little to say anything directly about what Elliott had told me, but I had something to say that I thought she might be glad to hear.
'I saw your young man the other day in the club,' I remarked casually.
'Oh, did you?'
She spoke as casually as I had, but I perceived that she was instantly alert. Her eyes grew watchful and I thought I read in them something like apprehension.
'He was reading in the library. I was very much impressed by his power of concentration. He was reading when I went in soon after ten, he was still reading when I went back after lunch, and he was reading when I went in again on my way out to dinner. I don't believe he'd moved from his chair for the best part of ten hours.' 'What was he reading?' 'William James's Principles of Psychology.' She looked down so that I had no means of knowing how what I had said affected her, but I had a notion that she was at once puzzled and relieved. I was at that moment fetched by my host who wanted me to play bridge and by the time the game broke up Isabel and her mother had gone.
10
A couple of days later I went to say good-bye to Mrs Bradley and Elliott. I found them sitting over a cup of tea. Isabel came in shortly after me. We talked about my approaching journey, I thanked them for their kindness to me during my stay in Chicago and after a decent interval got up to go.
'I'll walk with you as far as the drugstore,' said Isabel. 'I've just remembered there's something I want to get.'
The last words Mrs Bradley said to me were, 'You will give my love to dear Queen Margherita the next time you see her, won't you?'
I had given up disclaiming any acquaintance with that august lady and answered glibly that I would be sure to.
When we got into the street Isabel gave me a sidelong smiling glance.
'D'you think you could drink an ice-cream soda?' she asked me.
'I could try,' I answered prudently.
Isabel did not speak till we reached the drugstore, and I, having nothing to say, said nothing. We went in and sat at a table on chairs with twisted wire backs and twisted wire legs. They were very uncomfortable. I ordered two ice-cream sodas. There were a few people at the counters buying; two or three couples were seated at other tables, but they were busy with their own concerns; and to all intents and purposes we were alone. I lit a cigarette and waited while Isabel with every appearance of satisfaction sucked at a long straw. I had a notion that she was nervous.
'I wanted to talk to you,' she said abruptly.
'I gathered that,' I smiled.
For a moment or two she looked at me reflectively.
'Why did you say that about Larry at the Satterthwaites' the night before last?'
'I thought it would interest you. It occurred to me that perhaps you didn't quite know what his idea of loafing was.'
'Uncle Elliott's a terrible gossip. When he said he was going to the Blackstone to have a chat with you I knew he was going to tell you all about everything.'
'I've known him a good many years, you know. He gets a lot of fun out of talking about other people's business.'
'He does,' she smiled. But it was only a gleam. She looked at me steadily and her eyes were serious. 'What do you think of Larry?'
'I've only seen him three times. He seems a very nice boy.'
'Is that all?'
There was a note of distress in her voice.
'No, not quite. It's hard for me to say; you see, I know him so little. Of course, he's attractive. There's something modest and friendly and gentle in him that is very appealing. He's got a lot of self-possession for so young a man. He isn't quite like any of the other boys I've met here.'
While I was thus fumblingly trying to put into words an impression that was not distinct in my own mind, Isabel looked at me intently. When I had finished she gave a little sigh, as if of relief, and then flashed a charming, almost roguish smile at me.
'Uncle Elliott says he's often been surprised at your power of observation. He says nothing much escapes you, but that your great
'I saw your young man the other day in the club,' I remarked casually.
'Oh, did you?'
She spoke as casually as I had, but I perceived that she was instantly alert. Her eyes grew watchful and I thought I read in them something like apprehension.
'He was reading in the library. I was very much impressed by his power of concentration. He was reading when I went in soon after ten, he was still reading when I went back after lunch, and he was reading when I went in again on my way out to dinner. I don't believe he'd moved from his chair for the best part of ten hours.' 'What was he reading?' 'William James's Principles of Psychology.' She looked down so that I had no means of knowing how what I had said affected her, but I had a notion that she was at once puzzled and relieved. I was at that moment fetched by my host who wanted me to play bridge and by the time the game broke up Isabel and her mother had gone.
10
A couple of days later I went to say good-bye to Mrs Bradley and Elliott. I found them sitting over a cup of tea. Isabel came in shortly after me. We talked about my approaching journey, I thanked them for their kindness to me during my stay in Chicago and after a decent interval got up to go.
'I'll walk with you as far as the drugstore,' said Isabel. 'I've just remembered there's something I want to get.'
The last words Mrs Bradley said to me were, 'You will give my love to dear Queen Margherita the next time you see her, won't you?'
I had given up disclaiming any acquaintance with that august lady and answered glibly that I would be sure to.
When we got into the street Isabel gave me a sidelong smiling glance.
'D'you think you could drink an ice-cream soda?' she asked me.
'I could try,' I answered prudently.
Isabel did not speak till we reached the drugstore, and I, having nothing to say, said nothing. We went in and sat at a table on chairs with twisted wire backs and twisted wire legs. They were very uncomfortable. I ordered two ice-cream sodas. There were a few people at the counters buying; two or three couples were seated at other tables, but they were busy with their own concerns; and to all intents and purposes we were alone. I lit a cigarette and waited while Isabel with every appearance of satisfaction sucked at a long straw. I had a notion that she was nervous.
'I wanted to talk to you,' she said abruptly.
'I gathered that,' I smiled.
For a moment or two she looked at me reflectively.
'Why did you say that about Larry at the Satterthwaites' the night before last?'
'I thought it would interest you. It occurred to me that perhaps you didn't quite know what his idea of loafing was.'
'Uncle Elliott's a terrible gossip. When he said he was going to the Blackstone to have a chat with you I knew he was going to tell you all about everything.'
'I've known him a good many years, you know. He gets a lot of fun out of talking about other people's business.'
'He does,' she smiled. But it was only a gleam. She looked at me steadily and her eyes were serious. 'What do you think of Larry?'
'I've only seen him three times. He seems a very nice boy.'
'Is that all?'
There was a note of distress in her voice.
'No, not quite. It's hard for me to say; you see, I know him so little. Of course, he's attractive. There's something modest and friendly and gentle in him that is very appealing. He's got a lot of self-possession for so young a man. He isn't quite like any of the other boys I've met here.'
While I was thus fumblingly trying to put into words an impression that was not distinct in my own mind, Isabel looked at me intently. When I had finished she gave a little sigh, as if of relief, and then flashed a charming, almost roguish smile at me.
'Uncle Elliott says he's often been surprised at your power of observation. He says nothing much escapes you, but that your great
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