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o'clock at night； when she lighted a wax candle in a silver
candlestick； and with this in one hand； and in the other a new novel；
or； better still； one of those charming volumes written by great
people about the still greater people they have met； she said good…
night to her children and her guests。 No！ What with photography；
the presidency of a local league； visiting the rich； superintending
all the poor； gardening； reading； keeping all her ideas so tidy that
no foreign notions might stray in； she was never idle。 The
information she collected from these sources was both vast and
varied； but she never let it flavour her opinions； which lacked
sauce； and were drawn from some sort of dish into which； with all her
class； she dipped her fingers。
He liked her。 No one could help liking her。 She was kind； and of
such good quality； with a suggestion about her of thin； excellent；
and useful china； and she was scented； toonot with verbena；
violets； or those essences which women love； but with nothing； as if
she had taken stand against all meretricity。 In her intercourse with
persons not 〃quite the thing〃 （she excepted the vicar from this
category； though his father had dealt in haberdashery）； her
refinement； gently； unobtrusively； and with great practical good
sense； seemed continually to murmur； 〃I am； and youwell； are you；
don't you know？〃 But there was no self…consciousness about this
attitude； for she was really not a common woman。 She simply could
not help it； all her people had done this。 Their nurses breathed
above them in their cradles something that； inhaled into their
systems； ever afterwards prevented them from taking good； clear
breaths。 And her manner！ Ah！ her mannerit concealed the inner
woman so as to leave doubt of her existence！
Shelton listened to the kindly briskness with which she dwelt upon
the under…gardener。
〃Poor Bunyan！ he lost his wife six months ago； and was quite cheerful
just at first； but now he 's really too distressin'。 I 've done all
I can to rouse him； it's so melancholy to see him mopin'。 And； my
dear Dick； the way he mangles the new rose…trees！ I'm afraid he's
goin' mad； I shall have to send him away； poor fellow！〃
It was clear that she sympathised with Bunyan； or； rather； believed
him entitled to a modicum of wholesome grief； the loss of wives being
a canonised and legal； sorrow。 But excesses！ O dear； no！
〃I 've told him I shall raise his wages；〃 she sighed。 〃He used to be
such a splendid gardener！ That reminds me； my dear Dick； I want to
have a talk with you。 Shall we go in to lunch？〃
Consulting the memorandum…book in which she had been noting the case
of Mrs。 Hopkins； she slightly preceded Shelton to the house。
It was somewhat late that afternoon when Shelton had his 〃wigging〃；
nor did it seem to him； hypnotised by the momentary absence of
Antonia； such a very serious affair。
〃Now； Dick；〃 the Honourable Mrs。 Dennant said； in her decisive drawl；
〃I don't think it 's right to put ideas into Antonia's head。〃
〃Ideas！〃 murmured Shelton in confusion。
〃We all know；〃 continued Mrs。 Dennant； 〃that things are not always
what they ought to be。〃
Shelton looked at her； she was seated at her writing…table；
addressing in her large； free writing a dinner invitation to a
bishop。 There was not the faintest trace of awkwardness about her；
yet Shelton could not help a certain sense of shock。 If sheshe
did not think things were what they ought to bein a bad way things
must be indeed！
〃Things！〃 he muttered。
Mrs。 Dennant looked at him firmly but kindly with the eyes that would
remind him of a hare's。
〃She showed me some of your letters； you know。 Well； it 's not a bit
of use denyin'； my dear Dick； that you've been thinkin' too much
lately。〃
Shelton perceived that he had done her an injustice； she handled
〃things〃 as she handled under…gardenersput them away when they
showed signs of running to extremes。
〃I can't help that； I 'm afraid；〃 he answered。
〃My dear boy！ you'll never get on that way。 Now； I want you to
promise me you won't talk to Antonia about those sort of things。〃
Shelton raised his eyebrows。
〃Oh； you know what I mean！〃
He saw that to press Mrs。 Dennant to say what she meant by 〃things〃
would really hurt her sense of form； it would be cruel to force her
thus below the surface！
He therefore said； 〃Quite so！〃
To his extreme surprise； flushing the peculiar arid pathetic flush of
women past their prime； she drawled out：
〃About the poorand criminalsand marriagesthere was that
wedding； don't you know？〃
Shelton bowed his head。 Motherhood had been too strong for her； in
her maternal flutter she had committed the solecism of touching in so
many words on 〃things。〃
〃Does n't she really see the fun；〃 he thought； 〃in one man dining out
of gold and another dining in the gutter； or in two married people
living on together in perfect discord 'pour encourages les autres'；
or in worshipping Jesus Christ and claiming all her rights at the
same time； or in despising foreigners because they are foreigners； or
in war； or in anything that is funny？〃 But he did her a certain
amount of justice by recognising that this was natural； since her
whole life had been passed in trying not to see the fun in all these
things。
But Antonia stood smiling in the doorway。 Brilliant and gay she
looked； yet resentful； as if she knew they had been talking of her。
She sat down by Shelton's side； and began asking him about the
youthful foreigner whom he had spoken of； and her eyes made him doubt
whether she； too； saw the fun that lay in one human being patronising
others。
〃But I suppose he's really good；〃 she said； 〃I mean； all those things
he told you about were only…〃
〃Good！〃 he answered； fidgeting； 〃I don't really know what the word
means。〃
Her eyes clouded。 〃Dick； how can you？〃 they seemed to say。
Shelton stroked her sleeve。
〃Tell us about Mr。 Crocker；〃 she said； taking no heed of his caress。
〃The lunatic！〃 he said。
〃Lunatic！ Why； in your letters he was splendid。〃
〃So he is；〃 said Shelton； half ashamed； 〃 he's not a bit mad； really
that is； I only wish I were half as mad。〃
〃Who's that mad？〃 queried Mrs。 Dennant from behind the urn〃Tom
Crocker？ Ah； yes！ I knew his mother； she was a Springer。〃
〃Did he do it in the week？〃 said Thea； appearing in the window with a
kitten。
〃I don't know；〃 Shelton was obliged to answer。
Thea shook back her hair。
〃I call it awfully slack of you not to have found out；〃 she said。
Antonia frowned。
〃You were very sweet to that young foreigner； Dick；〃 she murmured
with a smile at Shelton。 〃I wish that we could see him。〃
But Shelton shook his head。
〃It seems to me；〃 he muttered； 〃that I did about as little for him as
I could。〃
Again her face grew thoughtful； as though h