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splendid to her young friend； over the way she was made free of the
greatest housesthe way； especially when she did the dinner…
tables； set out so often for twenty； she felt that a single step
more would transform her whole social position。 On its being asked
of her then if she circulated only in a sort of tropical solitude；
with the upper servants for picturesque natives； and on her having
to assent to this glance at her limitations； she had found a reply
to the girl's invidious question。 〃You've no imagination； my
dear！〃that was because a door more than half open to the higher
life couldn't be called anything but a thin partition。 Mrs。
Jordan's imagination quite did away with the thickness。
Our young lady had not taken up the charge； had dealt with it good…
humouredly； just because she knew so well what to think of it。 It
was at once one of her most cherished complaints and most secret
supports that people didn't understand her； and it was accordingly
a matter of indifference to her that Mrs。 Jordan shouldn't； even
though Mrs。 Jordan； handed down from their early twilight of
gentility and also the victim of reverses； was the only member of
her circle in whom she recognised an equal。 She was perfectly
aware that her imaginative life was the life in which she spent
most of her time； and she would have been ready； had it been at all
worth while； to contend that； since her outward occupation didn't
kill it； it must be strong indeed。 Combinations of flowers and
green…stuff； forsooth！ What SHE could handle freely； she said to
herself； was combinations of men and women。 The only weakness in
her faculty came from the positive abundance of her contact with
the human herd； this was so constant； it had so the effect of
cheapening her privilege； that there were long stretches in which
inspiration； divination and interest quite dropped。 The great
thing was the flashes； the quick revivals； absolute accidents all；
and neither to be counted on nor to be resisted。 Some one had only
sometimes to put in a penny for a stamp and the whole thing was
upon her。 She was so absurdly constructed that these were
literally the moments that made upmade up for the long stiffness
of sitting there in the stocks； made up for the cunning hostility
of Mr。 Buckton and the importunate sympathy of the counter…clerk；
made up for the daily deadly flourishy letter from Mr。 Mudge； made
up even for the most haunting of her worries； the rage at moments
of not knowing how her mother did 〃get it。〃
She had surrendered herself moreover of late to a certain expansion
of her consciousness； something that seemed perhaps vulgarly
accounted for by the fact that； as the blast of the season roared
louder and the waves of fashion tossed their spray further over the
counter； there were more impressions to be gathered and reallyfor
it came to thatmore life to be led。 Definite at any rate it was
that by the time May was well started the kind of company she kept
at Cocker's had begun to strike her as a reasona reason she might
almost put forward for a policy of procrastination。 It sounded
silly； of course； as yet； to plead such a motive； especially as the
fascination of the place was after all a sort of torment。 But she
liked her torment； it was a torment she should miss at Chalk Farm。
She was ingenious and uncandid； therefore； about leaving the
breadth of London a little longer between herself and that
austerity。 If she hadn't quite the courage in short to say to Mr。
Mudge that her actual chance for a play of mind was worth any week
the three shillings he desired to help her to save； she yet saw
something happen in the course of the month that in her heart of
hearts at least answered the subtle question。 This was connected
precisely with the appearance of the memorable lady。
CHAPTER III
She pushed in three bescribbled forms which the girl's hand was
quick to appropriate； Mr。 Buckton having so frequent a perverse
instinct for catching first any eye that promised the sort of
entertainment with which she had her peculiar affinity。 The
amusements of captives are full of a desperate contrivance； and one
of our young friend's ha'pennyworths had been the charming tale of
〃Picciola。〃 It was of course the law of the place that they were
never to take no notice； as Mr。 Buckton said； whom they served； but
this also never prevented； certainly on the same gentleman's own
part； what he was fond of describing as the underhand game。 Both
her companions； for that matter； made no secret of the number of
favourites they had among the ladies； sweet familiarities in spite
of which she had repeatedly caught each of them in stupidities and
mistakes； confusions of identity and lapses of observation that
never failed to remind her how the cleverness of men ends where the
cleverness of women begins。 〃Marguerite； Regent Street。 Try on at
six。 All Spanish lace。 Pearls。 The full length。〃 That was the
first； it had no signature。 〃Lady Agnes Orme； Hyde Park Place。
Impossible to…night； dining Haddon。 Opera to…morrow； promised
Fritz； but could do play Wednesday。 Will try Haddon for Savoy； and
anything in the world you like； if you can get Gussy。 Sunday
Montenero。 Sit Mason Monday； Tuesday。 Marguerite awful。 Cissy。〃
That was the second。 The third； the girl noted when she took it；
was on a foreign form： 〃Everard； Hotel Brighton； Paris。 Only
understand and believe。 22nd to 26th； and certainly 8th and 9th。
Perhaps others。 Come。 Mary。〃
Mary was very handsome； the handsomest woman； she felt in a moment；
she had ever seenor perhaps it was only Cissy。 Perhaps it was
both； for she had seen stranger things than thatladies wiring to
different persons under different names。 She had seen all sorts of
things and pieced together all sorts of mysteries。 There had once
been onenot long beforewho； without winking； sent off five over
five different signatures。 Perhaps these represented five
different friends who had asked herall women； just as perhaps now
Mary and Cissy； or one or other of them； were wiring by deputy。
Sometimes she put in too muchtoo much of her own sense； sometimes
she put in too little； and in either case this often came round to
her afterwards； for she had an extraordinary way of keeping clues。
When she noticed she noticed； that was what it came to。 There were
days and days； there were weeks sometimes； of vacancy。 This arose
often from Mr。 Buckton's devilish and successful subterfuges for
keeping her at the sounder whenever it looked as if anything might
arouse； the sounder； which it was equally his business to mind；
being the innermost cell of captivity； a cage within the cage；
fenced oft from the rest by a frame of ground glass。 The counter…
clerk would have played into her hands； but the counter…clerk was
really reduced to idiocy by the effect of his passion for her。 She
flattered herself moreover； nobly； that with the