Mamie's gaze was still at the light."The difference you see."Lady Wantridge, rather obligingly, seemed to ask herself what she saw."But I don't see any! It seems, at least," she added, "such an amusing one! And he has such nice eyes.""Oh DEAR eyes!" Mamie conceded; but with too much sadness, for the moment, about the connexions of the subject, to say more.
It almost forced her companion after an instant to proceed."Do you mean he can't go home?"She weighed her responsibility."I only make out--more's the pity!--that he doesn't.""Is it then something too terrible--?"
She thought again."I don't know what--for men--IS too terrible.""Well then as you don't know what 'is' for women either--good-bye!"her visitor laughed.
It practically wound up the interview; which, however, terminating thus on a considerable stir of the air, was to give Miss Cutter for several days the sense of being much blown about.The degree to which, to begin with, she had been drawn--or perhaps rather pushed--closer to Scott was marked in the brief colloquy that she on her friend's departure had with him.He had immediately said it.
"You'll see if she doesn't ask me down!"
"So soon?"
"Oh I've known them at places--at Cannes, at Pau, at Shanghai--do it sooner still.I always know when they will.You CAN'T make out they don't love me!" He spoke almost plaintively, as if he wished she could.
"Then I don't see why it hasn't done you more good.""Why Mamie," he patiently reasoned, "what more good COULD it? As Itell you," he explained, "it has just been my life.""Then why do you come to me for money?"
"Oh they don't give me THAT!" Scott returned.
"So that it only means then, after all, that I, at the best, must keep you up?"He fixed on her the nice eyes Lady Wantridge admired."Do you mean to tell me that already--at this very moment--I'm not distinctly keeping you?"She gave him back his look."Wait till she HAS asked you, and then," Mamie added, "decline."Scott, not too grossly, wondered."As acting for YOU?"Mamie's next injunction was answer enough."But BEFORE--yes--call."