
restrained importance through a land whose fatness they had come to
spy out； every fancied over…charge in their bills was welcome as
providing another nail in the coffin of their fiscal opponents。 It
is the glory of democracies that they may be misled but never
driven。 Here and there； like brave deeds in a dust…patterned
world； flashed and glittered the sumptuous uniforms of
representatives of the Austrian military caste。 Also in evidence；
at discreet intervals； were stray units of the Semetic tribe that
nineteen centuries of European neglect had been unable to mislay。
Elaine sitting with Courtenay at an elaborately appointed luncheon
table； gay with high goblets of Bohemian glassware； was mistress of
three discoveries。 First； to her disappointment； that if you
frequent the more expensive hotels of Europe you must be prepared
to find； in whatever country you may chance to be staying； a
depressing international likeness between them all。 Secondly； to
her relief； that one is not expected to be sentimentally amorous
during a modern honeymoon。 Thirdly； rather to her dismay； that
Courtenay Youghal did not necessarily expect her to be markedly
affectionate in private。 Someone had described him； after their
marriage； as one of Nature's bachelors； and she began to see how
aptly the description fitted him。
〃Will those Germans on our left never stop talking？〃 she asked； as
an undying flow of Teutonic small talk rattled and jangled across
the intervening stretch of carpet。 〃Not one of those three women
has ceased talking for an instant since we've been sitting here。〃
〃They will presently； if only for a moment；〃 said Courtenay； 〃when
the dish you have ordered comes in there will be a deathly silence
at the next table。 No German can see a PLAT brought in for someone
else without being possessed with a great fear that it represents a
more toothsome morsel or a better money's worth than what he has
ordered for himself。〃
The exuberant Teutonic chatter was balanced on the other side of
the room by an even more penetrating conversation unflaggingly
maintained by a party of Americans； who were sitting in judgment on
the cuisine of the country they were passing through； and finding
few extenuating circumstances。
〃What Mr。 Lonkins wants is a real DEEP cherry pie；〃 announced a
lady in a tone of dramatic and honest conviction。
〃Why； yes； that is so；〃 corroborated a gentleman who was apparently
the Mr。 Lonkins in question； 〃a real DEEP cherry pie。〃
〃We had the same trouble way back in Paris；〃 proclaimed another
lady； 〃little Jerome and the girls don't want to eat any more CREME
RENVERSEE。 I'd give anything if they could get some real cherry
pie。〃
〃Real DEEP cherry pie；〃 assented Mr。 Lonkins。
〃Way down in Ohio we used to have peach pie that was real good；〃
said Mrs。 Lonkins； turning on a tap of reminiscence that presently
flowed to a cascade。 The subject of pies seemed to lend itself to
indefinite expansion。
〃Do those people think of nothing but their food？〃 asked Elaine； as
the virtu