consciousness which felt numb and deadunpervaded by the joy with which the rest of his spirit seemed to thrill and tingle。 The removal of this hard grain in the sweet savour of life was needed to complete his felicity。 Bernard felt that he had made the necessary excision when； at the end of the month； he wrote to Gordon Wright of his engagement。 He had been putting off the performance of this duty from day to day it seemed so hard to accomplish it gracefully。 He did it at the end very briefly； it struck him that this was the best way。 Three days after he had sent his letter there arrived one from Gordon himself； informing Bernard that he had suddenly determined to bring Blanche to Europe。 She was not well； and they would lose no time。 They were to sail within a week after his writing。 The letter contained a postscript〃Captain Lovelock comes with us。〃
CHAPTER XXIV
Bernard prepared for Gordon's arrival in Paris； which； according to his letter； would take place in a few days。 He was not intending to stop in England； Blanche desired to proceed immediately to the French capital； to confer with her man…milliner； after which it was probable that they would go to Italy or to the East for the winter。 〃I have given her a choice of Rome or the Nile；〃 said Gordon； 〃but she tells me she does n't care a fig where we go。〃
I say that Bernard prepared to receive his friends； and I mean that he prepared morallyor even intellectually。 Materially speaking； he could simply hold himself in readiness to engage an apartment at a hotel and to go to meet them at the station。 He expected to hear from Gordon as soon as this interesting trio should reach England； but the first notification he received came from a Parisian hotel。 It came to him in the shape of a very short note； in the morning； shortly before lunch； and was to the effect that his friends had alighted in the Rue de la Paix the night before。
〃We were tired； and I have slept late；〃 said Gordon； 〃otherwise you should have heard from me earlier。 Come to lunch； if possible。 I want extremely to see you。〃
Bernard； of course； made a point of going to lunch。 In as short a time as possible he found himself in Gordon's sitting…room at the Hotel Middlesex。 The table was laid for the midday repast； and a gentleman stood with his back to the door； looking out of the window。 As Bernard came in； this gentleman turned and exhibited the ambrosial beard； the symmetrical shape； the monocular appendage； of Captain Lovelock。
The Captain screwed his glass into his eye； and greeted Bernard in his usual fashionthat is； as if he had parted with him overnight。
〃Oh； good morning！ Beastly morning； is n't it？ I suppose you are come to luncheonI have come to luncheon。 It ought to be on table； you knowit 's nearly two o'clock。 But I dare say you have noticed foreigners are never punctual it 's only English servants that are punctual。 And they don't understand luncheon； you knowthey can't make out our eating at this sort of hour。 You know they always dine so beastly early。 Do you remember the sort of time they used to dine at Baden？ half…past five； half…past six； some unearthly hour of that kind。 That 's the sort of time you dine in America。 I found they 'd invite a man at half…past six。 That 's what I call being in a hurry for your food。 You know they always accuse the Americans of making a rush for their victuals。 I am bound to say that in New York； and that sort of place； the victuals were very good when you got them。 I hope you don't mind my saying anything about America？ You know the Americans are so deucedly thin…skinnedthey always bristle up if you say anything against their institutions。 The English don't care a rap what you saythey 've got a different sort of temper； you know。 With the Americans I 'm deuced carefulI never breathe a word about anything。 While I was over there I went in for being complimentary。 I laid it on thick； and I found they would take all I could give them。 I did n't see much of their institutions； after all； I went in for seeing the people。 Some of the people were charmingupon my soul； I was surprised at some of the people。 I dare say you know some of the people I saw； they were as nice people as you would see anywhere。 There were always a lot of people about Mrs。 Wright； you know； they told me they were all the best people。 You know she is always late for everything。 She always comes in after every one is therelooking so devilish pretty； pulling on her gloves。 She wears the longest gloves I ever saw in my life。 Upon my word； if they don't come； I think I will ring the bell and ask the waiter what 's the matter。 Would n't you ring the bell？ It 's a great mistake； their trying to carry out their ideas of lunching。 That 's Wright's character； you know； he 's always trying to carry out some idea。 When I am abroad； I go in for the foreign breakfast myself。 You may depend upon it they had better give up trying to do this sort of thing at this hour。〃
