下载辰思小说免费APP
Whatwerethosehorridpeopledoing？Shespentthewholemorningindiscussingpoliticswithherhusband，andbydegreesshebecamedeeplyinterestedinwhattheyweresaying。Buteverynowandthenwhatshewassayingseemedtoheroddlyemptyofmeaning。
Atluncheonitwasremarkedbyseveralpeoplethatthevisitorsatthehotelwerebeginningtoleave；therewerefewereveryday。
Therewereonlyfortypeopleatluncheon，insteadofthesixtythattherehadbeen。SooldMrs。Paleycomputed，gazingaboutherwithherfadedeyes，asshetookherseatatherowntableinthewindow。
HerpartygenerallyconsistedofMr。PerrottaswellasArthurandSusan，andto-dayEvelynwaslunchingwiththemalso。
Shewasunusuallysubdued。Havingnoticedthathereyeswerered，andguessingthereason，theotherstookpainstokeepupanelaborateconversationbetweenthemselves。Shesufferedittogoonforafewminutes，leaningbothelbowsonthetable，andleavinghersoupuntouched，whensheexclaimedsuddenly，“Idon’tknowhowyoufeel，butIcansimplythinkofnothingelse！“
Thegentlemenmurmuredsympathetically，andlookedgrave。
Susanreplied，“Yes——isn’titperfectlyawful？Whenyouthinkwhatanicegirlshewas——onlyjustengaged，andthisneedneverhavehappened——itseemstootragic。“ShelookedatArthurasthoughhemightbeabletohelpherwithsomethingmoresuitable。
“Hardlines，“saidArthurbriefly。“Butitwasafoolishthingtodo——togoupthatriver。“Heshookhishead。“Theyshouldhaveknownbetter。Youcan’texpectEnglishwomentostandroughingitasthenativesdowho’vebeenacclimatised。I’dhalfamindtowarnthematteathatdaywhenitwasbeingdiscussed。Butit’snogoodsayingthesesortofthings——itonlyputspeople’sbacksup——
itnevermakesanydifference。“
OldMrs。Paley，hithertocontentedwithhersoup，hereintimated，byraisingonehandtoherear，thatshewishedtoknowwhatwasbeingsaid。
“Youheard，AuntEmma，thatpoorMissVinracehasdiedofthefever，“
Susaninformedhergently。Shecouldnotspeakofdeathloudlyoreveninherusualvoice，sothatMrs。Paleydidnotcatchaword。
Arthurcametotherescue。
“MissVinraceisdead，“hesaidverydistinctly。
Mrs。Paleymerelybentalittletowardshimandasked，“Eh？“
“MissVinraceisdead，“herepeated。Itwasonlybystiffeningallthemusclesroundhismouththathecouldpreventhimselffromburstingintolaughter，andforcedhimselftorepeatforthethirdtime，“MissVinrace……She’sdead。“
Letalonethedifficultyofhearingtheexactwords，factsthatwereoutsideherdailyexperiencetooksometimetoreachMrs。Paley’sconsciousness。Aweightseemedtorestuponherbrain，impeding，thoughnotdamagingitsaction。Shesatvague-eyedforatleastaminutebeforesherealisedwhatArthurmeant。
“Dead？“shesaidvaguely。“MissVinracedead？Dearme……that’sverysad。ButIdon’tatthemomentrememberwhichshewas。
Weseemtohavemadesomanynewacquaintanceshere。“ShelookedatSusanforhelp。“Atalldarkgirl，whojustmissedbeinghandsome，withahighcolour？“
“No，“Susaninterposed。“Shewas——“thenshegaveitupindespair。
TherewasnouseinexplainingthatMrs。Paleywasthinkingofthewrongperson。
“Sheoughtnottohavedied，“Mrs。Paleycontinued。“Shelookedsostrong。Butpeoplewilldrinkthewater。Icannevermakeoutwhy。
ItseemssuchasimplethingtotellthemtoputabottleofSeltzerwaterinyourbedroom。That’salltheprecautionI’veevertaken，andI’vebeenineverypartoftheworld，Imaysay——Italyadozentimesover……Butyoungpeoplealwaysthinktheyknowbetter，andthentheypaythepenalty。Poorthing——Iamverysorryforher。“
Butthedifficultyofpeeringintoadishofpotatoesandhelpingherselfengrossedherattention。
ArthurandSusanbothsecretlyhopedthatthesubjectwasnowdisposedof，forthereseemedtothemsomethingunpleasantinthisdiscussion。
ButEvelynwasnotreadytoletitdrop。Whywouldpeople
