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sacred distinction between the footmen and himself）。
〃Mrs。 Dennant；〃 replied this personage； raising his round and
hairless face； while on his mouth appeared that apologetic pout which
comes of living with good families〃Mrs。 Dennant has gone into the
village； sir； but Miss Antonia is in the morning…room。〃
Shelton crossed the panelled； low…roofed hall； through whose far side
the lawn was visible； a vision of serenity。 He mounted six wide；
shallow steps； and stopped。 From behind a closed door there came the
sound of scales； and he stood； a prey to his emotions； the notes
mingling in his ears with the beating of his heart。 He softly turned
the handle； a fixed smile on his lips。
Antonia was at the piano； her head was bobbing to the movements of
her fingers； and pressing down the pedals were her slim monotonously
moving feet。 She had been playing tennis； for a racquet and her tam…
o'…shanter were flung down； and she was dressed in a blue skirt and
creamy blouse； fitting collarless about her throat。 Her face was
flushed； and wore a little frown； and as her fingers raced along the
keys； her neck swayed； and the silk clung and shivered on her arms。
Shelton's eyes fastened on the silent； counting lips； on the fair
hair about her forehead； the darker eyebrows slanting down towards
the nose； the undimpled cheeks with the faint finger…marks beneath
the ice…blue eyes； the softly…pouting and undimpled chin； the whole
remote； sweet； suntouched； glacial face。
She turned her head； and； springing up； cried：
〃Dick！ What fun！〃 She gave him both her hands； but her smiling face
said very plainly； 〃Oh； don't let us be sentimental！〃
〃Are n't you glad to see me？〃 muttered Shelton。
〃Glad to see you！ You are funny； Dick！as if you did n't know！
Why； you 've shaved your beard！ Mother and Sybil have gone into the
village to see old Mrs。 Hopkins。 Shall we go out？ Thea and the boys
are playing tennis。 It's so jolly that you 've come！ 〃She caught up
the tam…o'…shanter； and pinned it to her hair。 Almost as tall as
Shelton； she looked taller； with arms raised and loose sleeves
quivering like wings to the movements of her fingers。 〃We might have
a game before lunch； you can have my other racquet。〃
〃I've got no things；〃 said Shelton blankly。
Her calm glance ran over him。
〃You can have some of old Bernard's； he's got any amount。 I'll wait
for you。〃 She swung her racquet； looked at Shelton； cried； 〃Be
quick！〃 and vanished。
Shelton ran up…stairs； and dressed in the undecided way of men
assuming other people's clothes。 She was in the hall when he
descended； humming a tune and prodding at her shoe； her smile showed
all her pearly upper teeth。 He caught hold of her sleeve and
whispered：
〃Antonia！〃
The colour rushed into her cheeks； she looked back across her
shoulder。
〃Come along； old Dick！〃 she cried； and； flinging open the glass
door； ran into the garden。
Shelton followed。
The tennis…ground was divided by tall netting from a paddock。 A holm
oak tree shaded one corner； and its thick dark foliage gave an
unexpected depth to the green smoothness of the scene。 As Shelton
and Antonia carne up； Bernard Dennant stopped and cordially grasped
Shelton's hand。 From the far side of the net Thea； in a shortish
skirt； tossed back her straight fair hair； and； warding off the sun；
came strolling up to them。 The umpire； a small boy of twelve； was
lying on his stomach； squealing and tickling a collie。 Shelton bent
and pulled his hair。
〃Hallo； Toddles！ you young ruffian！〃
One and all they stood round Shelton； and there was a frank and
pitiless inquiry in their eyes； in the angle of their noses something
chaffing and distrustful； as though about him were some subtle
poignant scent exciting curiosity and disapproval。
When the setts were over； and the girls resting in the double hammock
underneath the holm oak； Shelton went with Bernard to the paddock to
hunt for the lost balls。
〃I say； old chap；〃 said his old school…fellow； smiling dryly； 〃you're
in for a wigging from the Mater。〃
〃A wigging？〃 murmured Shelton。
〃I don't know much about it； but from something she let drop it seems
you've been saying some queer things in your letters to Antonia〃； and
again he looked at Shelton with his dry smile。
〃Queer things？〃 said the latter angrily。 〃 What d' you mean？〃
〃Oh； don't ask me。 The Mater thinks she's in a bad wayunsettled；
or what d' you call at。 You've been telling her that things are not
what they seem。 That's bad； you know〃； and still smiling he shook
his head。
Shelton dropped his eyes。
〃Well； they are n't！〃 he said。
〃Oh； that's all right！ But don't bring your philosophy down here；
old chap。〃
〃Philosophy！〃 said Shelton； puzzled。
〃Leave us a sacred prejudice or two。〃
〃Sacred！ Nothing's sacred； except〃 But Shelton did not finish his
remark。 〃I don't understand；〃 he said。
〃Ideals； that sort of thing！ You've been diving down below the line
of 'practical politics；' that's about the size of it； my boy〃； and；
stooping suddenly； he picked up the last ball。 〃There is the Mater！〃
Shelton saw Mrs。 Dennant coming down the lawn with her second
daughter； Sybil。
By the time they reached the holm oak the three girls had departed
towards the house； walking arm in arm； and Mrs。 Dennant was standing
there alone； in a grey dress； talking to an undergardener。 Her
hands； cased in tan gauntlets； held a basket which warded off the
bearded gardener from the severe but ample lines of her
useful…looking skirt。 The collie； erect upon his haunches； looked at
their two faces； pricking his ears in his endeavour to appreciate how
one of these two bipeds differed from the other。
〃Thank you； that 'll do； Bunyan。 Ah； Dick！ Charmin' to see you
here； at last！〃
In his intercourse with Mrs。 Dennant； Shelton never failed to mark
the typical nature of her personality。 It always seemed to him that
he had met so many other ladies like her。 He felt that her
undoubtable quality had a non…individual flavour； as if standing for
her class。 She thought that standing for herself was not the thing；
yet she was full of character。 Tall； with nose a trifle beaked；
long； sloping chin； and an assured； benevolent mouth； showing；
perhaps； too many teeththough thin； she was not unsubstantial。 Her
accent in speaking showed her heritage； it was a kind of drawl which
disregarded vulgar merits such as tone； leaned on some syllables； and
despised the final 'g'the peculiar accent； in fact； of aristocracy；
adding its deliberate joys to life。
Shelton knew that she had many interests； she was never really idle；
from the time （7 A。M。） when her maid brought her a little china pot
of tea with a single biscuit and her pet dog； Tops； till eleven
o'clock at night； when she lighted a wax candle in a silver
candlestick； and with this in