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Bonington？〃
Lady Bonington； in answer； rustled。
〃Oh； do tell us about the slums； Mrs。 Mattock！〃 cried Sybil。
〃Slumming must be splendid！ It's so deadly herenothing but flannel
petticoats。〃
〃The poor； my dear；〃 began Mrs。 Mattock； 〃are not the least bit what
you think them…〃
〃Oh； d' you know； I think they're rather nice！〃 broke in Aunt
Charlotte close to the hydrangea。
〃You think so？〃 said Mrs。 Mattock sharply。 〃I find they do nothing
but grumble。〃
〃They don't grumble at me： they are delightful persons〃； and Lady
Bonington gave Shelton a grim smile。
He could not help thinking that to grumble in the presence of that
rich； despotic personality would require a superhuman courage。
〃They're the most ungrateful people in the world；〃 said Mrs。 Mattock。
〃Why； then；〃 thought Shelton； 〃do you go amongst them？〃
She continued； 〃One must do them good； one； must do one's duty； but
as to getting thanks…〃
Lady Bonington sardonically said；
〃Poor things！ they have a lot to bear。〃
〃The little children！〃 murmured Aunt Charlotte； with a flushing
cheek and shining eyes； 〃it 's rather pathetic。〃
〃Children indeed！〃 said Mrs。 Mattock。 〃It puts me out of all
patience to see the way that they neglect them。 People are so
sentimental about the poor。〃
Lady Bonington creaked again。 Her splendid shoulders were wedged
into her chair； her fine dark hair； gleaming with silver； sprang back
upon her brow； a ruby bracelet glowed on the powerful wrist that held
the journal； she rocked her copper…slippered foot。 She did not
appear to be too sentimental。
〃I know they often have a very easy time；〃 said Mrs。 Mattock； as if
some one had injured her severely。 And Shelton saw； not without
pity； that Fate had scored her kind and squashed…up face with
wrinkles； whose tiny furrows were eloquent of good intentions
frustrated by the unpractical and discontented poor。 〃Do what you
will； they are never satisfied； they only resent one's help； or else
they take the help and never thank you for it！〃
〃Oh！〃 murmured Aunt Charlotte； 〃that's rather hard。〃
Shelton had been growing； more uneasy。 He said abruptly：
〃I should do the same if I were they。〃
Mrs。 Mattock's brown eyes flew at him； Lady Bonington spoke to the
Times； her ruby bracelet and a bangle jingled。
〃We ought to put ourselves in their places。〃
Shelton could not help a smile； Lady Bonington in the places of the
poor！
〃Oh！〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Mattock； 〃I put myself entirely in their place。
I quite understand their feelings。 But ingratitude is a repulsive
quality。〃
〃They seem unable to put themselves in your place；〃 murmured Shelton；
and in a fit of courage he took the room in with a sweeping glance。
Yes； that room was wonderfully consistent； with its air of perfect
second…handedness； as if each picture； and each piece of furniture；
each book； each lady present； had been made from patterns。 They were
all widely different； yet all （like works of art seen in some
exhibitions） had the look of being after the designs of some original
spirit。 The whole room was chaste； restrained； derived； practical；
and comfortable； neither in virtue nor in work； neither in manner；
speech； appearance； nor in theory； could it give itself away。
CHAPTER XXIII
THE STAINED…GLASS MAN
Still looking for Antonia； Shelton went up to the morning…room。 Thea
Dennant and another girl were seated in the window； talking。 From
the look they gave him he saw that he had better never have been
born； he hastily withdrew。 Descending to the hall； he came on Mr。
Dennant crossing to his study； with a handful of official…looking
papers。
〃Ah； Shelton！〃 said he； 〃you look a little lost。 Is the shrine
invisible？〃
Shelton grinned； said 〃Yes；〃 and went on looking。 He was not
fortunate。 In the dining…room sat Mrs。 Dennant； making up her list
of books。
〃Do give me your opinion； Dick；〃 she said。 〃Everybody 's readin'
this thing of Katherine Asterick's； I believe it's simply because
she's got a title。〃
〃One must read a book for some reason or other；〃 answered Shelton。
〃Well；〃 returned Mrs。 Dennant； 〃I hate doin' things just because
other people do them； and I sha'n't get it。〃
〃Good！〃
Mrs。 Dennant marked the catalogue。
〃Here 's Linseed's last； of course； though I must say I don't care
for him； but I suppose we ought to have it in the house。 And there's
Quality's 'The Splendid Diatribes'： that 's sure to be good； he's
always so refined。 But what am I to do about this of Arthur Baal's？
They say that he's a charlatan； but everybody reads him； don't you
know〃； and over the catalogue Shelton caught the gleam of hare…like
eyes。
Decision had vanished from her face； with its arched nose and
slightly sloping chin； as though some one had suddenly appealed to
her to trust her instincts。 It was quite pathetic。 Still； there was
always the book's circulation to form her judgment by。
〃I think I 'd better mark it；〃 she said； 〃don't you？ Were you
lookin' for Antonia？ If you come across Bunyan in the garden； Dick；
do say I want to see him； he's gettin' to be a perfect nuisance。 I
can understand his feelin's； but really he 's carryin' it too far。〃
Primed with his message to the under…gardener； Shelton went。 He took
a despairing look into the billiard…room。 Antonia was not there。
Instead； a tall and fat…cheeked gentleman with a neat moustache；
called Mabbey； was practising the spot…stroke。 He paused as Shelton
entered； and； pouting like a baby； asked in a sleepy voice；
〃Play me a hundred up？〃
Shelton shook his head； stammered out his sorrow； and was about to
go。
The gentleman called Mabbey； plaintively feeling the places where his
moustaches joined his pink and glossy cheeks； asked with an air of
some surprise；
〃What's your general game； then？〃
〃I really don't know；〃 said Shelton。
The gentleman called Mabbey chalked his cue； and； moving his round；
knock…kneed legs in their tight trousers； took up his position for
the stroke。
〃What price that？〃 he said； as he regained the perpendicular； and his
well…fed eyes followed Shelton with sleepy inquisition。 〃Curious
dark horse； Shelton；〃 they seemed to say。
Shelton hurried out； and was about to run down the lower lawn； when
he was accosted by another person walking in the sunshinea slight…
built man in a turned…down collar； with a thin and fair moustache；
and a faint bluish tint on one side of his high forehead； caused by a
network of thin veins。 His face had something of the youthful；
optimistic； stained…glass look peculiar to the refined English type。
He walked elastically； yet with trim precision； as if he had a
pleasant taste in furniture and churches； and held the Spectator in
his hand。
〃Ah； Shelton！ 〃he said in high…tuned tones； halting his legs in such
an