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related。 The grave ascetic Miltoun； wrapped in the garment of his
spirit； mild； domestic； strait…laced Agatha； Bertie； muffled； shrewd；
and steely； and this frank； joyful conquering Barbarathe range was
wide。
But the car had left the moor； and； down a steep hill； was passing
the small villas and little grey workmen's houses outside the town of
Bucklandbury。
〃Ann and I have to go on to Miltoun's headquarters。 Shall I drop you
at the enemy's； Mr。 Courtier？ Stop； please； Frith。〃
And before Courtier could assent； they had pulled up at a house on
which was inscribed with extraordinary vigour： 〃Chilcox for
Bucklandbury。〃
Hobbling into the Committee…room of Mr。 Humphrey Chilcox； which
smelled of paint； Courtier took with him the scented memory of youth；
and ambergris； and Harris tweed。
In that room three men were assembled round a table； the eldest of
whom； endowed with little grey eyes； a stubbly beard； and that
mysterious something only found in those who have been mayors； rose
at once and came towards him。
〃Mr。 Courtier； I believe；〃 he said bluffly。 〃Glad to see you； sir。
Most distressed to hear of this outrage。 Though in a way； it's done
us good。 Yes； really。 Grossly against fair play。 Shouldn't be
surprised if it turned a couple of hundred votes。 You carry the
effects of it about with you； I see。〃
A thin； refined man； with wiry hair； also came up； holding a
newspaper in his hand。
〃It has had one rather embarrassing effect；〃 he said。 〃Read this
'OUTRAGE ON A DISTINGUISHED VISITOR。
'LORD MILTOUN'S EVENING ADVENTURE。'〃
Courtier read a paragraph。
The man with the little eyes broke the ominous silence which ensued。
〃One of our side must have seen the whole thing； jumped on his
bicycle and brought in the account before they went to press。 They
make no imputation on the ladysimply state the facts。 Quite
enough；〃 he added with impersonal grimness； 〃I think he's done for
himself； sir。〃
The man with the refined face added nervously：
〃We couldn't help it； Mr。 Courtier； I really don't know what we can
do。 I don't like it a bit。〃
〃Has your candidate seen this？〃 Courtier asked。
〃Can't have；〃 struck in the third Committee…man； 〃we hadn't seen it
ourselves until an hour ago。〃
〃I should never have permitted it；〃 said the man with the refined
face； 〃I blame the editor greatly。〃
〃Come to that〃 said the little…eyed man； 〃it's a plain piece of
news。 If it makes a stir； that's not our fault。 The paper imputes
nothing； it states。 Position of the lady happens to do the rest。
Can't help it； and moreover； sir； speaking for self； don't want to。
We'll have no loose morals in public life down here； please God！〃
There was real feeling in his words； then； catching sight of
Courtier's face； he added： 〃Do you know this lady？〃
〃Ever since she was a child。 Anyone who speaks evil of her； has to
reckon with me。〃
The man with the refined face said earnestly：
〃Believe me； Mr。 Courtier； I entirely sympathize。 We had nothing to
do with the paragraph。 It's one of those incidents where one
benefits against one's will。 Most unfortunate that she came out on
to the green with Lord Miltoun； you know what people are。〃
〃It's the head…line that does it； 〃 said the third
Committee…man； 〃they've put what will attract the public。〃
〃I don't know； I don't know；〃 said the little…eyed man stubbornly；
〃if Lord Miltoun will spend his evenings with lonely ladies； he can't
blame anybody but himself。〃
Courtier looked from face to face。
〃This closes my connection with the campaign；〃 he said： 〃What's the
address of this paper？〃 And without waiting for an answer； he took
up the journal and hobbled from the room。 He stood a minute outside
finding the address； then made his way down the street。
CHAPTER VIII
By the side of little Ann； Barbara sat leaning back amongst the
cushions of the car。 In spite of being already launched into high…
caste life which brings with it an early knowledge of the world； she
had still some of the eagerness in her face which makes children
lovable。 Yet she looked negligently enough at the citizens of
Bucklandbury； being already a little conscious of the strange mixture
of sentiment peculiar to her countrymen in presence of herselfthat
curious expression on their faces resulting from the continual
attempt to look down their noses while slanting their eyes upwards。
Yes； she was already alive to that mysterious glance which had built
the national house and insured it afterwardsfoe to cynicism；
pessimism； and anything French or Russian； parent of all the national
virtues； and all the national vices； of idealism and muddle…
headedness； of independence and servility； fosterer of conduct；
murderer of speculation； looking up； and looking down； but never
straight at anything； most high； most deep； most queer； and ever
bubbling…up from the essential Well of Emulation。
Surrounded by that glance； waiting for Courtier； Barbara； not less
British than her neighbours； was secretly slanting her own eyes up
and down over the absent figure of her new acquaintance。 She too
wanted something she could look up to； and at the same time see
damned first。 And in this knight…errant it seemed to her that she
had got it。
He was a creature from another world。 She had met many men； but not
as yet one quite of this sort。 It was rather nice to be with a
clever man； who had none the less done so many outdoor things； been
through so many bodily adventures。 The mere writers； or even the
'Bohemians；' whom she occasionally met； were after all only
'chaplains to the Court；' necessary to keep aristocracy in touch with
the latest developments of literature and art。 But this Mr。 Courtier
was a man of action； he could not be looked on with the amused；
admiring toleration suited to men remarkable only for ideas； and the
way they put them into paint or ink。 He had used； and could use； the
sword； even in the cause of Peace。 He could love； had loved； or so
they said： If Barbara had been a girl of twenty in another class； she
would probably never have heard of this； and if she had heard； it
might very well have dismayed or shocked her。 But she had heard； and
without shock； because she had already learned that men were like
that； and women too sometimes。
It was with quite a little pang of concern that she saw him hobbling
down the street towards her； and when he was once more seated； she
told the chauffeur： 〃To the station； Frith。 Quick； please！〃 and
began：
〃You are not to be trusted a bit。 What were you doing？〃
But Courtier smiled grimly over the head of Ann； in silence。
At this； almost the first time she had ever yet encountered a
distinct rebuff； Barbara quivered； as though she had been touched
lightly with a whip。 Her lips closed firmly； her eyes began to
dance。 〃Very well； my dear；〃 she thought。 But presently stealing a
look at him； she became aware of such a queer expression on his face；
that she forgot she was offended。
〃Is anything wrong； Mr。 Courtier？〃
〃Yes； Lady Barbara； something is very wrongthat miserable mean
thing； the human tongue。〃
Barbara had