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air； his hands in his pockets and his eyes turned； right and left；
to the pictures。 The gallery was so long that this transit took
some little time； especially as there was a moment when he stopped
to admire the fine Gainsborough。 〃He says Mrs。 St。 George has been
the making of him；〃 the girl continued in a voice slightly lowered。
〃Ah he's often obscure！〃 Paul laughed。
〃Obscure？〃 she repeated as if she heard it for the first time。 Her
eyes rested on her other friend； and it wasn't lost upon Paul that
they appeared to send out great shafts of softness。 〃He's going to
speak to us！〃 she fondly breathed。 There was a sort of rapture in
her voice； and our friend was startled。 〃Bless my soul； does she
care for him like THAT？ … is she in love with him？〃 he mentally
enquired。 〃Didn't I tell you he was eager？〃 she had meanwhile
asked of him。
〃It's eagerness dissimulated；〃 the young man returned as the
subject of their observation lingered before his Gainsborough。 〃He
edges toward us shyly。 Does he mean that she saved him by burning
that book？〃
〃That book？ what book did she burn？〃 The girl quickly turned her
face to him。
〃Hasn't he told you then？〃
〃Not a word。〃
〃Then he doesn't tell you everything！〃 Paul had guessed that she
pretty much supposed he did。 The great man had now resumed his
course and come nearer； in spite of which his more qualified
admirer risked a profane observation： 〃St。 George and the Dragon
is what the anecdote suggests！〃
His companion； however； didn't hear it； she smiled at the dragon's
adversary。 〃He IS eager … he is！〃 she insisted。
〃Eager for you … yes。〃
But meanwhile she had called out： 〃I'm sure you want to know Mr。
Overt。 You'll be great friends； and it will always be delightful
to me to remember I was here when you first met and that I had
something to do with it。〃
There was a freshness of intention in the words that carried them
off； nevertheless our young man was sorry for Henry St。 George； as
he was sorry at any time for any person publicly invited to be
responsive and delightful。 He would have been so touched to
believe that a man he deeply admired should care a straw for him
that he wouldn't play with such a presumption if it were possibly
vain。 In a single glance of the eye of the pardonable Master he
read … having the sort of divination that belonged to his talent …
that this personage had ever a store of friendly patience； which
was part of his rich outfit； but was versed in no printed page of a
rising scribbler。 There was even a relief； a simplification； in
that： liking him so much already for what he had done； how could
one have liked him any more for a perception which must at the best
have been vague？ Paul Overt got up； trying to show his compassion；
but at the same instant he found himself encompassed by St。
George's happy personal art … a manner of which it was the essence
to conjure away false positions。 It all took place in a moment。
Paul was conscious that he knew him now； conscious of his handshake
and of the very quality of his hand； of his face； seen nearer and
consequently seen better； of a general fraternising assurance； and
in particular of the circumstance that St。 George didn't dislike
him （as yet at least） for being imposed by a charming but too
gushing girl； attractive enough without such danglers。 No
irritation at any rate was reflected in the voice with which he
questioned Miss Fancourt as to some project of a walk … a general
walk of the company round the park。 He had soon said something to
Paul about a talk … 〃We must have a tremendous lot of talk； there
are so many things； aren't there？〃 … but our friend could see this
idea wouldn't in the present case take very immediate effect。 All
the same he was extremely happy； even after the matter of the walk
had been settled … the three presently passed back to the other
part of the gallery； where it was discussed with several members of
the party； even when； after they had all gone out together； he
found himself for half an hour conjoined with Mrs。 St。 George。 Her
husband had taken the advance with Miss Fancourt； and this pair
were quite out of sight。 It was the prettiest of rambles for a
summer afternoon … a grassy circuit； of immense extent； skirting
the limit of the park within。 The park was completely surrounded
by its old mottled but perfect red wall； which； all the way on
their left； constituted in itself an object of interest。 Mrs。 St。
George mentioned to him the surprising number of acres thus
enclosed； together with numerous other facts relating to the
property and the family； and the family's other properties： she
couldn't too strongly urge on him the importance of seeing their
other houses。 She ran over the names of these and rang the changes
on them with the facility of practice； making them appear an almost
endless list。 She had received Paul Overt very amiably on his
breaking ground with her by the mention of his joy in having just
made her husband's acquaintance； and struck him as so alert and so
accommodating a little woman that he was rather ashamed of his MOT
about her to Miss Fancourt； though he reflected that a hundred
other people； on a hundred occasions； would have been sure to make
it。 He got on with Ms。 St。 George； in short； better than he
expected； but this didn't prevent her suddenly becoming aware that
she was faint with fatigue and must take her way back to the house
by the shortest cut。 She professed that she hadn't the strength of
a kitten and was a miserable wreck； a character he had been too
preoccupied to discern in her while he wondered in what sense she
could be held to have been the making of her husband。 He had
arrived at a glimmering of the answer when she announced that she
must leave him； though this perception was of course provisional。
While he was in the very act of placing himself at her disposal for
the return the situation underwent a change； Lord Masham had
suddenly turned up； coming back to them； overtaking them； emerging
from the shrubbery … Overt could scarcely have said how he appeared
… and Mrs。 St。 George had protested that she wanted to be left
alone and not to break up the party。 A moment later she was
walking off with Lord Masham。 Our friend fell back and joined Lady
Watermouth； to whom he presently mentioned that Mrs。 St。 George had
been obliged to renounce the attempt to go further。
〃She oughtn't to have come out at all；〃 her ladyship rather
grumpily remarked。
〃Is she so very much of an invalid？〃
〃Very bad indeed。〃 And his hostess added with still greater
austerity： 〃She oughtn't really to come to one！〃 He wondered what
was implied by this； and presently gathered that it was not a
reflexion on the lady's conduct or her moral nature： it only
represented that her strength was not equal to her aspirations。
CHAPTER III
The smoking…room at Summersoft was on the scale of the rest of the
place； high light commodious and decorated with such refined old
carvings and mouldings that it seemed rather a bower for ladies who
should sit at work at fading crewels than a parliament of gentlemen
smoking strong cigars。 The gentlemen mustered there in
considerable force on the Sunday evening； collecting mainly at one
end； in front of one of the cool fair fireplaces of white marble；
the entablature of which was adorned with a delicate little Italian
〃subject。〃 There was another in the wall that faced it； and；
thanks to the mild summer night； a fire in neither； but a nucleus
for aggregation was furnished on one side by a table in the
chimney…corner laden with bottles； decanters and tall tumblers。
Paul Overt was a faithless smoker； he would puff a cigarette for
reasons with which tobacco had nothing to do。 This was
particularly the case on the occasion of which I speak； his motive
was the vision of a little direct talk with Henry St。 George。 The
〃tremendous〃 communion of which the great man had held out hopes to
him earlier in the day had not yet come off； and this saddened him
considerably； for the party was to go its several ways immediately
after breakfast on the morrow。 He had； however； the disappointment
of finding that apparently the author of 〃Shadowmere〃 was not
disposed to prolong his vigil。 He wasn't among the gentlemen
assembled when Paul entered； nor was he one of those who turned up；
in bright habiliments； during the next ten minutes。 The young man
waited a little； wondering if he had only gone to put on something
extraordinary； this would account for his delay as well as
contribute further to Overt's impression of his tendency to do the
approved superficial thing。 But he didn't arrive … he must have
been putting on something more extraordinary than was probable。
Our hero gave him up； feeling a little injured； a little wounded；
at this loss of twenty co