in,
lined, fallen in here and there, haggard, drawn. Nevertheless, looking
upon it, one could guess that once upon a time it must have been a
face with a mobile, almost imperial, outline, perhaps almost insolently
striking, the arrogant countenance of a conqueror. When gazing at it one
gazed at the ruin, not of a cottage or of a gimcrack villa, but at the
ruins of a palace. Lady Sellingworth's eyes were very dark and still
magnificent, like two brilliant lamps in her head. A keen intelligence
gazed out of them. There was often something half sad, half mocking in
their expression. But Craven thought that they mocked at herself rather
than at others. She was very plainly dressed in black, and her dress was
very high at the neck. She wore no ornaments except a wedding ring, and
two sapphires in her ears, which were tiny and beautiful.

Her greeting to Craven was very kind. He noticed at once that her
manner was as natural almost as a frank, manly schoolboy's, carelessly,
strikingly natural. There could never, he thought, have been a grain
of affectation in her. The idea even came into his head that she was
as natural as a tramp. Nevertheless the stamp of the great lady was
imprinted all over her. She had a voice that was low, very sensitive and
husky.

Instantly she fascinated Craven. Instantly he did not care whether she
was old or young, in perfect preservation or a ruin. For she seemed to
him penetratingly human, simply and absolutely herself as God had made
her. And what a rare joy that was, to meet in London a woman of the
great world totally devoid of the smallest shred of make-believe! Craven
felt that if she appeared before her Maker she would be exactly as she
was when she said how do you do to him.

She introduced him to Miss Van Tuyn and the general, made him sit next
to her, and gave him tea.

Miss Van Tuyn began talking, evidently continuing a conversation
which had been checked for a moment by the arrival of Craven. She was
obviously intelligent and had enormous vitality. She was also obviously
preoccupied with her own beauty and with the effect it was having upon
her hearers. She not only listened to herself while she spoke; she
seemed also to be trying to visualize herself while she spoke. In her
imagination she was certainly watching herself, and noting with interest
and pleasure her young and ardent beauty, which seemed to Craven more
remarkable when she was speaking than when she was silent. She
mus