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　consciousness　which　felt　numb　and　deadunpervaded　by　the　joy　with　which　the　rest　of　his　spirit　seemed　to　thrill　and　tingle。　　The　removal　of　this　hard　grain　in　the　sweet　savour　of　life　was　needed　to　complete　his　felicity。　Bernard　felt　that　he　had　made　the　necessary　excision　when；　at　the　end　of　the　month；　he　wrote　to　Gordon　Wright　of　his　engagement。　He　had　been　putting　off　the　performance　of　this　duty　from　day　to　day　it　seemed　so　hard　to　accomplish　it　gracefully。　　He　did　it　at　the　end　very　briefly；　it　struck　him　that　this　was　the　best　way。　Three　days　after　he　had　sent　his　letter　there　arrived　one　from　Gordon　himself；　informing　Bernard　that　he　had　suddenly　determined　to　bring　Blanche　to　Europe。　　She　was　not　well；　and　they　would　lose　no　time。　　They　were　to　sail　within　a　week　after　his　writing。　The　letter　contained　a　postscript〃Captain　Lovelock　comes　with　us。〃






CHAPTER　XXIV

Bernard　prepared　for　Gordon's　arrival　in　Paris；　which；　according　to　his　letter；　would　take　place　in　a　few　days。　He　was　not　intending　to　stop　in　England；　Blanche　desired　to　proceed　immediately　to　the　French　capital；　to　confer　with　her　man…milliner；　after　which　it　was　probable　that　they　would　go　to　Italy　or　to　the　East　for　the　winter。　〃I　have　given　her　a　choice　of　Rome　or　the　Nile；〃　said　Gordon；　〃but　she　tells　me　she　does　n't　care　a　fig　where　we　go。〃

I　say　that　Bernard　prepared　to　receive　his　friends；　and　I　mean　that　he　prepared　morallyor　even　intellectually。　Materially　speaking；　he　could　simply　hold　himself　in　readiness　to　engage　an　apartment　at　a　hotel　and　to　go　to　meet　them　at　the　station。　　He　expected　to　hear　from　Gordon　as　soon　as　this　interesting　trio　should　reach　England；　but　the　first　notification　he　received　came　from　a　Parisian　hotel。　It　came　to　him　in　the　shape　of　a　very　short　note；　in　the　morning；　shortly　before　lunch；　and　was　to　the　effect　that　his　friends　had　alighted　in　the　Rue　de　la　Paix　the　night　before。

〃We　were　tired；　and　I　have　slept　late；〃　said　Gordon；　〃otherwise　you　should　have　heard　from　me　earlier。　　Come　to　lunch；　if　possible。　I　want　extremely　to　see　you。〃

Bernard；　of　course；　made　a　point　of　going　to　lunch。　　In　as　short　a　time　as　possible　he　found　himself　in　Gordon's　sitting…room　at　the　Hotel　Middlesex。　The　table　was　laid　for　the　midday　repast；　and　a　gentleman　stood　with　his　back　to　the　door；　looking　out　of　the　window。　　As　Bernard　came　in；　this　gentleman　turned　and　exhibited　the　ambrosial　beard；　the　symmetrical　shape；　the　monocular　appendage；　of　Captain　Lovelock。

The　Captain　screwed　his　glass　into　his　eye；　and　greeted　Bernard　in　his　usual　fashionthat　is；　as　if　he　had　parted　with　him　overnight。

