wo, old and wise; and there is a high place
prepared for them."

"But what about Charles?" I said.

Amroth smiled. "Old Charles?" he said. "I must admit that he is not a
very stirring figure at present. He is much immersed in his game of
finance, and talks a great deal in his lighter moments about the
commercial prospects of the Empire and the need of retaliatory tariffs.
But he will outgrow all that! He is a very loyal soul, but not very
adventurous just now. He would be sadly discomposed by an affection
which came in between him and his figures. He would think he wanted a
change--and he will have a thorough one, the good old fellow, one of
these days. But he has a long journey before him."

"Well," I said, "there are some surprises here! I am afraid I am very
youthful yet."

"Yes, dear child, you are very ingenuous," said Amroth, "and that is a
great part of your charm. But we will find something for you to do
before long! But here comes Charmides, to talk about the need of
exquisite pulsations, and their symbolism--though I see a change in him
too. And now I must go back to business. Take care of yourself, and I
will be back to tea." And Amroth flashed away in a very cheerful mood.

XV

There were many things at that time that were full of mystery, things
which I never came to understand. There was in particular a certain sort
of people, whom one met occasionally, for whom I could never wholly
account. They were unlike others in this fact, that they never appeared
to belong to any particular place or community. They were both men and
women, who seemed--I can express it in no other way--to be in the
possession of a secret so great that it made everything else trivial and
indifferent to them. Not that they were impatient or contemptuous--it
was quite the other way; but to use a similitude, they were like
good-natured, active, kindly elders at a children's party. They did not
shun conversation, but if one talked with them, they used a kind of
tender and gentle irony, which had something admiring and complimentary
about it, which took away any sense of vexation or of baffled curiosity.
It was simply as though their concern lay elsewhere; they joined in
anything with a frank delight, not with any touch of condescension. They
were even more kindly and affectionate than others, because they did not
seem to have any small problems of their own, and could give their whole
attention and thought to the person the