”Don’tyouevertellmewhereI’mburied，”hesaidsuddenly。”Ishan’twanttoknow。”Andheturnedfromthewindow。Thereshewent，theoldQueen；she’dhadalotofanxiety——she’dbegladtobeoutofit，heshouldthink！
　　Emilytookupthehair-brushes。”There’llbejusttimetobrushyourhead，”shesaid，”beforetheycome。Youmustlookyourbest，James。””Ah！”mutteredJames；”theysayshe’spretty。”
　　Themeetingwithhisnewdaughter-in-lawtookplaceinthedining-room。Jameswasseatedbythefirewhenshewasbroughtin。
　　Heplaced，hishandsonthearmsofthechairandslowlyraisedhimself。Stoopingandimmaculateinhisfrock-coat，thinasalineinEuclid，hereceivedAnnette’shandinhis；andtheanxiouseyesofhisfurrowedface，whichhadlostitscolournow，doubtedaboveher。Alittlewarmthcameintothemandintohischeeks，refractedfromherbloom。”Howareyou?”hesaid。”You’vebeentoseetheQueen，Isuppose?
　　Didyouhaveagoodcrossing?”
　　Inthiswayhegreetedherfromwhomhehopedforagrandsonofhisname。
　　Gazingathim，soold，thin，white，andspotless，AnnettemurmuredsomethinginFrenchwhichJamesdidnotunderstand。”Yes，yes，”hesaid，”youwantyourlunch，Iexpect。Soames，ringthebell；wewon’twaitforthatchapDartie。”Butjustthentheyarrived。Dartiehadrefusedtogooutofhiswaytosee’theoldgirl。’Withanearlycocktailbesidehim，hehadtakena’squint’
　　fromthesmoking-roomoftheIseeum，sothatWinifredandImogenhadbeenobligedtocomebackfromtheParktofetchhimthence。
　　HisbrowneyesrestedonAnnettewithastareofalmoststartledsatisfaction。ThesecondbeautythatfellowSoameshadpickedup！
　　Whatwomencouldseeinhim！Well，shewouldplayhimthesametrickastheother，nodoubt；butinthemeantimehewasaluckydevil！Andhebrusheduphismoustache，havinginninemonthsofGreenStreetdomesticityregainedalmostallhisfleshandhisassurance。DespitethecomfortableeffortsofEmily，Winifred’scomposure，Imogen’senquiringfriendliness，Dartie’sshowing-off，andJames’solicitudeaboutherfood，itwasnot，Soamesfelt，asuccessfullunchforhisbride。Hetookherawayverysoon。”ThatMonsieurDartie，”saidAnnetteinthecab，”jen’aimepascetype-la！””No，byGeorge！”saidSoames。”Yoursisterisvereeamiable，andthegirlispretty。Yourfatherisvereeold。Ithinkyourmotherhastroublewithhim；Ishouldnotliketobeher。”
　　Soamesnoddedattheshrewdness，theclearhardjudgmentinhisyoungwife；butitdisquietedhimalittle。Thethoughtmayhavejustflashedthroughhim，too：’WhenI’meightyshe’llbefifty-five，havingtroublewithme！’”There’sjustoneotherhouseofmyrelationsImusttakeyouto，”
　　hesaid；”you’llfinditfunny，butwemustgetitover；andthenwe’lldineandgotothetheatre。”
　　InthiswayhepreparedherforTimothy’s。ButTimothy’swasdifferent。TheyweredelightedtoseedearSoamesafterthislonglongtime；andsothiswasAnnette！”Youaresopretty，mydear；almosttooyoungandprettyfordearSoames，aren’tyou?Buthe’sveryattentiveandcareful——suchagoodhush……”AuntJuleycheckedherself，andplacedherlipsjustundereachofAnnette’seyes——sheafterwardsdescribedthemtoFrancie，whodroppedin，as：”Cornflower-blue，sopretty，Iquitewantedtokissthem。ImustsaydearSoamesisaperfectconnoisseur。InherFrenchway，andnotsoveryFrencheither，I
　　thinkshe’saspretty——thoughnotsodistinguished，notsoalluring——asIrene。Becauseshewasalluring，wasn’tshe?withthatwhiteskinandthosedarkeyes，andthathair，couleurde——
　　whatwasit?Ialwaysforget。””Feuillemorte，”Francieprompted。”Ofcourse，deadleaves——sostrange。IrememberwhenIwasagirl，beforewecametoLondon，wehadafoxhoundpuppy——to’walk’itwascalledthen；ithadatantoptoitsheadandawhitechest，andbeautifuldarkbrowneyes，anditwasalady。””Yes，auntie，”saidFrancie，”butIdon’tseetheconnection。””Oh！”repliedAuntJuley，ratherflustered，”itwassoalluring，andhereyesandhair，youknow……”Shewassilent，asifsurprisedinsomeindelicacy。”Feuillemorte，”sheaddedsuddenly；”Hester——dorememberthat！”……
　　ConsiderabledebatetookplacebetweenthetwosisterswhetherTimothyshouldorshouldnotbesummonedtoseeAnnette。”Oh，don’tbother！”saidSoames。”Butit’snotrouble，onlyofcourseAnnette’sbeingFrenchmightupsethimalittle。HewassoscaredaboutFashoda。Ithinkperhapswehadbetternotruntherisk，Hester。It’snicetohaveheralltoourselves，isn’tit?Andhowareyou，Soames?Haveyouquitegotoveryour……”
　　Hesterinterposedhurriedly：”WhatdoyouthinkofLondon，Annette?”
