第61章

ThedinnerwasawearisomeordealtoatleasttwootherpersonspresentbesidesBlanche。Arnold，sittingoppositetoGeoffrey，withoutexchangingawordwithhim，feltthealteredrelationsbetweenhisformerfriendandhimselfverypainfully。SirPatrick，missingtheskilledhandofHesterDethridgeineverydishthatwasofferedtohim，markedthedinneramongthewastedopportunitiesofhislife，andresentedhissister-in-law’sflowofspiritsassomethingsimplyinhumanunderpresentcircumstances。BlanchefollowedLadyLundieintothedrawing-roominastateofburningimpatiencefortherisingofthegentlemenfromtheirwine。Herstep-mother——mappingoutanewantiquarianexcursionforthenextday，andfindingBlanche’searsclosedtoheroccasionalremarksonbaronialScotlandfivehundredyearssince——lamented，withsatiricalemphasis，theabsenceofanintelligentcompanionofherownsex；andstretchedhermajesticfigureonthesofatowaituntilanaudienceworthyofherflowedinfromthedining-room。Beforeverylong——sosoothingistheinfluenceofanafter-dinnerviewoffeudalantiquities，takenthroughthemediumofanapprovingconscience——LadyLundie’seyesclosed；andfromLadyLundie’snosetherepoured，atintervals，asound，deeplikeherladyship’slearning；regular，likeherladyship’shabits——asoundassociatedwithnightcapsandbedrooms，evokedalikebyNature，theleveler，fromhighandlow——thesound(oh，Truthwhatenormitiesfindpublicityinthyname!)——thesoundofaSnore。

Freetodoasshepleased，Blanchelefttheechoesofthedrawing-roominundisturbedenjoymentofLadyLundie’saudiblerepose。

Shewentintothelibrary，andturnedoverthenovels。Wentoutagain，andlookedacrossthehallatthedining-roomdoor。Wouldthemenneverhavedonetalkingtheirpoliticsanddrinkingtheirwine？Shewentuptoherownroom，andchangedherear-rings，andscoldedhermaid。Descendedoncemore——andmadeanalarmingdiscoveryinadarkcornerofthehall。

Twomenwerestandingthere，hatinhandwhisperingtothebutler。Thebutler，leavingthem，wentintothedining-room——cameoutagainwithSirPatrick——andsaidtothetwomen，“Stepthisway，please。“Thetwomencameoutintothelight。Murdoch，thestation-master；andDuncan，thevalet!NewsofAnne!

“Oh，uncle，letmestay!“pleadedBlanche。

SirPatrickhesitated。Itwasimpossibletosay——asmattersstoodatthatmoment——whatdistressingintelligencethetwomenmight