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or unnecessary … I've heaps of other cousins to go on with。 On the other
hand； when I'm staying with Hildegarde Shrubley I can never remember
the important circumstance whether her first husband got his unenviable
reputation on the Turf or the Stock Exchange； and that uncertainty rules
Sport and Finance out of the conversation at once。 One can never
mention travel； either； because her second husband had to live
permanently abroad。〃
〃Mrs。 Shrubley and I move in very different circles；〃 said Mrs。
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Eggelby stiffly。
〃No one who knows Hildegarde could possibly accuse her of
moving in a circle；〃 said Clovis； 〃her view of life seems to be a non…stop
run with an inexhaustible supply of petrol。 If she can get some one else
to pay for the petrol so much the better。 I don't mind confessing to
you that she has taught me more than any other woman I can think of。〃
〃What kind of knowledge？〃 demanded Mrs。 Eggelby； with the air a
jury might collectively wear when finding a verdict without leaving the
box。
〃Well； among other things； she's introduced me to at least four
different ways of cooking lobster；〃 said Clovis gratefully。 〃That； of
course； wouldn't appeal to you； people who abstain from the pleasures of
the card… table never really appreciate the finer possibilities of the
dining…table。 I suppose their powers of enlightened enjoyment get
atrophied from disuse。〃
〃An aunt of mine was very ill after eating a lobster；〃 said Mrs。
Eggelby。
〃I daresay； if we knew more of her history； we should find out that
she'd often been ill before eating the lobster。 Aren't you concealing the
fact that she'd had measles and influenza and nervous headache and
hysteria； and other things that aunts do have； long before she ate the
lobster？ Aunts that have never known a day's illness are very rare； in
fact； I don't personally know of any。 Of course if she ate it as a child
of two weeks old it might have been her first illness … and her last。 But
if that was the case I think you should have said so。〃
〃I must be going；〃 said Mrs。 Eggelby； in a tone which had been
thoroughly sterilised of even perfunctory regret。
Clovis rose with an air of graceful reluctance。
〃I have so enjoyed our little talk about Eric；〃 he said； 〃I quite look
forward to meeting him some day。〃
〃Good…bye；〃 said Mrs。 Eggelby frostily； the supplementary remark
which she made at the back of her throat was …
〃I'll take care that you never shall！〃
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A HOLIDAY TASK
KENELM JERTON entered the dining…hall of the Golden Galleon
Hotel in the full crush of the luncheon hour。 Nearly every seat was
occupied； and small additional tables had been brought in； where floor
space permitted； to accommodate latecomers； with the result that many
of the tables were almost touching each other。 Jerton was beckoned
by a waiter to the only vacant table that was discernible； and took his
seat with the uncomfortable and wholly groundless idea that nearly
every one in the room was staring at him。 He was a youngish man of
ordinary appearance； quiet of dress and unobtrusive of manner； and he
could never wholly rid himself of the idea that a fierce light of public
scrutiny beat on him as though he had been a notability or a super…nut。
After he had ordered his lunch there came the unavoidable interval of
waiting； with nothing to do but to stare at the flower… vase on his table and
to be stared at （in imagination） by several flappers； some maturer beings
of the same sex； and a satirical…looking Jew。 In order to carry off the
situation with some appearance of unconcern he became spuriously
interested in the contents of the flower…vase。
〃What is the name of these roses； d'you know？〃 he asked the waiter。
The waiter was ready at all times to conceal his ignorance concerning
items of the wine…list or menu； he was frankly ignorant as to the specific
name of the roses。
〃AMY SYLVESTER PARTINGLON；〃 said a voice at Jerton's
elbow。
The voice came from a pleasant…faced； well…dressed young woman
who was sitting at a table that almost touched Jerton's。 He thanked her
hurriedly and nervously for the information； and made some
inconsequent remark about the flowers。
〃It is a curious thing；〃 said the young woman； that； 〃I should be able
to tell you the name of those roses without an effort of memory； because
if you were to ask me my name I should be utterly unable to give it to
you。〃
Jerton had not harboured the least intention of extending his thirst
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for name…labels to his neighbour。 After her rather remarkable
announcement； however； he was obliged to say something in the way of
polite inquiry。
〃Yes；〃 answered the lady； 〃I suppose it is a case of partial loss of
memory。 I was in the train coming down here； my ticket told me that I
had come from Victoria and was bound for this place。 I had a couple of
five…pound notes and a sovereign on me； no visiting cards or any other
means of identification； and no idea as to who I am。 I can only hazily
recollect that I have a title； I am Lady Somebody … beyond that my mind
is a blank。〃
〃Hadn't you any luggage with you？〃 asked Jerton。
〃That is what I didn't know。 I knew the name of this hotel and
made up my mind to come here； and when the hotel porter who meets
t