C. N. Williamson and A. M. Williamson

“ Perhaps, if I had n't known that Aix-en-Provence was the home of the troubadours, and that its springs had been loved by the Romans before the days of Christianity, I might not have thought it more charming than many another ancient sleepy town of France; but it is impossible to disentangle one's imagination and sentiment from one's eyesight; therefore, Aix seemed an exquisite place to me.
Now that I knew how knight-errantry in some of its branches was likely to affect Mr. Dane's pocket, I resolved that nothing should tempt me to encourage him in the pursuit. ”

“ So fascinated was she by the list of great names, that she lingered over the reading of them, as one lingers over the last strawberries of the season; and I had to stand at attention close behind her, with her rugs over my arm, lest any one should miss seeing that she had a maid.
"Dane says the best thing is to make Avignon a centre, and stop here two or three nights, 'doing' the country round, before going on to Nîmes or Arles," she said to Sir Samuel, who was clamouring for the best rooms in the house. ”

“ The car stopped, and duty began. I could n't even turn and say good night to the chauffeur, as I walked primly into the hotel, laden with my mistress's things.
She and Sir Samuel had the best rooms in the house, a suite big enough and grand enough for a king and queen, with a delightful loggia overlooking the high garden and the sea. But of course Lady Turnour would die rather than seem impressed by anything, and would probably pick faults if she were invited to sleep at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle—a contingency which I think unlikely. ”

“ I said. "Of course, Lady Turnour is n't as careful a chaperon as she ought to be."
Then we both laughed, and the danger-signals were turned off in his eyes. When he is n't smiling, Mr. Dane sometimes looks almost sullen, quite as if he could be disagreeable if he liked; but that makes the change more striking when he does smile.
"You needn't worry about that pocket of mine," he went on, as we ate our luncheon. "It 's as cheap here as anywhere; and when I saw all those motors before the door, I made up my mind that you 'd probably need a brother, so I came as soon as I could leave the car." ”

“ These arguments silenced if they did n't convince Lady Turnour, though she had probably never heard of Ziem, or even Corot, and we two in front were able to admire the charming scene in peace. Crossing bridges here and there we saw, rising above sapphire lake and silver belt of olives jewelled with rosy almond blossom, more than one miniature Carcassonne, or ruined castle small as if peeped at through a diminishing glass. There was Port le Bouc, the Mediterranean harbour of the Etang, or watergate to fairyland, as Martigues was the door ”

“ The bronze statue respectfully inquired how its master would like to make a little détour, instead of going by way of Aix-en-Provence to Avignon, as arranged. Within an easy run was a spot loved by artists, and beginning to be talked about—Martigues on the Etang de Berre, a salt lake not far from Marseilles—said to be picturesque. The Prince of Monaco was fond of motoring down that way. ”

“ Dane, glancing up from some dentist-looking work he was doing in the Aigle's mouth under her lifted bonnet. "But you are a little late ⸺"
"Oh!" I gasped, pink with horror. "You don't mean to say the Turnours have been out, and waiting?" "I do, but don't be so despairing. I told them I thought I 'd better look the car over, and was n't quite ready. That 's always true, you know. A motor 's like a pretty woman; never objects to being looked at. ”

“ You 'll like the Etang and the country round, but they won't."
"That 's a detail," said I, "since this tour runs itself in the interests of the femme de chambre and the chauffeur."
"We 're the only ones who have any interests that matter. It 's all the same to them, really, where they go, if I take the car over good roads and land them at expensive hotels at night. But I 'm not going to do that always. They 've got to see the Gorge of the Tarn. They don't know that yet, but they have."
"And won't they like seeing it?"
"Lady Turnour will hate it." ”

“ And just for the minute, the French half of me was a little piqued at his offer. That part of me pouted, and said that it would be much more amusing to travel in such odd circumstances beside a person one could flirt with, than to make a pact of "brother and sister." He might have given me the chance to say first that I 'd be a sister to him! But the American half slapped the French half, and said: "What silly nonsense! Don't be an idiot, if you can help it. The man's behaving beautifully. And it will just do you good to have your vanity stepped on, you conceited little minx!" ”

“ At ten o'clock the chauffeur arrived, and was shown up to the Turnours' vast Louis XVI. salon. He looked as much like an icily regular, splendidly null, bronze statue as a flesh-and-blood young man could possibly look, for that, no doubt, is his conception of the part of a well-trained "shuvver" ”

“ It is he who has snatched her from her lodging-house, to lead her into luxury, because of his faithful love of many years; and this is the way she rewards him! If I 'd been in his place, and had a javelin handy, I think I might suddenly have become a widower. ”