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eyes staring at the wall。
Swithin rose； and stammered； 〃Much obligedvery interesting。〃
Boleskey made no effort to detain him； but continued staring at the
wall。 〃Good…night！〃 said Swithin； and stamped heavily downstairs。
III
When at last Swithin reached the Goldene Alp； he found his brother
and friend standing uneasily at the door。 Traquair； a prematurely
dried…up man； with whiskers and a Scotch accent； remarked； 〃Ye're
airly； man！〃 Swithin growled something unintelligible； and swung up
to bed。 He discovered a slight cut on his arm。 He was in a savage
temperthe elements had conspired to show him things he did not want
to see； yet now and then a memory of Rozsi； of her soft palm in his；
a sense of having been stroked and flattered； came over him。 During
breakfast next morning his brother and Traquair announced their
intention of moving on。 James Forsyte； indeed； remarked that it was
no place for a 〃collector；〃 since all the 〃old〃 shops were in the
hands of Jews or very grasping personshe had discovered this at
once。 Swithin pushed his cup aside。 〃You may do what you like；〃 he
said； 〃I'm staying here。〃
James Forsyte replied； tumbling over his own words： 〃Why！ what do you
want to stay here for？ There's nothing for you to do herethere's
nothing to see here； unless you go up the Citadel； an' you won't do
that。〃
Swithin growled； 〃Who says so？〃 Having gratified his perversity； he
felt in a better temper。 He had slung his arm in a silk sash； and
accounted for it by saying he had slipped。 Later he went out and
walked on to the bridge。 In the brilliant sunshine spires were
glistening against the pearly background of the hills； the town had a
clean； joyous air。 Swithin glanced at the Citadel and thought；
'Looks a strong place！ Shouldn't wonder if it were impregnable！' And
this for some occult reason gave him pleasure。 It occurred to him
suddenly to go and look for the Hungarian's house。
About noon； after a hunt of two hours； he was gazing about him
blankly； pale with heat； but more obstinate than ever； when a voice
above him called； 〃Mister！〃 He looked up and saw Rozsi。 She was
leaning her round chin on her round hand； gazing down at him with her
deepset； clever eyes。 When Swithin removed his hat； she clapped her
hands。 Again he had the sense of being admired； caressed。 With a
careless air； that sat grotesquely on his tall square person； he
walked up to the door； both girls stood in the passage。 Swithin felt
a confused desire to speak in some foreign tongue。 〃Maam'selles；〃 he
began； 〃erbong jour…er； your fatherpare； comment？〃
〃We also speak English；〃 said the elder girl； 〃will you come in；
please？〃
Swithin swallowed a misgiving； and entered。 The room had a worn
appearance by daylight； as if it had always been the nest of tragic
or vivid lives。 He sat down； and his eyes said： 〃I am a stranger；
but don't try to get the better of me； pleasethat is impossible。〃
The girls looked at him in silence。 Rozsi wore a rather short skirt
of black stuff； a white shirt； and across her shoulders an
embroidered yoke； her sister was dressed in dark green； with a coral
necklace； both girls had their hair in plaits。 After a minute Rozsi
touched the sleeve of his hurt arm。
〃It's nothing！〃 muttered Swithin。
〃Father fought with a chair； but you had no chair；〃 she said in a
wondering voice。
He doubled the fist of his sound arm and struck a blow at space。 To
his amazement she began to laugh。 Nettled at this； he put his hand
beneath the heavy table and lifted it。 Rozsi clapped her hands。 〃Ah
I now I seehow strong you are！〃 She made him a curtsey and whisked
round to the window。 He found the quick intelligence of her eyes
confusing； sometimes they seemed to look beyond him at something
invisiblethis； too； confused him。 From Margit he learned that they
had been two years in England； where their father had made his living
by teaching languages； they had now been a year in Salzburg。
〃We wait；〃 suddenly said。 Rozsi； and Margit； with a solemn face；
repeated； 〃We wait。〃
Swithin's eyes swelled a little with his desire to see what they were
waiting for。 How queer they were； with their eyes that gazed beyond
him！ He looked at their figures。 'She would pay for dressing；' he
thought； and he tried to imagine Rozsi in a skirt with proper
flounces； a thin waist； and hair drawn back over her ears。 She would
