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only made a noise like this〃there was a faint sound of small
chumping teeth： 〃And he's the man that's staying at the Inn； and the
stairs were too narrow to carry him up； William says； and if his knee
was put out he won't be able to walk without a stick for a long time。
Can I go to Father？〃
Agatha； who was having her hair brushed； thought：
〃I'm not sure whether belts so low as that are wholesome；〃 murmured：
〃Wait a minute！〃
But little Ann was gone； and her voice could be heard in the
dressing…room climbing up towards Sir William； who from the sound of
his replies； was manifestly shaving。 When Agatha； who never could
resist a legitimate opportunity of approaching her husband； looked
in； he was alone； and rather thoughtfula tall man with a solid；
steady face and cautious eyes； not in truth remarkable except to his
own wife。
〃That fellow Courtier's caught by the leg；〃 he said。 〃Don't know
what your Mother will say to an enemy in the camp。〃
〃Isn't he a freethinker； and rather〃
Sir William； following his own thoughts； interrupted：
〃Just as well； of course； so far as Miltoun's concerned； to have got
him here。〃
Agatha sighed： 〃Well； I suppose we shall have to be nice to him。
I'll tell Mother。〃
Sir William smiled。
〃Ann will see to that；〃 he said。
Ann was seeing to that。
Seated in the embrasure of the window behind the looking…glass； where
Lady Valleys was still occupied； she was saying：
〃He fell out of the window because of the red pepper。 Miss Wallace
says he is a hostagewhat does hostage mean； Granny？〃
When six years ago that word had first fallen on Lady Valleys' ears；
she had thought： 〃Oh！ dear！ Am I really Granny？ 〃It had been a
shock； had seemed the end of so much； but the matter…of…fact heroism
of women； so much quicker to accept the inevitable than men； had soon
come to her aid； and now； unlike her husband； she did not care a bit。
For all that she answered nothing； partly because it was not
necessary to speak in order to sustain a conversation with little
Ann； and partly because she was deep in thought。
The man was injured！ Hospitality； of courseespecially since their
own tenants had committed the outrage！ Still； to welcome a man who
had gone out of his way to come down here and stump the country
against her own son； was rather a tall order。 It might have been
worse； no doubt。 If； for instance； he had been some 'impossible'
Nonconformist Radical！ This Mr。 Courtier was a free lancerather a
well…known man； an interesting creature。 She must see that he felt
'at home' and comfortable。 If he were pumped judiciously； no doubt
one could find out about this woman。 Moreover； the acceptance of
their 'salt' would silence him politically if she knew anything of
that type of man； who always had something in him of the Arab's
creed。 Her mind； that of a capable administrator； took in all the
practical significance of this incident； which； although untoward；
was not without its comic side to one disposed to find zest and
humour in everything that did not absolutely run counter to her
interests and philosophy。
The voice of little Ann broke in on her reflections。
〃I'm going to Auntie Babs now。〃
〃Very well； give me a kiss first。〃
Little Ann thrust up her face； so that its sudden little nose
penetrated Lady Valleys' soft curving lips。。。。
When early that same afternoon Courtier； leaning on a stick； passed
from his room out on to the terrace； he was confronted by three
sunlit peacocks marching slowly across a lawn towards a statue of
Diana。 With incredible dignity those birds moved； as if never in
their lives had they been hurried。 They seemed indeed to know that
when they got there； there would be nothing for them to do but to
come back again。 Beyond them； through the tall trees； over some
wooded foot…hills of the moorland and a promised land of pinkish
fields； pasture； and orchards； the prospect stretched to the far sea。
Heat clothed this view with a kind of opalescence； a fairy garment；
transmuting all values； so that the four square walls and tall
chimneys of the pottery…works a few miles down the valley seemed to
Courtier like a vision of some old fortified Italian town。 His
sensations； finding himself in this galley； were peculiar。 For his
feeling towards Miltoun； whom he had twice met at Mrs。 Noel's； was；
in spite of disagreements； by no means unfriendly； while his feeling
towards Miltoun's family was not yet in existence。 Having lived from
hand to mouth； and in many countries； since he left Westminster
School； he had now practically no class feelings。 An attitude of
hostility to aristocracy because it was aristocracy； was as
incomprehensible to him as an attitude of deference。
His sensations habitually shaped themselves in accordance with those
two permanent requirements of his nature； liking for adventure； and
hatred of tyranny。 The labourer who beat his wife； the shopman who
sweated his 'hands；' the parson who consigned his parishioners to
hell； the peer who rode roughshodall were equally odious to him。
He thought of people as individuals； and it was； as it were； by
accident that he had conceived the class generalization which he had
fired back at Miltoun from Mrs。 Noel's window。 Sanguine； accustomed
to queer environments； and always catching at the moment as it flew；
he had not to fight with the timidities and irritations of a nervous
temperament。 His cheery courtesy was only disturbed when he became
conscious of some sentiment which appeared to him mean or cowardly。
On such occasions； not perhaps infrequent； his face looked as if his
heart were physically fuming； and since his shell of stoicism was
never quite melted by this heat； a very peculiar expression was the
result； a sort of calm； sardonic； desperate； jolly look。
His chief feeling； then； at the outrage which had laid him captive in
the enemy's camp； was one of vague amusement； and curiosity。 People
round about spoke fairly well of this Caradoc family。 There did not
seem to be any lack of kindly feeling between them and their tenants；
there was said to be no griping destitution； nor any particular ill…
housing on their estate。 And if the inhabitants were not encouraged
to improve themselves； they were at all events maintained at a
certain level； by steady and not ungenerous supervision。 When a roof
required thatching it was thatched； when a man became too old to
work； he was not suffered to lapse into the Workhouse。 In bad years
for wool； or beasts； or crops； the farmers received a graduated
remission of rent。 The pottery…works were run on a liberal if
autocratic basis。 It was true that though Lord Valleys was said to
be a staunch supporter of a 'back to the land' policy； no disposition
was shown to encourage people to settle on these particular lands； no
doubt from a feeling that such settlers would not do them so much
justice as their present owner。 Indeed so firmly did this conviction
seemingly obtain； that Lord Valleys' agent was not unfrequently
observed to be buying a little bit more。
But； since in this life one notices only what interests him； all this
gossip； half complimentary； half