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filled with French coffee； Mrs。 Dennant； who had placed four eggs in
a German egg…boiler； said 〃Good…morning；〃 with a kindly smile。
〃Dick； an egg？〃 she asked him； holding up a fifth。
〃No； thank you；〃 replied Shelton； greeting the table and fitting
down。
He was a little late； the buzz of conversation rose hilariously
around。
〃My dear；〃 continued Mr。 Dennant； who was talking to his youngest
daughter； 〃you'll have no chance whatevernot the least little bit
of chance。〃
〃Father； what nonsense！ You know we shall beat your heads off！〃
〃Before it 's too late； then； I will eat a muffin。 Shelton； pass the
muffins！ 〃But in making this request； Mr。 Dennant avoided looking in
his face。
Antonia； too； seemed to keep her eyes away from him。 She was talking
to a Connoisseur on Art of supernatural appearances； and seemed in
the highest spirits。 Shelton rose； and； going to the sideboard；
helped himself to grouse。
〃Who was the young man I saw yesterday on the lawn？〃 he heard the
Connoisseur remark。 〃Struck me as having anerquite intelligent
physiog。〃
His own intelligent physiog； raised at a slight slant so that he
might look the better through his nose…nippers； was the very pattern
of approval。 〃It's curious how one's always meeting with
intelligence；〃 it seemed to say。 Mrs。 Dennant paused in the act of
adding cream； and Shelton scrutinised her face； it was hare…like； and
superior as ever。 Thank goodness she had smelt no rat！ He felt
strangely disappointed。
〃You mean Monsieur Ferrand； teachin' Toddles French？ Dobson； the
Professor's cup。〃
〃I hope I shall see him again；〃 cooed the Connoisseur； 〃he was quite
interesting on the subject of young German working men。 It seems
they tramp from place to place to learn their trades。 What
nationality was he； may I ask？〃
Mr。 Dennant； of whom he asked this question； lifted his brows； and
said；
〃Ask Shelton。〃
〃Half Dutch； half French。〃
〃Very interesting breed； I hope I shall see him again。〃
〃Well； you won't；〃 said Thea suddenly； 〃he's gone。〃
Shelton saw that their good breeding alone prevented all from adding；
〃And thank goodness； too！〃
〃Gone？ Dear me； it's very〃
〃Yes；〃 said Mr。 Dennant； 〃very sudden。〃
〃Now； Algie；〃 murmured Mrs。 Dennant； 〃it 's quite a charmin' letter。
Must have taken the poor young man an hour to write。〃
〃Oh； mother！〃 cried Antonia。
And Shelton felt his face go crimson。 He had suddenly remembered
that her French was better than her mother's。
〃He seems to have had a singular experience；〃 said the Connoisseur。
〃Yes；〃 echoed Mr。 Dennant； 〃he 's had some singular experience。 If
you want to know the details； ask friend Shelton； it's quite
romantic。 In the meantime； my dear； another cup？〃
The Connoisseur； never quite devoid of absent…minded malice； spurred
his curiosity to a further effort； and； turning his well…defended
eyes on Shelton； murmured；
〃Well； Mr。 Shelton； you are the historian； it seems。〃
〃There is no history；〃 said Shelton； without looking up。
〃Ah； that's very dull；〃 remarked the Connoisseur。
〃My dear Dick；〃 said Mrs。 Dennant； 〃that was really a most touchin'
story about his goin' without food in Paris。〃
Shelton shot another look at Antonia； her face was frigid。 〃I hate
your d…d superiority！〃 he thought； staring at the Connoisseur。
〃There's nothing；〃 said that gentleman； 〃more enthralling than
starvation。 Come； Mr Shelton。〃
〃I can't tell stories；〃 said Shelton； 〃never could。〃
He cared not a straw for Ferrand； his coming； going； or his history；
for； looking at Antonia； his heart was heavy。
CHAPTER XX
THE LADY FROM BEYOND
The morning was sultry； brooding； steamy。 Antonia was at her music；
and from the room where Shelton tried to fix attention on a book he
could hear her practising her scales with a cold fury that cast an
added gloom upon his spirit。 He did not see her until lunch； and
then she again sat next the Connoisseur。 Her cheeks were pale； but
there was something feverish in her chatter to her neighbour； she
still refused to look at Shelton。 He felt very miserable。 After
lunch； when most of them had left the table； the rest fell to
discussing country neighbours。
〃Of course；〃 said Mrs。 Dennant； 〃there are the Foliots； but nobody
calls on them。〃
〃Ah！〃 said the Connoisseur； 〃the Foliotsthe Foliotsthe people
erwhoquite so！〃
〃It's really distressin'； she looks so sweet ridin' about。 Many
people with worse stories get called on；〃 continued Mrs。 Dennant；
with that large frankness of intrusion upon doubtful subjects which
may be made by certain people in a certain way；〃 but； after all； one
couldn't ask them to meet anybody。〃
〃No；〃 the Connoisseur assented。 〃I used to know Foliot。 Thousand
pities。 They say she was a very pretty woman。〃
〃Oh； not pretty！〃 said Mrs。 Dennant！ 〃more interestin than pretty； I
should say。〃
Shelton； who knew the lady slightly； noticed that they spoke of her
as in the past。 He did not look towards Antonia； for； though a
little troubled at her presence while such a subject was discussed；
he hated his conviction that her face； was as unruffled as though the
Foliots had been a separate species。 There was； in fact； a curiosity
about her eyes； a faint impatience on her lips； she was rolling
little crumbs of bread。 Suddenly yawning； she muttered some remark；
and rose。 Shelton stopped her at the door。
〃Where are you going？〃
〃For a walk。〃
〃May n't I come？〃。
She shook her head。
〃I 'm going to take Toddles。〃
Shelton held the door open； and went back to the table。
〃Yes；〃 the Connoisseur said； sipping at his sherry； 〃I 'm afraid it's
all over with young Foliot。〃
〃Such a pity！〃 murmured Mrs。 Dennant； and her kindly face looked
quite disturbed。 〃I've known him ever since he was a boy。 Of
course； I think he made a great mistake to bring her down here。 Not
even bein' able to get married makes it doubly awkward。 Oh； I think
he made a great mistake！〃
〃Ah！〃 said the Connoisseur； 〃but d' you suppose that makes much
difference？ Even if What 'shis…name gave her a divorce； I don't
think； don't you know； that〃
〃Oh； it does！ So many people would be inclined to look over it in
time。 But as it is it's hopeless； quite。 So very awkward for
people； too； meetin' them about。 The Telfords and the Butterwicks
by the way； they're comin' here to dine to…nightlive near them；
don't you know。〃
〃Did you ever meet her before…er…before the flood？〃 the Connoisseur
inquired； and his lips parting and unexpectedly revealing teeth gave
him a shadowy resemblance to a goat。
〃Yes； I did meet her once at the Branksomes'。 I thought her quite a
charmin' person。〃
〃Poor fellow！〃 said the Connoisseur； 〃they tell me he was going to
take the hounds。〃
〃And there are his de