When Ashley, after pushing Davenant gently out into the hall, returned
to Olivia, she was standing by the mantelpiece, where the five K'ang-hsi
vases had been restored to their place in honor of the Marquise.
"Rum chap, isn't he?" Ashley observed. "So awfully queer and American.
No Englishman would ever have taken a jaunt like that--after the old
lady--on another chap's behalf. It wouldn't go down, you know."
Olivia, leaning on the mantelpiece, with face partially turned from him,
made no reply.
He allowed some minutes to pass before saying: "When I asked him how he
liked the _Louisiana_ I wanted to know. I'm thinking of taking her on
her next trip home."
She turned slightly, lifting her eyes. There was a wonderful light in
them, and yet a light that seemed to shine from afar. "Wouldn't that be
rather soon?"
"It would give me time for all I want. Now that I'm here I'd better take
a look at New York and Washington, and perhaps get a glimpse of your
South. I could do that in three weeks."
She seemed to have some difficulty in getting her mind to follow his
words. "I don't think I understand you."