Ian Hay

“ Consequently when the spring came Carthew was summarily bidden to go to Scotland and fish. Without quite knowing why, he went to Cannes instead, where Nina Tallentyre, attended by a zealous but mutually distrustful guard-of-honour, was enjoying herself after her fashion under the inadequate wing of Lady Hilton. When the exodus to Algiers was mooted, Carthew labelled his portmanteau London. But he ultimately crossed the Mediterranean with the rest. He had never seen Africa, he explained to himself.
Daphne was of the party too. ”

“ This testimonial had its desired effect of reducing Carthew to silence, and Mrs Carfrae continued:—
"You have been with John Carr for some time now, have you not?"
"Yes; ever since I came down from Cambridge."
"How did you meet him? He does not take to young men readily as a rule, so I have heard."
"I had the luck," said Carthew, his eye kindling with historic reminiscence, "to meet him at dinner one night at the end of my third year, at my tutor's. Sir John was an old member of the College, staying there for the week-end. ”

“ He was a plain man, Arthur Hilton, and hated mysteries.
"Why isn't that girl at home, lookin' after her husband, Ethel?" he inquired of his wife one morning.
"I think she is happier with us, dear," replied Lady Hilton with immense solemnity.
The Silent Knight emitted a subdued rumble, indicative of a desire to argue the point, and continued:—
"Happier—eh? Hasn't she got a baby, or somethin', somewhere? What the dev——"
"Yes, dear, she has a baby," replied his wife, rolling up her fine eyes to the ceiling; "but I fear she has not been very fortunate in her marriage. ”

“ There is not much difference between Carfrae and Carthew."
The punctilious Thémistocle refused to be comforted.
"But no, madame," he persisted; "I should have observed that the letter addressed itself to a Monsieur, and not a Madame. Doubtless it is intended for one of the English party who arrive this afternoon."
"An English party? Is my seclusion to be disturbed by the disciples of the good Monsieur Cook?"
"Assuredly no, madame. These are English milords from Marseilles. The Riviera season has been a failure: the mistral blows eternally. ”

“ You lookin' about for my successor, Ethel—what?"
It was useless to explain to this obtuse and uxorious critic that a young and sensitive girl cannot be expected to dwell continuously beneath the roof of a husband whose tastes are not her tastes, who has merely married her to keep house for him, and who neglects her into the bargain. Not that this prevented Lady Hilton from endeavouring to do so. When she had finished, her husband knocked the ashes out of his pipe, and remarked:—
"Can't make you women out. ”

“ This unlicked cub was to come and be a sort of general factotum to him, and do his best to help him with his work, and so on. Marvyn (the tutor) and I sat trying to think of likely men, and finally we made a list of about six, whom Sir John said he would run his eye over next day. ”