Captain Lovelock was more disposed to conversation than Bernard had known him before。 His discourse of old had been languid and fragmentary； and our hero had never heard him pursue a train of ideas through so many involutions。 To Bernard's observant eye； indeed； the Captain was an altered man。 His manner betrayed a certain restless desire to be agreeable； to anticipate judgmenta disposition to smile； and be civil； and entertain his auditor； a tendency to move about and look out of the window and at the clock。 He struck Bernard as a trifle nervous as less solidly planted on his feet than when he lounged along the Baden gravel…walks by the side of his usual companion a lady for whom； apparently； his admiration was still considerable。 Bernard was curious to see whether he would ring the bell to inquire into the delay attending the service of lunch； but before this sentiment； rather idle under the circumstances； was gratified； Blanche passed into the room from a neighboring apartment。 To Bernard's perception Blanche； at least； was always Blanche； she was a person in whom it would not have occurred to him to expect any puzzling variation； and the tone of her little； soft； thin voice instantly rang in his ear like an echo of yesterday's talk。 He had already remarked to himself that after however long an interval one might see Blanche； she re…appeared with an air of familiarity。 This was in some sense； indeed； a proof of the agreeable impression she made； and she looked exceedingly pretty as she now suddenly stopped on seeing our two gentlemen； and gave a little cry of surprise。
〃Ah！ I did n't know you were here。 They never told me。 Have you been waiting a long time？ How d' ye do？ You must think we are polite。〃 She held out her hand to Bernard； smiling very graciously。 At Captain Lovelock she barely glanced。 〃I hope you are very well；〃 she went on to Longueville； 〃but I need n't ask that。 You 're as blooming as a rose。 What in the world has happened to you？ You look so brilliant so fresh。 Can you say that to a manthat he looks fresh？ Or can you only say that about butter and eggs？〃
〃It depends upon the man；〃 said Captain Lovelock。 〃You can't say that a man 's fresh who spends his time in running about after you！〃
〃Ah； are you here？〃 cried Blanche with another little cry of surprise。 〃I did n't notice youI thought you were the waiter。 This is what he calls running about after me；〃 she added； to Bernard； 〃coming to breakfast without being asked。 How queerly they have arranged the table！〃 she went on； gazing with her little elevated eyebrows at this piece of furniture。 〃I always thought that in Paris； if they could n't do anything else； they could arrange a table。 I don't like that at all those horrid little dishes on each side！ Don't you think those things ought to be off the table； Mr。 Longueville？ I don't like to see a lot of things I 'm not eating。 And I told them to have some flowerspray； where are the flowers？ Do they call those things flowers？ They look as if they had come out of the landlady's bonnet！ Mr。 Longueville； do look at those objects。〃
〃They are not like methey are not very fresh；〃 laughed Bernard。
〃It 's no great matterwe have not got to eat them；〃 growled Captain Lovelock。
〃I should think you would expect towith the luncheon you usually make！〃 rejoined Blanche。 〃Since you are here； though I did n't ask you； you might as well make yourself useful。 Will you be so good as to ring the bell？ If Gordon expects that we are going to wait another quarter of an hour for him he exaggerates the patience of a long…suffering wife。 If you are very curious to know what he is about； he is writing letters； by way of a change。 He writes about eighty a day； his correspondents must be strong people！ It 's a lucky thing for me that I am married to Gordon； if I were not he might write to meto me； to whom it 's a misery to have to answer even an invitation to dinner！ To begin with； I don't know how to spell。 If Captain Lovelock ever boasts that he has had letters from me； you may know it 's an invention。 He has never had anything but telegrams three telegramsthat I sent him in America about a pair of slippers that he had left at our house and that I did n't know what to do with。 Captain Lovelock's slippers are no trifle to have on one's hands on one's feet； I suppose I ought to say。 For telegrams the spelling does n't matter； the people at the office correct itor if they don't you can put it off on them。 I never see anything nowadays but Gordon's back；〃 she went on； as they took their places at table〃his noble broad back； as he sits writing his letters。 That 's my principal view of my husband。 I think that now we are in Paris I ought to have a portrait of it by one of the great artists。 It would be such a characteristic pose。 I have quite forgotten his face and I don't think I should know it。〃
Gordon's face； however； presented itself just at this moment； he came in quickly； with his countenance flushed with the pleasure of meeting his old friend again。 He had the sun…scorched look of a traveller who has just crossed the Atlantic； and he smiled at Bernard with his honest eyes。
〃Don't think me a great brute for not being here to receive you；〃 he said； as he clasped his ha