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d I have put you next Olive； Ralph；〃 she went on； turning to the sailor； 〃because I hear you are expecting to get your ship to…day or to…morrow； so you； too； have to be spoiled a little。 As a general rule I don't approve of putting engaged people together； it concentrates conversation so。 And； Lord Romsey；〃 she added； turning to her neighbour； 〃please don't imagine for a moment that I am going to break my promise。 We are going to talk about everything in the world except the war。 I know quite well that if Ronnie has had any particularly thrilling experiences； he won't tell us about them； and I also know that your brain is packed full of secrets which nothing in the world would induce you to divulge。 We are going to try and persuade Madame to tell us about her new play；〃 she concluded； smiling at the French actress； 〃and there are so many of my friends on the French stage whom I must hear about。〃
Lord Romsey commenced his luncheon with an air of relief。 He was a man of little more than middle…age； powerfully built； inclined to be sombre； with features of a legal type； heavily jawed。 〃Always tactful； dear hostess；〃 he murmured。 〃As a matter of fact； nothing but the circumstance that it was your invitation and that Madame Selarne was to be present； brought me here to…day。 It is so hard to avoid speaking of the great things； and for a man in my position；〃 he added； dropping his voice a little； 〃so difficult to say anything worth listening to about them； without at any rate the semblance of indiscretion。〃
〃We all appreciate that；〃 Lady Anselman assured him sympathetically。 〃Madame Selarne has promised to give us an outline of the new play which she is producing in Manchester。〃
〃If that would interest you all；〃 Madame Selarne assented； 〃 it commences…so！〃
For a time they nearly all listened in absorbed silence。 Her gestures； the tricks of her voice； the uplifting of her eyebrows and shoulders…all helped to give life and colour to the little sketch she expounded。 Only those at the remote end of the table ventured upon an independent conversation。 Mrs。 Cunningham； the woman whom her hostess had referred to as being her particular friend； and one who shared her passion for entertaining； chatted fitfully to her neighbour； Major Thomson。 It was not until luncheon was more than half…way through that she realised the one…sidedness of their conversation。 She studied him for a moment curiously。 There was something very still and expressionless in his face； even though the sunshine from the broad high windows which overlooked the Park； was shining full upon him。
〃Tell me about yourself！〃 she insisted suddenly。 〃I have been talking rubbish quite long enough。 You have been out； haven't you？〃
He assented gravely。
〃I went with the first division。 At that time I was in charge of a field hospital。〃
〃And now？〃
〃I am Chief Inspector of Field Hospitals；〃 he replied。
〃You are home on leave？〃
〃Not exactly；〃 he told her； a shade of stiffness in his manner。 〃I have to come over very often on details connected with the administration of my work。〃
〃I should have known quite well that you were a surgeon；〃 she observed。
〃You are a physiognomist； then？〃
〃More or less；〃 she admitted。 〃You see； I love people。 I love having people around me。 My friends find me a perfect nuisance； for I am always wanting to give parties。 You have the still； cold face of a surgeonand the hands； too；〃 she added； glancing at them。
〃You are very observant；〃 he remarked laconically。
〃I am also curious；〃 she laughed； 〃as you are about to discover。 Tell me why you are so interested in Ronnie Granet？ You hadn't met him before； had you？〃
Almost for the first time he turned and looked directly at his neighbour。 She was a woman whose fair hair was turning grey； well…dressed； sprightly； agreeable。 She had a humorous mouth and an understanding face。
〃Captain Granet was a stranger to me；〃 he assented。 〃One is naturally interested in soldiers； however。〃
〃You must have met thousands like him；〃 she remarked；〃good…looking； very British； keen sportsman； lots of pluck； just a little careless； hating to talk about himself and serious things。 I have known him since he was a boy。〃
Major Thomson continued to be gravely interested。
〃Granet！〃 he said to himself thoughtfully； 〃Do I know any of his people； I wonder？〃
〃You know some of his connections； of course；〃 Mrs。 Cunningham replied briskly。 〃Sir Alfred Anselman； for instance； his uncle。〃
〃His father and mother？〃
〃They are both dead。 There is a large family place in Warwickshire； and a chateau； just now； I am afraid； in the hands of the Germans。 It was somewhere quite close to the frontier。 Lady Granet was an Alsatian。 He was to have gone out with the polo team； you know； to America； but broke a rib just as they were making the selection。 He played cricket for Middlesex once or twice； too and he was Captain of Oxford the year that they did so well。〃
〃An Admirable Crichton；〃 Major Thomson murmured。
〃In sport； at any rate；〃 his neighbour assented。 〃He has always been one of the most popular young men about town； but of course the women will spoil him now。〃
〃Is it my fancy；〃 he asked； 〃or was he not reported a prisoner？〃
〃He was missing twice； once for over a week；〃 Mrs。 Cunningham replied。 〃There are all sorts of stories as to how he got back to the lines。 A perfect young dare…devil； I should think。 I must talk to Mr。 Daniell for a few minutes or he will never publish my reminiscences。〃
She leaned towards her neighbour on the other side and Major Thomson was able to resume the role of attentive observer； a role which seemed somehow his by destiny。 He listened without apparent interest to the conversation between Geraldine Conyers and the young man whom they had been discussing。
〃I think；〃 Geraldine complained； 〃that you are rather overdoing your diplomatic reticence； Captain Granet。 You haven't told me a single thing。 Why； some of the Tommies I have been to see in the hospitals have been far more interesting than you。〃
He smiled。
〃I can assure you；〃 he protested； 〃it isn't my fault。 You can't imagine how fed up one gets with things out there； and the newspapers can tell you ever so much more than we can。 One soldier only sees a little bit of his own corner of the fight； you know。〃
〃But can't you tell me some of your own personal experiences？〃 she persisted。 〃They are so much more interesting than what one reads in print。〃
〃I never had any；〃 he assured her。 〃Fearfully slow time we had for months。〃
〃Of course； I don't believe a word you say；〃 she declared； laughing。
〃You're not taking me for a war correspondent； by any chance； are you？〃 he asked。
She shook her head。
〃Your language isn't sufficiently picturesque！ Tell me； when are you going back？〃
〃As soon as I can pass the doctors…in a few days； I hope。〃
〃You hope？〃 she repeated。 〃Do you really mean that； or do you say it because it is the proper thing to say？〃
He appeared for the moment to somewhat resent her question。
〃The fact that I hope to get back；〃 he remarked coldly； 〃has nothing whatever to do with my liking my job when I get there