“Well，Jimmy，“heremarked，“Ibroughtupapianoboxfulloffireworksfortheboys。Howdoyousupposewe’llmanagetokeepthemuntiltheFourth？“
“Wecan’t，unlesswesteelourselvestodenythereareanyonthepremises，“saidMissBroadwood，seatingherselfonalowstoolbyHamilton’schairandleaningbackagainstthemantel。“HaveyouseenHelen，andhasshetoldyouthetragedyofthetooth？“
“Shemetmeatthestation，withhertoothwrappedupintissuepaper。Ihadteawithheranhourago。Bettersitdown，MissWillard；“heroseandpushedachairtowardImogen，whowasstandingpeeringintotheconservatory。“Wearescheduledtodineatseven，buttheyseldomgetaroundbeforeeight。“
BythistimeImogenhadmadeoutthatherethepluralpronoun，thirdperson，alwaysreferredtotheartists。AsHamilton’smannerdidnotspuronetocordialintercourse，andashisattentionseemeddirectedtoMissBroadwood，insofarasitcouldbesaidtobedirectedtoanyone，shesatdownfacingtheconservatoryandwatchedhim，unabletodecideinhowfarhewasidenticalwiththemanwhohadfirstmetFlaviaMalcolminhermother’shouse，twelveyearsago。Didheatallrememberhavingknownherasalittlegirl，andwhydidhisindifferencehurtherso，afteralltheseyears？Hadsomeremnantofherchildishaffectionforhimgoneonliving，somewheredowninthesealedcavesofherconsciousness，andhadshereallyexpectedtofinditpossibletobefondofhimagain？Suddenlyshesawalightintheman’ssleepyeyes，anunmistakableexpressionofinterestandpleasurethatfairlystartledher。Sheturnedquicklyinthedirectionofhisglance，andsawFlavia，justentering，dressedfordinnerandlitbytheeffulgenceofhermostradiantmanner。MostpeopleconsideredFlaviahandsome，andtherewasnogainsayingthatshecarriedherfive-and-thirtyyearssplendidly。Herfigurehadnevergrownmatronly，andherfacewasofthesortthatdoesnotshowwear。Itsblondtintswereasfreshandenduringasenamel——andquiteashard。Itsusualexpressionwasoneoftense，oftenstrained，animation，whichcompressedherlipsnervously。Aperfectscreamofanimation，MissBroadwoodhadcalledit，createdandmaintainedbysheer，indomitableforceofwill。Flavia’sappearanceonanyscenewhatevermadearipple，causedacertainagitationandrecognition，and，amongimpressionablepeople，acertainuneasiness，Forallhersparklingassuranceofmanner，Flaviawascertainlyalwaysillateaseand，evenmorecertainly，anxious。Sheseemednotconvincedoftheestablishedorderofmaterialthings，seemedalwaystryingtoconcealherfeelingthatwallsmightcrumble，chasmsopen，orthefabricofherlifeflytothewindsinirretrievableentanglement。AtleastthiswastheimpressionImogengotfromthatnoteinFlaviawhichwassomanifestlyfalse。
Hamilton’skeen，quick，satisfiedglanceathiswifehadrecalledtoImogenallherinventoryofspeculationsaboutthem。