"What on earth can I say to her?"
"Very unpractical, I am sure," reflected Mrs.Selldon."The sort of man who lives in a world of his own, and only lays down his pen to take up a book.What subject shall I start?""What delightful weather we have been having the last few days!"observed the author."Real genuine summer weather at last." The same remark had been trembling on Mrs.Selldon's lips.She assented with great cheerfulness and alacrity; and over that invaluable topic, which is always so safe, and so congenial, and so ready to hand, they grew quite friendly, and the conversation for fully five minutes was animated.
An interval of thought followed.
"How wearisome is society!" reflected Mrs.Selldon."It is hard that we must spend so much money in giving dinners and have so much trouble for so little enjoyment.""One pays dearly for fame," reflected the author."What a confounded nuisance it is to waste all this time when there are the last proofs of 'What Caste?' to be done for the nine-o'clock post to-morrow morning! Goodness knows what time I shall get to bed to-night!"
Then Mrs.Selldon thought regretfully of the comfortable easy chair that she usually enjoyed after dinner, and the ten minutes' nap, and the congenial needle-work.And Mark Shrewsbury thought of his chambers in Pump Court, and longed for his type-writer, and his books, and his swivel chair, and his favourite meerschaum.
"I should be less afraid to talk if there were not always the horrible idea that he may take down what one says," thought Mrs.
Selldon.
"I should be less bored if she would only be her natural self,"reflected the author."And would not talk prim platitudes." (This was hard, for he had talked nothing else himself.) "Does she think she is so interesting that I am likely to study her for my next book?""Have you been abroad this summer?" inquired Mrs.Selldon, making another spasmodic attempt at conversation.
"No, I detest travelling," replied Mark Shrewsbury."When I need change I just settle down in some quiet country district for a few months--somewhere near Windsor, or Reigate, or Muddleton.There is nothing to my mind like our English scenery.""Oh, do you know Muddleton?" exclaimed Mrs.Selldon."Is it not a charming little place? I often stay in the neighbourhood with the Milton-Cleaves.""I know Milton-Cleave well," said the author."A capital fellow, quite the typical country gentleman.""Is he not?" said Mrs.Selldon, much relieved to have found this subject in common."His wife is a great friend of mine; she is full of life and energy, and does an immense amount of good.Did you say you had stayed with them?""No, but last year I took a house in that neighbourhood for a few months; a most charming little place it was, just fit for a lonely bachelor.I dare say you remember it--Ivy Cottage, on the Newton Road.""Did you stay there? Now what a curious coincidence! Only this morning I heard from Mrs.Milton-Cleave that Ivy Cottage has been taken this summer by a Mr.Sigismund Zaluski, a Polish merchant, who is doing untold harm in the neighbourhood.He is a very clever, unscrupulous man, and has managed to take in almost every one.""Why, what is he? A swindler? Or a burglar in disguise, like the HOUSE ON THE MARSH fellow?" asked the author, with a little twinkle of amusement in his face.
"Oh, much worse than that," said Mrs.Selldon, lowering her voice.
"I assure you, Mr.Shrewsbury, you would hardly credit the story if I were to tell it you, it is really stranger than fiction." Mark Shrewsbury pricked up his ears, he no longer felt bored, he began to think that, after all, there might be some compensation for this wearisome dinner-party.He was always glad to seize upon material for future plots, and somehow the notion of a mysterious Pole suddenly making his appearance in that quiet country neighbourhood and winning undeserved popularity rather took his fancy.He thought he might make something of it.However, he knew human nature too well to ask a direct question.
"I am sorry to hear that," he said, becoming all at once quite sympathetic and approachable."I don't like the thought of those simple, unsophisticated people being hoodwinked by a scoundrel.""No; is it not sad?" said Mrs.Selldon."Such pleasant, hospitable people as they are! Do you remember the Morleys?""Oh yes! There was a pretty daughter who played tennis well.""Quite so--Gertrude Morley.Well, would you believe it, this miserable fortune-hunter is actually either engaged to her or on the eve of being engaged! Poor Mrs.Milton-Cleave is so unhappy about it, for she knows, on the best authority, that Mr.Zaluski is unfit to enter a respectable house.""Perhaps he is really some escaped criminal?" suggested Mr.
Shrewsbury, tentatively.
Mrs.Selldon hesitated.Then, under the cover of the general roar of conversation, she said in a low voice:-"You have guessed quite rightly.He is one of the Nihilists who were concerned in the assassination of the late Czar.""You don't say so!" exclaimed Mark Shrewsbury, much startled."Is it possible?""Indeed, it is only too true," said Mrs.Selldon."I heard it only the other morning, and on the very best authority.Poor Gertrude Morley! My heart bleeds for her."Now I can't help observing here that this must have been the merest figure of speech, for just then there was a comfortable little glow of satisfaction about Mrs.Selldon's heart.She was so delighted to have "got on well," as she expressed it, with the literary lion, and by this time dessert was on the table, and soon the tedious ceremony would be happily over.
"But how did he escape?" asked Mark Shrewsbury, still with the thought of "copy" in his mind.
