. There is
safety in number when persons are of opposite sexes, which they
generally are.

"Can't imagine what's become of them!" said Mr. Pellew, rounding off
some subject with a dexterous implication of its nature. "By
Jove!--that's good, though! Mr. Torrens down at last!" Greetings and
civilities, and a good pretence by the blind man of seeing the hands he
meets half-way.

"That young Lieutenant What's-his-name and the second Accrington girl,
Gwen dear. They must have missed us and gone round by Furze Heath. I
shall be in a fearful scrape with Lady Accrington, I know. Why didn't
you come to the flower-show?" Thus Miss Dickenson, laying unnecessary
stress on the absentees.

"I had a headache," says Gwen, "and Gloire de Dijon roses always make my
headaches worse.... Yes, it's very funny. Mr. Torrens and I have been
boring one another half the afternoon. But I've written some letters. Do
you know this in the new Opera--Verdi's?" She played a phrase or two of
the _Trovatore._ For it was the new Opera that year, and we were boys
... _eheu fugaces_!

"I really think I ought to walk back a little and see about those young
people," says Aunt Constance fatuously. Thereupon Gwen finds she would
like a little walk in the cool, and will accompany Aunt Constance. But
just after they have left the room Achilles, whose behaviour has really
been perfect all along, is seized with a paroxysm of interest in an
inaudible sound, and storms past them on the stairs to meet the carriage
and keep an eye on things. So they only take a short turn on the terrace
in the late glow of the sunset, and go up to dress.

Adrian and the Hon. Percival spend five minutes in the growing twilight,
actively ignoring all personal relations during the afternoon. They
discuss flower-shows on their merits, and recent Operas on theirs. They
censure the fashions in dress--the preposterous crinolines and the
bonnets almost hanging down on the back like a knapsack--touch politics
slightly: Louis Napoleon, Palmerston, Russian Nicholas. But they follow
male precedents, dropping trivialities as soon as womankind is out of
hearing, and preserve a discreet silence--two discreet silences--about
their respective recencies. They depart to their rooms, Adrian risking
his credit for a limited vision by committing himself to Mr. Pellew's
arm and a banister.

CHAPTER XXII

THEOPHILUS GOTOBED. HOW A TENOR AND A SOPRANO VANISHED. HOW GWEN
ANNOUNCED HER