nglomeration of all the races under Heaven. To point his remarks
and mark his contrasts he used the words "we English" and "you
Americans." After a time the young man smiled and said: "But am not an
American--at least I'm an American citizen, but I'm not a born
American."
"But," cried my friend, "you're the essence of America."
"No," said the young man, "I'm an Icelander."
Thus it was natural for Liosha's father to find an Albanian wife in
Chicago. She too was superficially Americanised. When they returned to
Albania with their purely American daughter, they at first found it
difficult to appear superficial Albanians. Liosha had to learn Albanian
as a foreign language, her parents and herself always speaking English
among themselves. But the call of the blood rang strong in the veins of
the elders. Robbery and assassination on the heroic scale held for the
man an irresistible attraction, and he acquired great skill at the
business; and the woman, who seems to have been of a lymphatic
temperament, sank without murmuring into the domestic subjection into
which she had been born. It was only Liosha who rebelled. Hence her
complicated attitude towards life, and hence her entertaining talk at
the dinner table.
I enjoyed myself. So, I think, did everybody. When the ladies rose,
Jaffery, who was nearest the door, opened it for them to pass out,
Barbara, the last, lingered for a second or two and laid her hand on
Jaffery's arm and looked up at him out of her teasing blue eyes.
"My dear Jaff," she said, "what kind of a dinner do you eat when you
_are_ hungry?"
CHAPTER VI
Barbara having freed Jaffery from immediate anxieties with regard to
Liosha, easily persuaded him to pay a longer visit than he had proposed.
A telephonic conversation with a first distracted, then
conscience-smitten and then much relieved Euphemia had for effect the
payment of bills at the Savoy and the retreat of the gentle lady to
Tunbridge Wells. Liosha remained with us, pending certain negotiations
darkly carried on by my wife and Doria in concert. During this time I
had some opportunity of observing her from a more philosophic standpoint
and my judgment was--I will not say formed--but aided by Barbara's
confidential revelations. When not directly thwarted, she seemed to be
good-natured. She took to Susan--a good sign; and Susan took to her--a
better. Finding that her idea of happiness was to sprawl about the
garden and let the child
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