〃Oh；　good　morning！　　Beastly　morning；　is　n't　it？　I　suppose　you　are　come　to　luncheonI　have　come　to　luncheon。　It　ought　to　be　on　table；　you　knowit　's　nearly　two　o'clock。　But　I　dare　say　you　have　noticed　foreigners　are　never　punctual　it　's　only　English　servants　that　are　punctual。　　And　they　don't　understand　luncheon；　you　knowthey　can't　make　out　our　eating　at　this　sort　of　hour。　　You　know　they　always　dine　so　beastly　early。　Do　you　remember　the　sort　of　time　they　used　to　dine　at　Baden？　half…past　five；　half…past　six；　some　unearthly　hour　of　that　kind。　　That　's　the　sort　of　time　you　dine　in　America。　I　found　they　'd　invite　a　man　at　half…past　six。　　That　's　what　I　call　being　in　a　hurry　for　your　food。　　You　know　they　always　accuse　the　Americans　of　making　a　rush　for　their　victuals。　I　am　bound　to　say　that　in　New　York；　and　that　sort　of　place；　the　victuals　were　very　good　when　you　got　them。　I　hope　you　don't　mind　my　saying　anything　about　America？　You　know　the　Americans　are　so　deucedly　thin…skinnedthey　always　bristle　up　if　you　say　anything　against　their　institutions。　The　English　don't　care　a　rap　what　you　saythey　've　got　a　different　sort　of　temper；　you　know。　　With　the　Americans　I　'm　deuced　carefulI　never　breathe　a　word　about　anything。　While　I　was　over　there　I　went　in　for　being　complimentary。　I　laid　it　on　thick；　and　I　found　they　would　take　all　I　could　give　them。　　I　did　n't　see　much　of　their　institutions；　after　all；　I　went　in　for　seeing　the　people。　　Some　of　the　people　were　charmingupon　my　soul；　I　was　surprised　at　some　of　the　people。　　I　dare　say　you　know　some　of　the　people　I　saw；　they　were　as　nice　people　as　you　would　see　anywhere。　There　were　always　a　lot　of　people　about　Mrs。　Wright；　you　know；　they　told　me　they　were　all　the　best　people。　　You　know　she　is　always　late　for　everything。　　She　always　comes　in　after　every　one　is　therelooking　so　devilish　pretty；　pulling　on　her　gloves。　She　wears　the　longest　gloves　I　ever　saw　in　my　life。　　Upon　my　word；　if　they　don't　come；　I　think　I　will　ring　the　bell　and　ask　the　waiter　what　's　the　matter。　　Would　n't　you　ring　the　bell？　It　's　a　great　mistake；　their　trying　to　carry　out　their　ideas　of　lunching。　　That　's　Wright's　character；　you　know；　he　's　always　trying　to　carry　out　some　idea。　　When　I　am　abroad；　I　go　in　for　the　foreign　breakfast　myself。　　You　may　depend　upon　it　they　had　better　give　up　trying　to　do　this　sort　of　thing　at　this　hour。〃

Captain　Lovelock　was　more　disposed　to　conversation　than　Bernard　had　known　him　before。　　His　discourse　of　old　had　been　languid　and　fragmentary；　and　our　hero　had　never　heard　him　pursue　a　train　of　ideas　through　so　many　involutions。　　To　Bernard's　observant　eye；　indeed；　the　Captain　was　an　altered　man。　His　manner　betrayed　a　certain　restless　desire　to　be　agreeable；　to　anticipate　judgmenta　disposition　to　smile；　and　be　civil；　and　entertain　his　auditor；　a　tendency　to　move　about　and　look　out　of　the　window　and　at　the　clock。　　He　struck　Bernard　as　a　trifle　nervous　as　less　solidly　planted　on　his　feet　than　when　he　lounged　along　the　Baden　gravel…walks　by　the　side　of　his　usual　companion　a　lady　for　whom；　apparently；　his　admiration　was　still　considerable。　Bernard　was　curious　to　see　whether　he　would　ring　the　bell　to　inquire　into　the　delay　attending　the　service　of　lunch；　but　before　this　sentiment；　rather　idle　under　the　circumstances；　was　gratified；　Blanche　passed　into　the　room　from　a　neighboring　apartment。　　To　Bernard's　perception　Blanche；　at　least；　was　always　Blanche；　she　was　a　person　in　whom　it　would　not　have　occurred　to　him　to　expect　any　puzzling　variation；　and　the　tone　of　her　little；　soft；　thin　voice　instantly　rang　in　his　ear　like　an　echo　of　yesterday's　talk。　　He　had　already　remarked　to　himself　that　after　however　long　an　interval　one　might　see　Blanche；　she　re…appeared　with　an　air　of　familiarity。　This　was　in　some　sense；　indeed；　a　proof　of　the　agreeable　impression　she　made；　and　she　looked　exceedingly　pretty　as　she　now　suddenly　stopped　on　seeing　our　two　gentlemen；　and　gave　a　little　cry　of　surprise。

〃Ah！　　I　did　n't　know　you　were　here。　　They　never　told　me。　Have　you　been　waiting　a　long　time？　　How　d'　ye　do？　　You　must　think　we　are　polite。〃　　She　held　out　her　hand　to　Bernard；　smiling　very　graciously。　　At　Captain　Lovelock　she　barely　glanced。　〃I　hope　you　are　very　well；〃　she　went　on　to　Longueville；　〃but　I　need　n't　ask　that。　　You　're　as　blooming　as　a　rose。　What　in　the　world　has　happened　to　you？　　You　look　so　brilliant　so　fresh。　　Can　you　say　that　to　a　manthat　he　looks　fresh？　Or　can　you　only　say　that　about　butter　and　eggs？〃

