as get

we proposed to return and, if so, whether we wished again to occupy the excellent villa we had. Not knowing what answer to make to the first question, we had passed to the s

t, and so should we, if we didn't live in it. It's what's inside th

we pondered

len

much in comfort as without fear of contracting a bed-sore or necrosis of the coccyx, appeals to me. Compared with most of the '

d I. "The French, I mea

st of the junk he turns out..." He broke off and glanced about the room. His eye lighted upon a couch, lozenge-shaped, hog-backed, featuring the Greek-Key pattern in brown upon a brick-red ground and surrounded on three

hairs, I wouldn't mind. But it's ever

is very beautifully carried out. I'm always expecting Falcon to press something

as are furnished to be let. And when yo

a villa of our own. I'm quite ready to face another three winters here, and, if everyone else is, it 'ld

a moment

h

ht three splendid salmon in the la

said Adè

turned to

ou think,

cally. A far-away lo

d," he announced, "the removal

t the matter was th

ited us all. To have our things about us would be wholly delightful. P

we proceed

ably about its garden and curtilage. We determined to insist upon two bathrooms. By the time the cheese was serv

"to let" upon his books. He added gratuitously that, except for a ruine

ecovered, we return

dans un quartier chic. It would, he thought, be to our liking. It had, for instance, une salle de fête superbe. He was

said so. We did not want a h

ed to view the villa, if it was still in the mark

gates of a broad shuttered mansion in the Rue Mazagran, Pau, while the agent was alterna

he pavement, it had plenty of elbow room. The street itself was as silent as the tomb. Perhaps, if we c

I whistled to Nobby, and we pa

the sunlight behind and h

ffing the air. "Damp for a monkey

iffed tho

"When a house has been shut

ver mind. If you want to live over water, I don't care. But don't say I didn't warn

l heating. See?" She pointed to a huge radiator. "If

ugged his

cupboards. In a woman's eyes a superfluity of cupboards can transform the most poisonous habitation into a d

ble to see about us. As we were glancing round, th

upboard," she announced.

truth of her words. I have never seen so man

strove to dissemble th

owever, spoke

k of the room they give. You'll

turned

g recesses walled up with painted wood. Birthplaces of mice. Impre

t help it. Besides-- Hullo

ter a heavy night. I suppose the designer was found 'guilty, but insane.' Another two cupboards? Thanks. That's fifty-nine. And yet another? Oh, no. The backstairs, of course. As before, approached by a door which slides to and fro with a gentle rumbling noise, instead of swinging. The same warranted to jam i

u'd be quiet," said Da

versity wall-paper. And now where's the tower? I supp

wer?" sa

ure of the house. Or

te forgotten." I turned to the agent.

he ground-floor. I will

where two tall oak doors were suggesting a picture-gallery. For a m

carved oak-and every handsome panel was outlined with gold. The ceiling was all of oak, fretted with gold. The floor was of polished oak, inlaid with ebony. At th

much older house, and that, while the other portions of the original mansion had disappeared, this great chamber and th

ment attracted us greatly. It was too vast to be used with comfort as a sitting-room. The occasions upon which we should enjoy it as 'une salle d

offices were admirable. As for the basement, we lost our way there. It was profound. It was also indubitably damp. There th

to let the agent know our decision, and, to the great inconvenience of other

Adèle, "those were

other people

ng in the hall as w

them was the fellow who's after the house, I fancy you're

the banisters. By the time we'd got down, they'd disappeared. Any way, it doesn't matter. Only, if it was them, it

if we're fools enough to take

have tea at Bouzom's, a

magine, will ever

of her agitation my sister replenished the teapot with Jill's chocolate, and twice fresh tea had to be brought. Berry burned his mouth and dropped an apr

back his chair and

whose surface I have reason to believe is studded with barbs. Thirdly, whilst we are all agreed that a rent of fourteen thousand francs is grotesque, I'd rather pay twice that sum out of my own pocket than continue an argument which threatens to affect my mind. Fourthly, the house is not what we want, or where we want it. The prospect of wassailing in your own comic banqueting-hall is alluring, but the French cook believes in oil, and, to us, living in the town, every passing breeze will offer indisputable evidence, not only of the lengths to which this belief will go, but of the Pentateuchal effects which can be obtained by a fearless application of heat to rancid blubber. Fifthly, since we can get nothing else, and the thought of another winter in England

hat and, before we could sto

ect that he would remember that he had ordered the tea, and had

eve

take the house for three years at a rent of twelve thousand

good as

deaux, had just submitted an offer of fourteen thousand francs. He added that, unless

