小说园

第86部分（第2页）

went；　they　were　the　sensuous　aristocrats；　warm；　bright；　glancing

with　pure　pride　of　the　senses。

The　effect　upon　other　people　was　extraordinary。　The　glamour

was　cast　from　the　young　couple　upon　all　they　came　into　contact

with；　waiters　or　chance　acquaintances。

〃Oui；　Monsieur　le　baron；〃　she　would　reply　with　a

mocking　courtesy　to　her　husband。

So　they　came　to　be　treated　as　titled　people。　He　was　an

officer　in　the　engineers。　They　were　just　married；　going　to　India

immediately。

Thus　a　tissue　of　romance　was　round　them。　She　believed　she　was

a　young　wife　of　a　titled　husband　on　the　eve　of　departure　for

India。　This；　the　social　fact；　was　a　delicious　make…belief。　The

living　fact　was　that　he　and　she　were　man　and　woman；　absolute　and

beyond　all　limitation。

The　days　went　by……they　were　to　have　three　weeks

together……in　perfect　success。　All　the　time；　they　themselves

were　reality；　all　outside　was　tribute　to　them。　They　were　quite

careless　about　money；　but　they　did　nothing　very　extravagant。　He

was　rather　surprised　when　he　found　that　he　had　spent　twenty

pounds　in　a　little　under　a　week；　but　it　was　only　the　irritation

of　having　to　go　to　the　bank。　The　machinery　of　the　old　system

lasted　for　him；　not　the　system。　The　money　simply　did　not

exist。

Neither　did　any　of　the　old　obligations。　They　came　home　from

the　theatre；　had　supper；　then　flitted　about　in　their

dressing…gowns。　They　had　a　large　bedroom　and　a　corner

sitting…room　high　up；　remote　and　very　cosy。　They　ate　all　their

meals　in　their　own　rooms；　attended　by　a　young　German　called

Hans；　who　thought　them　both　wonderful；　and　answered

assiduously：

〃Gewiss；　Herr　Baron……bitte　sehr；　Frau

Baronin。〃

Often；　they　saw　the　pink　of　dawn　away　across　the　park。　The

tower　of　Westminster　Cathedral　was　emerging；　the　lamps　of