Part 46 (1/2)

With a final lo he backed up-stage, and the heavy blue curtains tumbled into place at a half-seen hts went up, Eric watched the custoer and lazy discussions began; surprised, shrill recognitions volleyed across the stalls; the rammes to see how arette-cases He saw George Oakleigh lean towards Barbara, glance at his watch and draw hinal and spur for a dozen others Barbara anas on the opposite side; he stood up and bent over her, swinging his eye-glass

Suddenly Eric found hi After the usual uncertainty, which he had been watching with one eye, he saw Colonel Waring and Jack squeezing past their neighbours As they turned into the gangway, Jack stared slowly round hiht sight of Barbara They exchanged bows, she held out her hand; Colonel Waring was introduced, and Deganway excused himself A moment later the colonel bowed a second time and withdrew Barbara pointed to the empty seat by her side, and Jack stepped across her into it

The wholewas incredibly suave and une--as any other two people in the theatre were talking--without any great interest After a few h returned and shook hands with noticeable warhts were lowered; then Jack hurried back to his place

When the curtain went up on the second act, Eric scribbled a note of congratulation and apology and sent it to Manders by the hand of a programme seller Then he put on his hat and coat and stole out of the theatre

3

The nextEric summoned his solicitor and divested hiations as co for the Front A power of attorney was to be prepared; the books were to be stored, the wine sold and the flat let if he had not returned from America within a stated period

”You see, I've more money than I can spend,” Eric explained ”It's well invested, so that, if I never do another stroke of work, I shall have _soone to pieces, and I want a long rest and change This isof the world outside Europe If I start by touring from end to end of America”

He was al out the years of wandering which lay ahead Central America, South America, the Pacific Islands, New Zealand, Australia, japan, China, the Dutch East Indies, Burmah, India

”This is all in confidence, of course,” he interrupted himself to say

”I haven't breathed a word to e to tell the back It would be easier if the advertised three ed out to six, the six to twelve The shock would be ated; and he would escape a scene

When the solicitor was gone, Eric stu-room There was an infinity of papers to be destroyed and letters to be written Lady Maitland attacked hi of her own conscience:

”_Why have you neglected us for so long? I hoped to see you at the theatre last night, but Colonel Grayle told ht you were ill I'et about again, will you telephone and suggest yourself for dinner? I want to talk to you about your play, which I liked quite enorain--with no one to share his triumphs

The next letter was fro a date in the folloeek and asking him to telephone

”You can accept all these for me,” he told his secretary, ”or as ood-bye to a lot of people before I start,” he added unnecessarily ”Keep next Wednesday free for et oing to be published at once, he felt that he could not h nothing mattered, but his self-control would break down at such a test

And Jack's headquarters were presumably still in Hampshi+re

There was no letter from Barbara next day; and he searched ”_The Tih, he anho had neither news to impart nor questions to ask; at dinner Mrs Shelley observed with sublime innocence: ”You must have been disappointed not to be able to coht Barbara was there, and it was she who told s, and Eric had to exert all his strength to keep froirl not to tell hiht that it would be easier to bear a month later, when he was three thousand miles away

Four days of silence dulled his capacity for suffering; he felt that he would not disgrace hi authority on Barbara's eer-zone, zig-zagging round the north coast of Ireland The power of attorney only awaited his signature, the papers were busily announcing his departure, farewell letters and invitations were pouring in upon him

There was so much to discuss that he found his family easy to handle

They dined in Ryder Street; and, ith inspecting the flat (which see down questions of no i thatfor at least three et as far as San Francisco without going on to japan Yes, he would certainly be grateful for any letters of introduction that his father could give hiht himself an outfit that would last him for years in all cliation Eric looked up suddenly at his parents and sister They and the two boys in Salonica and the North Sea were all that he had; he was fond of the as she had done twenty years ago, when she searched for holes in his underclothes and socks before sending hi at hih she understood

His father had roused fro scholar's dream to remember a friend as now a professor at Columbia University Sybil was asin his placeHe would never see any of the to hi them that he would never come back

”You'll send us a cable to say that you've arrived safely,” Lady Lane was saying

Eric promised quickly and harked back to the letters of introduction