PART XXIII

SHRINKAGE

_In the Yew Walk._

_Lady Maisie_ (_to herself, as she watches_ UNDERSHELL _approaching_). How badly he walks, and what _does_ he mean by smiling at me like that? (_Aloud, coldly._) I am sorry, Mr. Blair, but I must leave you to finish your stroll alone; my maid has just told me----

_Undershell_ (_vehemently_). Lady Maisie, I ask you, in common fairness, not to judge me until you have heard _my_ version. You will not allow the fact that I travelled down here in the same compartment with your maid, Phillipson----

_Lady Maisie_ (_wide-eyed_). The _same_! But _we_ came by that train. I thought you missed it?

_Undershell._ I--I was not so fortunate. It is rather a long and complicated story, but----

_Lady Maisie._ I'm afraid I really can't listen to you _now_, Mr. Blair, after what I have heard from Phillipson----

_Undershell._ I implore you not to go without hearing both sides. Sit down again--if only for a minute. I feel confident that I can explain everything satisfactorily.

_Lady Maisie_ (_sitting down_). I can't imagine what there is to explain--and really I ought, if Phillipson----

_Undershell._ You know what maids _are_, Lady Maisie. They embroider. Unintentionally, I dare say, but still, they _do_ embroider.

_Lady Maisie_ (_puzzled_). She is very clever at mending lace, I know, though what _that_ has to do with it----

_Undershell._ Listen to me, Lady Maisie. I came to this house at your bidding. Yes, but for your written appeal, I should have treated the invitation I received from your aunt with silent contempt. Had I obeyed my first impulse and ignored it, I should have been spared humiliations and indignities which ought rather to excite your pity than--than any other sensation. Think--try to realise what my feelings must have been when I found myself expected by the butler here to sit down to supper with him and the upper servants in the housekeeper's room!

_Lady Maisie_ (_shocked_). Oh, Mr. Blair! Indeed, I had no---- You weren't _really_! How _could_ they? What _did_ you say?

_Undershell_ (_haughtily_). I believe I let him know my opinion of the snobbery of his employers in treating a guest of theirs so cavalierly.

_Lady Maisie_ (_distressed_). But surely--_surely_ you couldn't suppose that my uncle and aunt were capable of----

_Undershell._ What else _could_ I suppose, under the circumstances? It is true I have since learnt that I was mistaken in this particular instance; but I am not ignorant of the ingrained contempt you aristocrats have for all who live by exercising their intellect--the bitter scorn of birth for brains!

_Lady Maisie._ I am afraid the--the contempt is all on the other side; but if _that_ is how you feel about it, I don't wonder that you were indignant.

_Undershell._ Indignant! I was _furious_. In fact, nothing would have induced me to sit down to supper at all, if it hadn't been for----

_Lady Maisie_ (_in a small voice_). Then--you _did_ sit down? With the servants! Oh, Mr. Blair!

_Undershell._ I thought you were already aware of it. Yes, Lady Maisie, I endured even that. But (_with magnanimity_) you must not distress yourself about it now. If _I_ can forget it, surely you can do so!

_Lady Maisie._ Can I? That _you_ should have consented, for any consideration whatever; how could you--how _could_ you?

_Undershell_ (_to himself_). She admires me all the more for it. But I _knew_ she would take the right view! (_Aloud, with pathos._) I was only compelled by absolute starvation. I had had an unusually light lunch, and I was so hungry!

_Lady Maisie_ (_after a pause_). That explains it, of course.... I hope they gave you a good supper!

_Undershell._ Excellent, thank you. Indeed, I was astonished at the variety and even luxury of the table. There was a pyramid of quails----

_Lady Maisie._ I am pleased to hear it. But I thought there was something you were going to explain.

_Undershell._ I have been _endeavouring_ to explain to the best of my ability that if I have undesignedly been the cause of--er--a temporary diversion in the state of Miss Phillipson's affections, no one could regret more deeply than I that the--er--ordinary amenities of the supper-table should have been mistaken for----

_Lady Maisie_ (_horrified_). Oh, stop, Mr. Blair, please stop! I don't want to hear any more. I see now. It was _you_ who----

_Undershell._ Of course it was I. Surely the girl herself has been telling you so just now!

_Lady Maisie._ You really thought _that_ possible, too? She simply came with a message from my mother.

_Undershell_ (_slightly disconcerted_). Oh! If I had known it was merely _that_. However, I am sure I need not ask you to treat my--my communication in the strictest confidence, Lady Maisie.

_Lady Maisie._ Indeed, that is _perfectly_ unnecessary, Mr. Blair.

_Undershell._ Yes, I felt from the first that I could trust you--even with my life. And I cannot regret having told you, if it has enabled you to understand me more thoroughly. It is such a relief that you know all, and that there are no more secrets between us. You _do_ feel that I only acted as was natural and inevitable under the circumstances?

_Lady Maisie._ Oh yes, yes. I--I dare say you could not help it. I mean you did quite, _quite_ right!

