''My dear,'' she said, ''I must congratulate you! What a really splendid address! They tell me you were an actress, once ... ?'' ''Do they?'' I said. ''Yes, I was.''
''Well, we cannot afford to have such talents in our ranks, you know, and let them lie unused. Do say that you will speak for us another time. One really charismatic speaker can work wonders with an indecisive crowd.''
''I''ll gladly speak for you,'' I said. ''But you, you know, must write the speech .. .''
''Of course! Of course!'' She clasped her hands together and raised her eyes. ''Oh! I foresee rallies and debates, even - who knows? - a lecture tour!'' At that, I gazed at her for a second in real alarm; then I felt my attention sought by a figure at my side, and turned to find Emma Raymond''s sister, Mrs Costello, looking flushed and excited.
''What a wonderful address!'' she said shyly. ''I felt moved almost to tears by it.'' Her lovely face was indeed pale and grave, her eyes large and blue and lustrous. I thought again what I had thought before - what a shame it was that she was not a torn . . . But then I remembered what Annie had said about her: how she had lost her gentle husband, and sought another.