Albert Kinross

“ Hutchinson led, and Merceron followed. The house had a reputation of a sort, and was living up to it.
The two men mixed lobster salad and champagne. Women, gorgeously attired and hectic with cosmetics, made eyes at them; and Merceron the glowing, Merceron the new-born, who, for three whole years, ever since he had gone down from Oxford, had shut himself away from London, recked only of Isabella and Horatio Sopwith, who to-night had once more issued forth into the common life, had dined and operaed, now grew discouraged. ”

“ The silks and satins rustled, the gems gleamed, and the bright faces shone, radiant with recent emotion. The men were all athletic, the black and white of their dress distinction's self. Nobody heeded Merceron, bending over this changing scene, ardent as a lover. Hutchinson's interest, though keen, was but platonic. ”

“ He would have liked to participate, to lose himself in this universal melody, to be one of this celestial crowd; but he was without beginning, without halting point, a being tossing idly, impotent, and anchorless over that blissful sea, possessing all, yet possessed of nothing,—desiring all, yet too hurried for any premeditated attack. ”