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hasn't got some sort of feeling for that Mr。 Courtier。〃
〃What！〃 said Lord Valleys； growing most unphilosophically red。
〃Exactly！〃
〃Confound it； Gertrude； Miltoun's business was quite enough for one
year。〃
〃For twenty；〃 murmured Lady Valleys。 〃I'm watching her。 He's going
to Persia； they say。〃
〃And leaving his bones there； I hope；〃 muttered Lord Valleys。
〃Really； it's too much。 I should think you're all wrong； though。〃
Lady Valleys raised her eyebrows。 Men were very queer about such
things！ Very queer and worse than helpless！
〃Well；〃 she said； 〃I must go to my meeting。 I'll take her； and see
if I can get at something；〃 and she went away。
It was the inaugural meeting of the Society for the Promotion of the
Birth Rate； over which she had promised to preside。 The scheme was
one in which she had been prominent from the start； appealing as it
did to her large and full…blooded nature。 Many movements； to which
she found it impossible to refuse her name； had in themselves but
small attraction； and it was a real comfort to feel something
approaching enthusiasm for one branch of her public work。 Not that
there was any academic consistency about her in the matter； for in
private life amongst her friends she was not narrowly dogmatic on the
duty of wives to multiply exceedingly。 She thought imperially on the
subject； without bigotry。 Large； healthy families； in all cases save
individual ones！ The prime idea at the back of her mind was
National Expansion！ Her motto； and she intended if possible to make
it the motto of the League； was： 'De l'audace； et encore de
l'audace！' It was a question of the full realization of the nation。
She had a true； and in a sense touching belief in 'the flag；' apart
from what it might cover。 It was her idealism。 〃You may talk；〃 she
would say； 〃as much as you like about directing national life in
accordance with social justice！ What does the nation care about
social justice？ The thing is much bigger than that。 It's a matter
of sentiment。 We must expand！〃
On the way to the meeting； occupied with her speech； she made no
attempt to draw Barbara into conversation。 That must wait。 The
child； though languid； and pale； was looking so beautiful that it was
a pleasure to have her support in such a movement。
In a little dark room behind the hall the Committee were already
assembled； and they went at once on to the platform。
CHAPTER II
Unmoved by the stares of the audience； Barbara sat absorbed in moody
thoughts。
Into the three weeks since Miltoun's election there had been crowded
such a multitude of functions that she had found； as it were； no
time； no energy to know where she stood with herself。 Since that
morning in the stable； when he had watched her with the horse Hal；
Harbinger had seemed to live only to be close to her。 And the
consciousness of his passion gave her a tingling sense of pleasure。
She had been riding and dancing with him； and sometimes this had been
almost blissful。 But there were times too； when she feltthough
always with a certain contempt of herself； as when she sat on that
sunwarmed stone below the tora queer dissatisfaction； a longing for
something outside a world where she had to invent her own starvations
and simplicities； to make…believe in earnestness。
She had seen Courtier three times。 Once he had come to dine； in
response to an invitation from Lady Valleys worded in that charming；
almost wistful style； which she had taught herself to use to those
below her in social rank； especially if they were intelligent； once
to the Valleys House garden party； and next day； having told him what
time she would be riding； she had found him in the Row； not mounted；
but standing by the rail just where she must pass； with that look on
his face of mingled deference and ironic self…containment； of which
he was a master。 It appeared that he was leaving England； and to her
questions why； and where； he had only shrugged his shoulders。 Up on
this dusty platform； in the hot bare hall； facing all those people；
listening to speeches whose sense she was too languid and preoccupied
to take in； the whole medley of thoughts； and faces round her； and
the sound of the speakers' voices； formed a kind of nightmare； out of
which she noted with extreme exactitude the colour of her mother's
neck beneath a large black hat； and the expression on the face of a
Committee man to the right； who was biting his fingers under cover of
a blue paper。 She realized that someone was speaking amongst the
audience； casting forth； as it were； small bunches of words。 She
could see hima little man in a black coat； with a white face which
kept jerking up and down。
〃I feel that this is terrible；〃 she heard him say； 〃I feel that this
is blasphemy。 That we should try to tamper with the greatest force；
the greatest and the most sacred and secret…force； thatthat moves
in the world； is to me horrible。 I cannot bear to listen； it seems
to make everything so small！〃 She saw him sit down； and her mother
rising to answer。
〃We must all sympathize with the sincerity and to a certain extent
with the intention of our friend in the body of the hall。 But we
must ask ourselves：
Have we the right to allow ourselves the luxury； of private feelings
in a matter which concerns the national expansion。 We must not give
way to sentiment。 Our friend in the body of the hall spokehe will
forgive me for saying solike a poet； rather than a serious
reformer。 I am afraid that if we let ourselves drop into poetry； the
birth rate of this country will very soon drop into poetry too。 And
that I think it is impossible for us to contemplate with folded
hands。 The resolution I was about to propose when our friend in the
body of the hall〃
But Barbara's attention； had wandered off again into that queer
medley of thoughts； and feelings； out of which the little man had so
abruptly roused her。 Then she realized that the meeting was breaking
up； and her mother saying：
〃Now； my dear； it's hospital day。 We've just time。〃
When they were once more in the car； she leaned back very silent；
watching the traffic。
Lady Valleys eyed her sidelong。
〃What a little bombshell；〃 she said； 〃from that small person！ He
must have got in by mistake。 I hear Mr。 Courtier has a card for
Helen Gloucester's ball to…night； Babs。〃
〃Poor man！〃
〃You will be there；〃 said Lady Valleys dryly。
Barbara drew back into her corner。
〃Don't tease me； Mother！〃
An expression of compunction crossed Lady Valleys' face； she tried to
possess herself of Barbara's hand。 But that languid hand did not
return her squeeze。
〃I know the mood you're in； dear。 It wants all one's pluck to shake
it off； don't let it grow on you。 You'd better go down to Uncle
Dennis to…morrow。 You've been overdoing it。〃
Barbara sighed。
〃I wish it were to…morrow。〃
The car had stopped； and Lady Valleys said：
〃Will you come in； or are you too tired？ It always does them good to
see you。〃
〃You're twice as tired as me；〃 Barbara answered； 〃of course I'll
come。〃
At the entrance of the two ladies； there rose at once a faint buzz
and murmur。