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that woman's accident！ Designed by Providence to put Antonia further
from him than before！ Why was not the world composed of the
immaculate alone？ He started pacing up and down； tortured by a
dreadful heartache。
〃I must get rid of this；〃 he thought。 〃I 'll go for a good tramp；
and chance the storm。〃
Leaving the drive he ran on Toddles； returning in the highest
spirits。
〃I saw her home；〃 he crowed。 〃I say； what a ripper； isn't she？
She 'll be as lame as a tree to…morrow； so will the gee。 Jolly hot！〃
This meeting showed Shelton that he had been an hour on the stone
seat； he had thought it some ten minutes； and the discovery alarmed
him。 It seemed to bring the import of his miserable fear right home
to him。 He started with a swinging stride； keeping his eyes fixed on
the road； the perspiration streaming down his face。
CHAPTER XXXI
THE STORM
It was seven and more when Shelton returned； from his walk； a few
heat drops had splashed the leaves； but the storm had not yet broken。
In brooding silence the world seemed pent beneath the purple
firmament。
By rapid walking in the heat Shelton had got rid of his despondency。
He felt like one who is to see his mistress after long estrangement。
He； bathed； and； straightening his tie…ends； stood smiling at the
glass。 His fear； unhappiness； and doubts seemed like an evil dream；
how much worse off would he not have been； had it all been true？
It was dinner…party night； and when he reached the drawing…room the
guests were there already； chattering of the coming storm。 Antonia
was not yet down； and Shelton stood by the piano waiting for her
entry。 Red faces； spotless shirt…fronts； white arms； and freshly…
twisted hair were all around him。 Some one handed him a clove
carnation； and； as he held it to his nose； Antonia came in；
breathless； as though she had rushed down…stairs； Her cheeks were
pale no longer； her hand kept stealing to her throat。 The flames of
the coming storm seemed to have caught fire within her； to be
scorching her in her white frock； she passed him close； and her
fragrance whipped his senses。
She had never seemed to him so lovely。
Never again will Shelton breathe the perfume of melons and pineapples
without a strange emotion。 From where he sat at dinner he could not
see Antonia； but amidst the chattering of voices； the clink of glass
and silver； the sights and sounds and scents of feasting； he thought
how he would go to her and say that nothing mattered but her love。
He drank the frosted； pale…gold liquid of champagne as if it had been
water。
The windows stood wide open in the heat； the garden lay in thick；
soft shadow； where the pitchy shapes of trees could be discerned。
There was not a breath of air to fan the candle…flames above the
flowers； but two large moths； fearful of the heavy dark； flew in and
wheeled between the lights over the diners' heads。 One fell scorched
into a dish of fruit； and was removed； the other； eluding all the
swish of napkins and the efforts of the footmen； continued to make
soft； fluttering rushes till Shelton rose and caught it in his hand。
He took it to the window and threw it out into the darkness； and he
noticed that the air was thick and tepid to his face。 At a sign from
Mr。 Dennant the muslin curtains were then drawn across the windows；
and in gratitude； perhaps； for this protection； this filmy barrier
between them and the muffled threats of Nature； everyone broke out in
talk。 It was such a night as comes in summer after perfect weather；
frightening in its heat； and silence； which was broken by the distant
thunder travelling low along the ground like the muttering of all
dark places on the earthsuch a night as seems； by very
breathlessness； to smother life； and with its fateful threats to
justify man's cowardice。
The ladies rose at last。 The circle of the rosewood dining…table；
which had no cloth； strewn with flowers and silver gilt； had a
likeness to some autumn pool whose brown depths of oily water gleam
under the sunset with red and yellow leaves； above it the smoke of
cigarettes was clinging； like a mist to water when the sun goes down。
Shelton became involved in argument with his neighbour on the English
character。
〃In England we've mislaid the recipe of life；〃 he said。 〃Pleasure's
a lost art。 We don't get drunk； we're ashamed of love； and as to
beauty； we've lost the eye for' it。 In exchange we have got money；
but what 's the good of money when we don't know how to spend it？〃
Excited by his neighbour's smile； he added： 〃As to thought； we think
so much of what our neighbours think that we never think at all。。。。
Have you ever watched a foreigner when he's listening to an
Englishman？ We 're in the habit of despising foreigners； the scorn
we have for them is nothing to the scorn they have for us。 And they
are right！ Look at our taste！ What is the good of owning riches if
we don't know how to use them？〃
〃That's rather new to me；〃 his neighbour said。 〃There may be
something in it。。。。 Did you see that case in the papers the other
day of old Hornblower； who left the 1820 port that fetched a guinea a
bottle？ When the purchaserpoor feller！came to drink it he found
eleven bottles out of twelve completely ullagedha！ ha！ Well；
there's nothing wrong with this〃； and he drained his glass。
〃No；〃 answered Shelton。
When they rose to join the ladies； he slipped out on the lawn。
At once he was enveloped in a bath of heat。 A heavy odour； sensual；
sinister； was in the air； as from a sudden flowering of amorous
shrubs。 He stood and drank it in with greedy nostrils。 Putting his
hand down； he felt the grass； it was dry； and charged with
electricity。 Then he saw； pale and candescent in the blackness；
three or four great lilies； the authors of that perfume。 The
blossoms seemed to be rising at him through the darkness； as though
putting up their faces to be kissed。 He straightened himself
abruptly and went in。
The guests were leaving when Shelton； who was watching； saw Antonia
slip through the drawing…room window。 He could follow the white
glimmer of her frock across the lawn； but lost it in the shadow of
the trees； casting a hasty look to see that he was not observed； he
too slipped out。 The blackness and the heat were stifling he took
great breaths of it as if it were the purest mountain air； and；
treading softly on the grass； stole on towards the holm oak。 His
lips were dry；；his heart beat painfully。 The mutter of the distant
thunder had quite ceased； waves of hot air came wheeling in his face；
and in their midst a sudden rush of cold。 He thought； 〃The storm is
coming now！〃 and stole on towards the tree。 She was lying in the
hammock； her figure a white blur in； the heart of the tree's shadow；
rocking gently to a little creaking of the branch。 Shelton held his
breath； she had not heard him。 He crept up close behi