t, I told him to do his

*

beautiful that we

roached t

levard," said Daphne. "Th

alongside, and then communicated our

rted, Ping and Pong proc

t of a gigantic screen-the foothills to wit, odd twinkling points of yellow light, seemingly pendent in the air, marking the farms and villas planted about their flanks. And that is all. A row of poplars, certainly, very correct, very slight, very elegant, by the way that we take for Lourdes-the row of poplars should be recorded; the luminous stars also, and a sweet white glow in the heaven, just w

into the P

ankful that we're quit of the Villa Buichi. We should

y. "My very words. Over an

f to destructive criticism, deliberate confusion of the issues, and the recom

he value of controversy. I don't blame you. Considering the backlas

dèle, bubbling, "is th

hich eventually emerge. That's why I never spare myself. I don't pretend it's easy, but then I'm like that. Somebod

an outrage

h

occasions your brain works very fast. Also t

't see, supposing we focussed on the object with which we set out. I've thought out a new step, I want to show you. It's called 'The Slip Stitch.' Every third beat you stagger and cross your legs above the knee. That s

other car, so we broke away a

itor seemed to be there, but they were not all

I touched Adè

dance with

one moment

llants arrived to

y husband," said

ise the next an

ng, she promised the

les of your little pink feet, you're an exquisite production. Whoever did see such a mouth? I suppose you know I married you for your mouth? And your throat? And-but I digress. As I was saying, all this is due to me. If I fed you exclusively on farinaceous food, you'd look pale. If I locked you out of nights, you'd look tired. If I didn't clothe you, you'd look-well, you

don't do," said Adèle,

ou di

ut

Adèle, "are still observed

That's why I

ve you," said Adèle. "

end i

ted to danc

end y

and a moment later a Frenchman

or a dance la

g. I've promised

, I trust,

do understand, don't you? You see, I must keep in wi

enchma

to-night, Madame, I can

ch Berry was superintending

offing, and sharp at one-thirty we start on fried eggs and beer. Judging from the contracts into which my wife has entered during the last six minut

cry from Daphne and a

and

id my sister, "to p

r husband, applying t

n thing. How

shaped hand supporting the small of your back. I'm not. I'm going to maintain a sitting posture, with one of the 'nests for rest' provided by a malignant Casi

it were an instrument of music, and, adopting the attitude and man

a roar o

the embarrassing attention of about sixt

her-in-law and I had t

rward with that bauble. Th

in full blast. After a while the heat became oppressive. Presently

mpleting my

ell," said a d

on a stick, accompanied by a remarkably pre

to them

with an accide

marry Piers. Captain Pleydell, this is Susan-my only niece. Now I'm going to sit down."

rey building with a red kee

. Waterbrook. "Now I'l

u seen the inside

ave

Mrs. Waterbrook, "to

in Pau, and you've neve

finest collections of t

doing to-mo

e inside of the

nly arrived yesterday, and now her mother wants her, and she's got to go back. She's wi

" said I. "But it's

rbrook, "that's a compl

an. "But it's

?" cried

didn't see

to lik

ou lessons in English. She isn't a teacher, you know. She's an American-with a silver tongue. And there's that wretched bell." She ros

e i

o come and find us i

wil

st ten to-morr

atre she stopped to speak with som

ydell, is yo

odd

, d'you think I could-I mean, if you would

ike Susan mo

spare hour to-morrow," I

itted he

er. I want to be able to tell them I had you alone. But if

as I cou

orward child,"

said Susan. "

with a young Frenchman who was watching the progress of le jeu de boule. This was hardly exhilarating.

gh to knock a cigarette

rdon, Monsieur. Je v

aid, smiling. "I shouldn't h

case from

the cigarette"-he took one with a laugh-"and t

h. For all that, yo

all be uncertain. And I'm sure you

other day I had to produce my passport to a mercha

, with bulging eyes. "

s a perfect mine of information. It wasn't strictly accurate, but Germany didn't know that. As a double-dyed traitor, they found me extremely useful

en I asked him to come to our table in t

gh to dislike Jaz

he Club on the followi

l him what h

n full swing and my broth

down, he

her case it's as hard as petrified bog-oak. If you only leave an imperial pint in the vessel, it all goes and gathers in one corner, thus conveying to one the impression that one is sitting one's self upon a naked chair with a tennis-ball in one's hip-

d to soothe him,

tunes hunt in threes. First we fool and are fooled over th

as provocative as to suggest that the immersion of the cigar should rank as the third disaster, so I moistened t

ce, and then desired me

were favouring repose,

ished. Stifling an incl

d related my meeting wi

had f

red my brother-in-law. "Or is a pa

to an end, and I

said, "of the spleen i

been taken weighi

rod?" sa

inued, "why you're so

wife and led her away t

ming room for twenty seconds

ver there, Boy? With

behind his di

he men I saw in

it he's the new lessee. Well, well. He

d he was overdressed. He gave the impression that money was no longer an object. As i

g, Adèle moved to

voice, "is attracting

the S

pered. "He did us out of a hous

panion

e murmured. "You must c

d my ey

know

ther

rse," he said. Then: "I

as he?"

