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minutes he struggled heroically with his curiosity； but at the end of that
time he found himself standing in front of the innocent sheet of panelling
through which the little maid had disappeared。 A glance sufficed to show
him the position of the secret doorsecret； he perceived； only to those who
looked with a careless eye。 It was just an ordinary door let in flush with
the panelling。 No latch nor handle betrayed its position； but an
unobtrusive catch sunk in the wood invited the thumb。 George was
astonished that he had not noticed it before； now he had seen it； it was so
obvious； almost as obvious as the cupboard door in the library with its
lines of imitation shelves and its dummy books。 He pulled back the catch
and peeped inside。 The staircase； of which the degrees were made not of
stone but of blocks of ancient oak； wound up and out of sight。 A slit…like
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window admitted the daylight； he was at the foot of the central tower； and
the little window looked out over the terrace； they were still shouting and
splashing in the pool below。
〃George closed the door and went back to his seat。 But his curiosity
was not satisfied。 Indeed； this partial satisfaction had but whetted its
appetite。 Where did the staircase lead？ What was the errand of the little
maid？ It was no business of his； he kept repeatingno business of his。
He tried to read； but his attention wandered。 A quarter…past twelve
sounded on the harmonious clock。 Suddenly determined； George rose；
crossed the room； opened the hidden door； and began to ascend the stairs。
He passed the first window； corkscrewed round； and came to another。 He
paused for a moment to look out； his heart beat uncomfortably； as though
he were affronting some unknown danger。 What he was doing； he told
himself； was extremely ungentlemanly； horribly underbred。 He tiptoed
onward and upward。 One turn more； then half a turn； and a door
confronted him。 He halted before it； listened； he could hear no sound。
Putting his eye to the keyhole； he saw nothing but a stretch of white sunlit
wall。 Emboldened； he turned the handle and stepped across the threshold。
There he halted； petrified by what he saw； mutely gaping。
〃In the middle of a pleasantly sunny little room'it is now Priscilla's
boudoir；' Mr。 Wimbush remarked parentheticallystood a small circular
table of mahogany。 Crystal； porcelain； and silver；all the shining
apparatus of an elegant mealwere mirrored in its polished depths。 The
carcase of a cold chicken； a bowl of fruit； a great ham； deeply gashed to its
heart of tenderest white and pink； the brown cannon ball of a cold plum…
pudding； a slender Hock bottle； and a decanter of claret jostled one another
for a place on this festive board。 And round the table sat the three sisters；
the three lovely Lapithseating！
〃At George's sudden entrance they had all looked towards the door；
and now they sat； petrified by the same astonishment which kept George
fixed and staring。 Georgiana； who sat immediately facing the door；
gazed at him with dark； enormous eyes。 Between the thumb and
forefinger of her right hand she was holding a drumstick of the
dismembered chicken； her little finger； elegantly crooked； stood apart from
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the rest of her hand。 Her mouth was open； but the drumstick had never
reached its destination； it remained； suspended； frozen； in mid…air。 The
other two sisters had turned round to look at the intruder。 Caroline still
grasped her knife and fork； Emmeline's fingers were round the stem of her
claret glass。 For what seemed a very long time； George and the three
sisters stared at one another in silence。 They were a group of statues。
Then suddenly there was movement。 Georgiana dropped her chicken
bone； Caroline's knife and fork clattered on her plate。 The movement
propagated itself； grew more decisive； Emmeline sprang to her feet；
uttering a cry。 The wave of panic reached George； he turned and；
mumbling something unintelligible as he went； rushed out of the room and
down the winding stairs。 He came to a standstill in the hall； and there； all
by himself in the quiet house； he began to laugh。
〃At luncheon it was noticed that the sisters ate a little more than usual。
Georgiana toyed with some French beans and a spoonful of calves'…foot
jelly。 'I feel a little stronger to… day；' she said to Lord Timpany； when he
congratulated her on this increase of appetite； 'a little more material；' she
added； with a nervous laugh。 Looking up； she caught George's eye； a
blush suffused her cheeks and she looked hastily away。
〃In the garden that afternoon they found themselves for a moment
alone。
〃You won't tell anyone； George？ Promise you won't tell anyone；' she
implored。 'It would make us look so ridiculous。 And besides； eating IS
unspiritual； isn't it？ Say you won't tell anyone。'
〃'I will；' said George brutally。 'I'll tell everyone； unless。。。'
〃'It's blackmail。'
〃'I don't care； said George。 'I'll give you twenty…four hours to decide。'
〃Lady Lapith was disappointed； of course； she had hoped for better
thingsfor Timpany and a coronet。 But George； after all； wasn't so bad。
They were married at the New Year。
〃My poor grandfather！〃 Mr。 Wimbush added； as he closed his book
and put away his pince…nez。 〃Whenever I read in the papers about
oppressed nationalities； I think of him。〃 He relighted his cigar。 〃It was
a maternal government； highly centralised； and there were no
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representative institutions。〃
Henry Wimbush ceased speaking。 In the silence that ensued Ivor's
whispered commentary on the spirit sketches once more became audible。
Priscilla； who had been dozing； suddenly woke up。
〃What？〃 she said in the startled tones of one newly returned to
consciousness； 〃what？〃
Jenny caught the words。 She looked up； smiled； nodded reassuringly。
〃It's about a ham；〃 she said。
〃What's about a ham？〃
〃What Henry has been reading。〃 She closed the red notebook lying
on her knees and slipped a rubber band round it。 〃I'm going to bed；〃 she
announced； and got up。
〃So am I；〃 said Anne； yawning。 But she lacked the energy to rise
from her arm…chair。
The night was hot and oppressive。 Round the open windows the
curtains hung unmoving。 Ivor； fanning himself with the portrait of an
Astral Being； looked out into the darkness and drew a breath。
〃The air's like wool；〃 he declared。
〃It will get cooler after midnight；〃 said Henry Wimbush； and
cautiously added； 〃perhaps。〃
〃I shan't sleep； I know。〃
Priscilla turned her head in his direction； the monumental coiffure
nodded exorbitantly at her slightest movement。 〃You must make an
effort；〃 she said。 〃When I can't sleep； I concentrate my will： I say； 'I
will sleep； I am asleep！' And pop！ off I go。 That's the power of
thought。〃
〃But does it work on stuffy nights？〃 Ivor inquired。 〃I simply cannot
sleep on a stuffy night。〃
〃Nor can I；〃 said Mary； 〃except out of doors。〃
〃Out of doors！ What a wonderful idea！〃 In the end they decided to
sleep on the towersMary on the western tower； Ivor on the eastern。
There was a flat expanse of leads on each of the towers； and you could get