〃It　depends　upon　the　man；〃　said　Captain　Lovelock。　　〃You　can't　say　that　a　man　's　fresh　who　spends　his　time　in　running　about　after　you！〃

〃Ah；　are　you　here？〃　cried　Blanche　with　another　little　cry　of　surprise。　　〃I　did　n't　notice　youI　thought　you　were　the　waiter。　This　is　what　he　calls　running　about　after　me；〃　she　added；　to　Bernard；　〃coming　to　breakfast　without　being　asked。　How　queerly　they　have　arranged　the　table！〃　she　went　on；　gazing　with　her　little　elevated　eyebrows　at　this　piece　of　furniture。　〃I　always　thought　that　in　Paris；　if　they　could　n't　do　anything　else；　they　could　arrange　a　table。　　I　don't　like　that　at　all　those　horrid　little　dishes　on　each　side！　　Don't　you　think　those　things　ought　to　be　off　the　table；　Mr。　Longueville？　I　don't　like　to　see　a　lot　of　things　I　'm　not　eating。　And　I　told　them　to　have　some　flowerspray；　where　are　the　flowers？　Do　they　call　those　things　flowers？　　They　look　as　if　they　had　come　out　of　the　landlady's　bonnet！　　Mr。　Longueville；　do　look　at　those　objects。〃

〃They　are　not　like　methey　are　not　very　fresh；〃　laughed　Bernard。

〃It　's　no　great　matterwe　have　not　got　to　eat　them；〃　growled　Captain　Lovelock。

〃I　should　think　you　would　expect　towith　the　luncheon　you　usually　make！〃　rejoined　Blanche。　　〃Since　you　are　here；　though　I　did　n't　ask　you；　you　might　as　well　make　yourself　useful。　　Will　you　be　so　good　as　to　ring　the　bell？　If　Gordon　expects　that　we　are　going　to　wait　another　quarter　of　an　hour　for　him　he　exaggerates　the　patience　of　a　long…suffering　wife。　　If　you　are　very　curious　to　know　what　he　is　about；　he　is　writing　letters；　by　way　of　a　change。　He　writes　about　eighty　a　day；　his　correspondents　must　be　strong　people！　It　's　a　lucky　thing　for　me　that　I　am　married　to　Gordon；　if　I　were　not　he　might　write　to　meto　me；　to　whom　it　's　a　misery　to　have　to　answer　even　an　invitation　to　dinner！　　To　begin　with；　I　don't　know　how　to　spell。　If　Captain　Lovelock　ever　boasts　that　he　has　had　letters　from　me；　you　may　know　it　's　an　invention。　　He　has　never　had　anything　but　telegrams　three　telegramsthat　I　sent　him　in　America　about　a　pair　of　slippers　that　he　had　left　at　our　house　and　that　I　did　n't　know　what　to　do　with。　Captain　Lovelock's　slippers　are　no　trifle　to　have　on　one's　hands　on　one's　feet；　I　suppose　I　ought　to　say。　　For　telegrams　the　spelling　does　n't　matter；　the　people　at　the　office　correct　itor　if　they　don't　you　can　put　it　off　on　them。　　I　never　see　anything　nowadays　but　Gordon's　back；〃　she　went　on；　as　they　took　their　places　at　table〃his　noble　broad　back；　as　he　sits　writing　his　letters。　　That　's　my　principal　view　of　my　husband。　I　think　that　now　we　are　in　Paris　I　ought　to　have　a　portrait　of　it　by　one　of　the　great　artists。　　It　would　be　such　a　characteristic　pose。　I　have　quite　forgotten　his　face　and　I　don't　think　I　should　know　it。〃

Gordon's　face；　however；　presented　itself　just　at　this　moment；　he　came　in　quickly；　with　his　countenance　flushed　with　the　pleasure　of　meeting　his　old　friend　again。　　He　had　the　sun…scorched　look　of　a　traveller　who　has　just　crossed　the　Atlantic；　and　he　smiled　at　Bernard　with　his　honest　eyes。

〃Don't　think　me　a　great　brute　for　not　being　here　to　receive　you；〃　he　said；　as　he　clasped　his　ha