t receiver

*

-law's prophecy that there was 'worse

the fun. Berry's ill humour fell away. Adèle and I danced furiously together. Vain things were im

the tambourine of gaiety suf

the cars flushed

there was one member of the household who always l

bb

ade, his small feet together, his tail up, his rough little head upon one side, waiting to greet us with an e

is welcome. Had we looked in vain some

oncerned

door to find t

s not up

the whole house. Presently I

I

ooking everywhere and Fitch as been out in Pau all evening

ectfully,

chi the following morn

before we visited the house we well remembered. Whether he had entered with us and

ut an order. My offer of money was offensively refused. I had to content myself with standing within the hall and whistling as loud as I could. N

inside of the Chateau then or at any time; I particularly wished to prosecute my search fo

wing, her wonderful golden hair was full of lights, and the line of her slim figure, as-hands thrust deep into her coat-pockets

ended fro

e got a stone in my shoe.

her s

l them," I said, "won't you

back luxuriously. Then she thrust ou

r shoe, she thanked me

to see the rotten place. Let's go for a drive instead-somewhere where you

ing shown round a Chateau, but you can't have everything. Orders is orders. Besides, I've lost my dog, and I want

s a goo

out of the car and haling me up to the Cha

but my annoyance went down before the

the lovely tones no brush could ever compass. Miracles of detail, marvels of stately effect, the panels were breathing the spirit of their age. Looking upon them, I stepped into another world. I heard the shouts of the huntsmen and the laughter of the handmaidens, I smelled the sweat of the charger

ads: the hearts of those that plied it put in most precious memories-treasures of love and laughter ... the swift brush of lips ...

ve stumbled upon it. The tapestries of Pau are dream

ng in the Bedroom of Jeanne d'Albret, staring at a beautiful Gobel

e keeper, Susan, and

dog. His coat was plastered with filth, upon one of his ears was a blotch of dried b

a hand to

peering. And the

wered it to the ground, and then rolled over upon his back. With his

nd patted the mud u

h a squirm, the Sealyham was on hi

shaking me by the arm, "is

shouted

custodian of the apar

him. Without an attachment in all these noble rooms! Mon Dieu! dogs may not enter even the g

s my dog all right, bu

g all over Pau.

nt. Myself I have shut all the doors. No on

o the carve

," said I. "He's

red behind the gorgeous parapet.

soiled Jeanne d'Albret's bed! Observe the nest he has made in her coun

"But, unless you keep your mouth shut, you

fellow would

d. "See how he approaches the Queen's screen

ortly. "He's very str

dy would be. But

he keeper besought me to

eak for himself, I tied my handkerchief to his collar and, with Susan chattering excitedl

at the chimney, but it's stopped up, and the man says there's no other

got all about him and left him outside. We were there for ages. I suppose he got fed up with waiting or found a pal or something, and drifted down here. All the same....

passed i

r dared not trust

very thankful tha

ate, a sudden thought cam

"when last did you

n's room,

odd

ing, Monsieur.

have knock

s the car like

macked of a co

view the Chateau against my will, there to discover my m

on of my wits, Susan

ase of a revolution, for the king to escape.

" said I a

house, I suppose it was country once, and then the ground was built over, or, of course, it might always

h!" I roared. "T

coiled w

t her w

m was there. It's a house we saw yesterday. We thought of taking

t, you'd 've been able to go and look at the tap

were blazing. I

rder w

I said. "He's made a mistake. The bigg

d at me wit

open its door and wave

owed h

und her waist and ki

u will have someth

rgled de

*

if not artistic. They

remely uncomfortable chair in the Oratory of Jeanne d'Albret, and listening at intervals, by means of a delicate instrument, to the biggest

as following a quarter of a mile in his rear, and that the van which was to take him to prison was waiting in the Chate

a blasphemous whisper if all were present, was the s

copy be

king their best, but t

s makes a most exq