　　Soames，disquieted，awaitedthereply。Itcame，sensible，composed：”Oh！IknowLondon。Ihavevisitedbefore。”
　　Hehadneverventuredtospeaktoheronthesubjectoftherestaurant。TheFrenchhaddifferentnotionsaboutgentility，andtoshrinkfromconnectionwithitmightseemtoherridiculous；hehadwaitedtobemarriedbeforementioningit；andnowhewishedhehadn’t。”Andwhatpartdoyouknowbest?”saidAuntJuley。”Soho，”saidAnnettesimply。
　　Soamessnappedhisjaw。”Soho?”repeatedAuntJuley；”Soho?”
　　’That’llgoroundthefamily，’thoughtSoames。”It’sveryFrench，andinteresting，”hesaid。”Yes，”murmuredAuntJuley，”yourUncleRogerhadsomehousesthereonce；hewasalwayshavingtoturnthetenantsout，Iremember。”
　　SoameschangedthesubjecttoMapledurham。”Ofcourse，”saidAuntJuley，”youwillbegoingdowntheresoontosettlein。WeareallsolookingforwardtothetimewhenAnnettehasadearlittle……””Juley！”criedAuntHesterdesperately，”ringtea！”
　　Soamesdarednotwaitfortea，andtookAnnetteaway。”Ishouldn’tmentionSohoifIwereyou，”hesaidinthecab。”It’sratherashadypartofLondon；andyou’realtogetherabovethatrestaurantbusinessnow；Imean，”headded，”Iwantyoutoknownicepeople，andtheEnglisharefearfulsnobs。”
　　Annette’scleareyesopened；alittlesmilecameonherlips。”Yes?”shesaid。
　　’H’m！’thoughtSoames，’that’smeantforme！’andhelookedatherhard。’She’sgotgoodbusinessinstincts，’hethought。’Imustmakehergraspitonceforall！’”Lookhere，Annette！it’sverysimple，onlyitwantsunderstanding。Ourprofessionalandleisuredclassesstillthinkthemselvesacutaboveourbusinessclasses，exceptofcoursetheveryrich。Itmaybestupid，butthereitis，yousee。Itisn’tadvisableinEnglandtoletpeopleknowthatyouranarestaurantorkeptashoporwereinanykindoftrade。Itmayhavebeenextremelycreditable，butitputsasortoflabelonyou；youdon’thavesuchagoodtime，ormeetsuchnicepeople——that’sall。””Isee，”saidAnnette；”itisthesameinFrance。””Oh！”murmuredSoames，atoncerelievedandtakenaback。”Ofcourse，classiseverything，really。””Yes，”saidAnnette；”commevousetessage。”
　　’That’sallright，’thoughtSoames，watchingherlips，’onlyshe’sprettycynical。’HisknowledgeofFrenchwasnotyetsuchastomakehimgrievethatshehadnotsaid’tu。’Heslippedhisarmroundher，andmurmuredwithaneffort：”Etvousetesmabellefemme。”
　　Annettewentoffintoalittlefitoflaughter。”Oh，non！”shesaid。”Oh，non！neparlezpasFrancais，Soames。
　　Whatisthatoldlady，youraunt，lookingforwardto?”
　　Soamesbithislip。”Godknows！”hesaid；”she’salwayssayingsomething；”butheknewbetterthanGod。
　　CHAPTERXI
　　SUSPENDEDANIMATION