Mr.
Westlake was also at Exmouth, but much engaged in literary work.
There was, too, an artist and his family, with whom the Westlakes
were acquainted, their name Boscobel. Mrs. Boscobel was a woman of
the world, five-and-thirty, charming, intelligent; she read little,
but was full of interest in literary and artistic matters, and
talked as only a woman can who has long associated with men of
brains. To her Adela was interesting, personally and still more as
an illustration of a social experiment.
'How young she is!' was her remark to Mr. Westlake shortly after
making Adela's acquaintance. 'It will amuse you, the thought I had;
I really must tell it you. She realises my idea of a virgin mother.
Haven't you felt anything of the kind?'
Mr. Westlake smiled.
'Yes, I understand. Stella said something evidently traceable to the
same impression; her voice, she said, is full of forgiveness.'
'Excellent! And has she much to forgive, do you think?'
'I hope not.'
'Yet she is not exactly happy, I imagine?'
Mr. Westlake did not care to discuss the subject. The lady had
recourse to Stella for some account of Mr. Mutimer.
'He is a strong man,' Stella said in a tone which betrayed the
Socialist's enthusiasm. 'He stands for earth-subduing energy. I
imagine him at a forge, beating fire out of iron.
Pages:
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495