"Dear Miss Staveley," ran the note which Ben found on her desk, "will
you do me the divine favour of coming to the theatre with me this
evening? If so, name your play, and I will fetch you at your rooms at
7.5, and we will dine first. I do so hope you are free and that the
notion likes you."
"Yours sincerely,
"JOHN HARFORD"
Ben accepted.
It was a very smart Mr. Harford who drove up to Aubrey Walk that
evening and carried her off to dinner. The tweeds had given place to
superlative dress clothes and a white waistcoat; and there was no dog.
He went upstairs for a moment to be introduced to Melanie, who had
insisted on this ceremony. "And later," she had said, "I want to see
the other one too."
"Why?" Ben asked.
"Just curiosity," said Melanie. "It is always interesting to see the
men who fall in love with one's friends. And these two seem to be so
different that it is more interesting than ever. Why don't you marry
both?"
"Have I ever given you any reason to suppose I should marry either?"
Ben asked.
"Plenty," said Melanie.
"How ridiculous you are!" said Ben. She was really rather annoyed. "I
am so tired of this notion that men and women who are friendly must be
going to marry."
"It is doubtful, however," said Melanie, "if any weariness on your part
will lessen the popularity of union between the sexes."
"Oh, Melanie, shut up!" said Ben. "How tired I am also of that word
'sexes'!"
"None the less, old dear," said Melanie, "there it is, and it's come to
stay. And to a large extent that's why I've got to eat my dinner alone
this evening."
"Again I say, shut up!" said Ben.
"How extraordinarily different you and Miss Ames are!" said Jack, as
the cab started. "And yet she's very nice too. But she's so detached,
so cool, so ironical."
"She's a very close observer under it all," said Ben.
"I'm rather scared of her," said Jack.
"What becomes of Soul when you go out in the evening?" Ben asked.
"He mopes," said Jack. "I've got an excellent landlady, who does
her best to keep him happy, but he has no life away from me really.
Sometimes when I walk and go to the pit, I take him to the theatre
and leave him with friendly commissionaires; but it isn't a kindness
because, as I can't give him any notion of how long I shall be, he
spends the time in searching the appearance of every passer-by.
Considering how near the ground his eyes are, this must be a very
tiring and anxious occupation."
"But when you do arrive, his joy makes up for everything," Ben
suggested.
"Yes," said Jack. "Dogs have wonderful compensations. Still, I doubt if
the Fates were quite kind to them to make them at once so understanding
and so dumb, or to us to make them so short-lived. You like them, don't
you?"
"I adore them," said Ben.
"Would you care to have Soul?" Jack asked. It was a terrible wrench,
but he asked it. ("Love my dog, love me.")
"Oh, no," said Ben. "Never! If ever a dog belonged to one person,
and one only, it is Soul. And even if I accepted him, he would still
be yours. He would be too loyal to transfer any but superficial
affections. But you are very generous to make the offer at all," she
added, "and I shall never forget it."
Melanie was sitting up when Ben returned. She was one of those girls
who prefer the small hours.
"How do you find Mr. Harford?" she asked.
"He's very jolly," said Ben.
"Yes, but has he got anything to say?"
"Not very much," said Ben. "He isn't quite grown up. Such lots of young
Englishmen aren't. I suppose it's this domination of the ball which
keeps them boys. French youths, who don't play games, always look so
old. But he's very nice and kind."
"I'll bet he didn't try to kiss you in the cab," said Melanie.
"Certainly not," said Ben. "Why should he?"
"So many of them want to," said Melanie. "But the older ones chiefly.
All the same," she added, "if you're not careful you'll very shortly
have the chance of offering to be a sister to him."
"I wish you wouldn't be so absurd," said Ben. "Your suspicious nature
smirches everything. Mr. Harford likes me, I know, but that's all."
"Was he always as smart as that?" Melanie inquired.
"I don't know," said Ben. "I've never seen him in evening clothes
before."
"And he made no overtures to-night? Will you swear?"
"Of course," said Ben.
"He didn't offer you his spaniel or anything like that?"
"Oh, Melanie, how horrid you are!" Ben exclaimed as she banged the door.
Melanie chuckled.