_Undershell._ Ah, how you comfort me with your fresh girlish---- You are not _going_, Lady Maisie?

_Lady Maisie_ (_rising_). I must. I ought to have gone before. My mother wants me. No, you are not to come too; you can go on and gather those snowdrops, you know.

[_She walks slowly back to the house._

_Undershell_ (_looking after her_). She took it wonderfully well. I've made it all right, or she wouldn't have said that about the snowdrops. Yes, she shall not be disappointed; she shall have her posy!

_In the Morning-room. Half an hour later._

_Lady Maisie_ (_alone--to herself_). Thank goodness, _that's_ over! It was _awful_. I don't think I _ever_ saw mamma a deeper shade of plum colour! _How_ I have been mistaken in Mr. Blair! That he could write those lines--

"Aspiring unto that far-off Ideal, I may not stoop to any meaner love,"

and yet philander with my poor foolish Phillipson the moment he met her! And then to tell mamma about my letter like that! Why, even Mr. Spurrell had more discretion--to be sure, _he_ knew nothing about it--but _that_ makes no difference! Rhoda was right; I ought to have allowed a margin--only I should never have allowed margin _enough_! The worst of it is that, if mamma was unjust in some things she said, she was right about _one_. I _have_ disgusted Gerald. He mayn't be brilliant, but at least he's straightforward and loyal and a gentleman, and--and he _did_ like me once. He doesn't any more--or he wouldn't have gone away. And it may be ages before I ever get a chance to let him see how _dreadfully_ sorry---- (_She turns, and sees_ Captain THICKNESSE.) Oh, haven't you gone _yet_?

_Captain Thicknesse._ Yes, I went, but I've come back again. I--I couldn't help it; 'pon my word I couldn't.

_Lady Maisie_ (_with a sudden flush_). You--you weren't _sent_ for--by--by any one?

_Captain Thicknesse._ So _likely_ any one would send for me, isn't it?

_Lady Maisie._ I don't know why I said that; it was silly, of course. But how----

_Captain Thicknesse._ Ran it a bit too fine; got to Shuntin'bridge just in time to see the tail end of the train disappearin'; wasn't another for hours--not much to do _there_, don't you know.

_Lady Maisie._ You might have taken a walk--or gone to church.

_Captain Thicknesse._ So I might, didn't occur to me; and besides, I--I remembered I never said good-bye to _you_.

_Lady Maisie._ Didn't you? And whose fault was that?

_Captain Thicknesse._ Not mine, anyhow. You were somewhere about the grounds with Mr. Blair.

_Lady Maisie._ Now you mention it, I believe I was. We had--rather an interesting conversation. Still, you might have come to look for me!

_Captain Thicknesse._ Perhaps you wouldn't have been over and above glad to see me.

_Lady Maisie._ Oh yes, I should!--When it was to say _good-bye_, you know!

_Captain Thicknesse._ Ah! Well, I suppose I shall only be in the way if I stop here any longer now.

_Lady Maisie._ Do you? What makes you suppose that?

_Captain Thicknesse._ Nothin'! Saw your friend the bard hurryin' along the terrace with a bunch of snowdrops; he'll be here in another----

_Lady Maisie_ (_in unmistakable horror_). Gerald, _why_ didn't you tell me before? There's only just time!

[_She flies to a door and opens it._

_Captain Thicknesse._ But I _say_, you know! Maisie, may I come too?

_Lady Maisie._ Don't be a _goose_, Gerald. Of course you can, if you like.

[_She disappears in the conservatory._

_Captain Thicknesse_ (_to himself_). Can't quite make this out, but I'm no end glad I came back!

[_He follows quickly._

_Undershell_ (_entering_). I hoped I should find her here. (_He looks round._) Her mother's gone--that's _something_! I dare say Lady Maisie will come in presently. (_He sits down and re-arranges his snowdrops._) It will be sweet to see her face light up when I offer her these as a symbol of the new and closer link between us! (_He hears the sound of drapery behind him._) Ah, already! (_Rising, and presenting his flowers with downcast eyes._) I--I have ventured to gather these--for you. (_He raises his eyes._) Miss Spelwane!

_Miss Spelwane_ (_taking them graciously_). How very sweet of you, Mr. Blair. Are they really for me?

_Undershell_ (_concealing his disappointment_). Oh--er--yes. If you will give me the pleasure of accepting them.

_Miss Spelwane._ I feel immensely proud. I was so afraid you must have thought I was rather cross to you last night. I didn't mean to be. I was feeling a little overdone, that was all. But you have chosen a charming way of letting me see that I am forgiven. (_To herself._) It's really _too_ touching. He certainly is a great improvement on the other wretch!

_Undershell_ (_dolefully_). I--I had no such intention, I assure you. (_To himself._) I hope to goodness Lady Maisie won't come in before I can get rid of this girl. I seem fated to be misunderstood here!