pay for dressing； with that supple figure； fluffy hair； and little
hands！ And instantly his own hands； face； and clothes disturbed him。
He got up； examined the pistols on the wall； and felt resentment at
the faded； dusty room。 'Smells like a pot…house！' he thought。 He
sat down again close to Rozsi。
〃Do you love to dance？〃 she asked； 〃to dance is to live。 First you
hear the musichow your feet itch！ It is wonderful！ You begin
slow； quickquicker； you flyyou know nothingyour feet are in the
air。 It is wonderful！〃
A slow flush had mounted into Swithin's face。
〃Ah！〃 continued Rozsi； her eyes fixed on him； 〃when I am dancingout
there I see the plainsyour feet go onetwothreequick； quick；
quick； quickeryou fly。〃
She stretched herself； a shiver seemed to pass all down her。
〃Margit！ dance！〃 and； to Swithin's consternation； the two girls
their hands on each other's shouldersbegan shuffling their feet and
swaying to and fro。 Their heads were thrown back； their eyes half…
closed； suddenly the step quickened； they swung to one side； then to
the other； and began whirling round in front of him。 The sudden
fragrance of rose leaves enveloped him。 Round they flew again。
While they were still dancing； Boleskey came into the room。 He
caught Swithin by both hands。
〃Brother； welcome！ Ah！ your arm is hurt！ I do not forget。〃 His
yellow face and deep…set eyes expressed a dignified gratitude。 〃Let
me introduce to you my friend Baron Kasteliz。〃
Swithin bowed to a man with a small forehead； who had appeared
softly； and stood with his gloved hands touching his waist。 Swithin
conceived a sudden aversion for this catlike man。 About Boleskey
there was that which made contempt impossiblethe sense of
comradeship begotten in the fight； the man's height； something lofty
and savage in his face； and an obscure instinct that it would not pay
to show distaste； but this Kasteliz； with his neat jaw； low brow； and
velvety； volcanic look； excited his proper English animosity。 〃Your
friends are mine；〃 murmured Kasteliz。 He spoke with suavity； and
hissed his s's。 A long； vibrating twang quavered through the room。
Swithin turned and saw Rozsi sitting at the czymbal； the notes rang
under the little hammers in her hands； incessant； metallic； rising
and falling with that strange melody。 Kasteliz had fixed his glowing
eyes on her； Boleskey； nodding his head； was staring at the floor；
Margit； with a pale face； stood like a statue。
'What can they see in it？' thought Swithin； 'it's not a tune。' He
took up his hat。 Rozsi saw him and stopped； her lips had parted with
a faintly dismayed expression。 His sense of personal injury
diminished； he even felt a little sorry for her。 She jumped up from
her seat and twirled round with a pout。 An inspiration seized on
Swithin。 〃Come and dine with me；〃 he said to Boleskey； 〃to…morrow
the Goldene Alpbring your friend。〃 He felt the eyes of the whole
room on himthe Hungarian's fine eyes； Margit's wide glance； the
narrow； hot gaze of Kasteliz； and lastlyRozsi's。 A glow of
satisfaction ran down his spine。 When he emerged into the street
he thought gloomily； 'Now I've done it！' And not for some paces did
he look round； then； with a forced smile； turned and removed his hat
to the faces at the window。
Notwithstanding this moment of gloom； however； he was in an exalted
state all day； and at dinner kept looking at his brother and Traquair
enigmatically。 'What do they know of life？' he thought； 'they might
be here a year and get no farther。' He made jokes； and pinned the
menu to the waiter's coat…tails。 〃I like this place；〃 he said； 〃I
shall spend three weeks here。〃 James； whose lips were on the point
of taking in a plum； looked at him uneasily。
IV
On the day of the dinner Swithin suffered a good deal。 He reflected
gloomily on Boleskey's clothes。 He had fixed an early hourthere
would be fewer people to see them。 When the time approached he
attired himself with a certain neat splendour； and though his arm was
still sore； left off the sling。。。。
Nearly three hours afterwards he left the Goldene Alp between his
guests。 It was sunset； and along the riverbank the houses stood out；
unsoftened by the dusk； the streets were full of people hurrying
home。 Swithin had a hazy vision of empty bottles； of the ground
before his feet； and the accessibility of all the world。 Dim
recollections of the good things he had sa