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strength was its practicality and lack of imagination。 It was his
business to be efficient； but not strenuous； or desirous of pushing
ideas to their logical conclusions； to be neither narrow nor
puritanical； so long as the shell of 'good form' was preserved
intact； to be a liberal landlord up to the point of not seriously
damaging his interests； to be well…disposed towards the arts until
those arts revealed that which he had not before perceived； it was
his business to have light hands； steady eyes； iron nerves； and those
excellent manners that have no mannerisms。 It was his nature to be
easy…going as a husband； indulgent as a father； careful and
straightforward as a politician； and as a man； addicted to pleasure；
to work； and to fresh air。 He admired； and was fond of his wife； and
had never regretted his marriage。 He had never perhaps regretted
anything； unless it were that he had not yet won the Derby； or quite
succeeded in getting his special strain of blue…ticked pointers to
breed absolutely true to type。 His mother…in…law he respected； as
one might respect a principle。
There was indeed in the personality of that little old lady the
tremendous force of accumulated decisionthe inherited assurance of
one whose prestige had never been questioned； who； from long
immunity； and a certain clear…cut matter…of…factness； bred by the
habit of command； had indeed lost the power of perceiving that her
prestige ever could be questioned。 Her knowledge of her own mind was
no ordinary piece of learning； had not； in fact； been learned at all；
but sprang full…fledged from an active dominating temperament。
Fortified by the necessity； common to her class； of knowing
thoroughly the more patent side of public affairs； armoured by the
tradition of a culture demanded by leadership； inspired by ideas； but
always the same ideas； owning no master； but in servitude to her own
custom of leading； she had a mind； formidable as the two…edged swords
wielded by her ancestors the Fitz…Harolds； at Agincourt or Poitiers
a mind which had ever instinctively rejected that inner knowledge of
herself or of the selves of others； produced by those foolish
practices of introspection； contemplation； and understanding； so
deleterious to authority。 If Lord Valleys was the body of the
aristocratic machine； Lady Casterley was the steel spring inside it。
All her life studiously unaffected and simple in attire； of plain and
frugal habit； an early riser； working at something or other from
morning till night； and as little worn…out at seventy…eight as most
women of fifty； she had only one weak spotand that was her
strengthblindness as to the nature and size of her place in the
scheme of things。 She was a type； a force。
Wonderfully well she went with the room in which they were dining；
whose grey walls； surmounted by a deep frieze painted somewhat in the
style of Fragonard； contained many nymphs and roses now rather dim；
with the furniture； too； which had a look of having survived into
times not its own。 On the tables were no flowers； save five lilies
in an old silver chalice； and on the wall over the great sideboard a
portrait of the late Lord Casterley。
She spoke：
〃I hope Miltoun is taking his own line？〃
〃That's the trouble。 He suffers from swollen principlesonly wish
he could keep them out of his speeches。〃
〃Let him be； and get him away from that woman as soon as his
election's over。 What is her real name？〃
〃Mrs。 something Lees Noel。〃
〃How long has she been there？〃
〃About a year； I think。〃
〃And you don't know anything about her？〃
Lord Valleys raised his shoulders。
〃Ah！〃 said Lady Casterley； 〃exactly！ You're letting the thing drift。
I shall go down myself。 I suppose Gertrude can have me？ What has
that Mr。 Courtier to do with this good lady？〃
Lord Valleys smiled。 In this smile was the whole of his polite and
easy…going philosophy。 〃I am no meddler；〃 it seemed to say； and at
sight of that smile Lady Casterley tightened her lips。
〃He is a firebrand；〃 she said。 〃I read that book of his against War…
…most inflammatory。 Aimed at Grant…and Rosenstern； chiefly。 I've
just seen； one of the results； outside my own gates。 A mob of anti…
War agitators。〃
Lord Valleys controlled a yawn。
〃Really？ I'd no idea Courtier had any influence。〃
〃He is dangerous。 Most idealists are negligible…his book was
clever。〃
〃I wish to goodness we could see the last of these scares； they only
make both countries look foolish；〃 muttered Lord Valleys。
Lady Casterley raised her glass； full of a bloody red wine。 〃The war
would save us；〃 she said。
〃War is no joke。〃
〃It would be the beginning of a better state of things。〃
〃You think so？〃
〃We should get the lead again as a nation； and Democracy would be put
back fifty years。〃
Lord Valleys made three little heaps of salt； and paused to count
them； then； with a slight uplifting of his eyebrows； which seemed to
doubt what he was going to say； he murmured： 〃I should have said that
we were all democrats nowadays。。。。 What is it； Clifton？〃
〃Your chauffeur would like to know； what time you will have the car？〃
〃Directly after dinner。〃
Twenty minutes later； he was turning through the scrolled iron gates
into the road for London。 It was falling dark； and in the tremulous
sky clouds were piled up； and drifted here and there with a sort of
endless lack of purpose。 No direction seemed to have been decreed
unto their wings。 They had met together in the firmament like a
flock of giant magpies crossing and re…crossing each others' flight。
The smell of rain was in the air。 The car raised no dust； but bored
swiftly on； searching out the road with its lamps。 On Putney Bridge
its march was stayed by a string of waggons。 Lord Valleys looked to
right and left。 The river reflected the thousand lights of buildings
piled along her sides； lamps of the embankments； lanterns of moored
barges。 The sinuous pallid body of this great Creature； for ever
gliding down to the sea； roused in his mind no symbolic image。 He
had had to do with her； years back； at the Board of Trade； and knew
her for what she was； extremely dirty； and getting abominably thin
just where he would have liked her plump。 Yet； as he lighted a
cigar； there came to him a queer feelingas if he were in the
presence of a woman he was fond of。
〃I hope to God；〃 he thought； 〃nothing'il come of these scares！〃 The
car glided on into the long road； swarming with traffic； towards the
fashionable heart of London。 Outside stationers' shops； however； the
posters of evening papers were of no reassuring order。
'THE PLOT THICKENS。'
'MORE REVELATIONS。'
'GRAVE SITUATION THREATENED。'
And before each poster could be seen a little eddy in the stream of
the passers…byformed by persons glancing at the news； and
disengaging themselves； to press on again。 The Earl of Valleys
caught himself wondering what they thought of it！ What was passing
behind those pale rounds of flesh turned towards the posters？
Did they think at all； these men and women in the street？ What was
their attitude towards