Part 21 (1/2)

On the other hand, the idea of the new Oriental Secretary adopting the role of philosopher appealed to him; he saw the force of it; for his experiences in the East had made him realize that if a white man is to gain the confidence of a brown race he must be, in both senses of the words, capable of a brown study.

When Daniel returned to the drawing-room to say ”good-bye” to Muriel and to thank her, it was already dark outside, and the room was brilliantly illuminated by a number of somewhat inadequately shaded electric globes.

There were five or six people in the room; and he paused for a moment in the doorway, wondering whether he would give offence by beating an immediate retreat. He was paying very careful regard to his behaviour, however; and when Muriel called out to him, he was obliged to enter.

”I'm going now,” he said to her, approaching the sofa where she was seated. ”I just wanted to say 'thank you.'” He looked neither to right nor left.

Lady Muriel turned to a very smartly dressed woman who was seated beside her on the sofa, and introduced Daniel. His hands were, at the moment, clasped behind his back, and he bowed to her with great gravity. She held out her hand, but, seeing that he had considered the more formal bow sufficient to the occasion, withdrew it again. He thought that perhaps he had been stiff, and at once held out his tanned and muscular paw, but finding that it was too late, thrust it into his coat pocket, at the moment when, for the second time, she offered her fingers. He s.n.a.t.c.hed his hand out of his pocket, but simultaneously she withdrew hers again.

Muriel laughed nervously, but Daniel faced the situation frankly.

”I'm sure I don't know whether I'm supposed to shake hands or not,” he said. ”What do people do in society?”

”Which ever you like,” the lady murmured, with a t.i.tter of laughter.

”That's no good,” he answered, ”unless you do what the other fellow's going to do. Anyway,” he added, bending forward and very deliberately taking hold of her irresolute hand, ”how d'you do?”

He glanced about him, and observed that the others were watching him with mild amus.e.m.e.nt. Near him was Sir Frank Lestrange, the First Secretary, whom he had met before-a fair-haired, clean-shaven man of some forty years of age, whose rigid formality seemed incapable of disturbance. Daniel shook him warmly by the hand, but for all the impression he made he might have been greeting a tailor's dummy.

Near the window he saw Lady Smith-Evered, talking to a pale young Guardsman, who appeared to be in immediate need of a tonic. He went over to her, and made his salutations with cordiality, for a year ago he had made her acquaintance at the Residency, and he had a vague recollection that she had taken offence at something or other he had said. He held out his hand, but once more his pocket became its sudden place of refuge as she bowed with all the stiffness that her undulating figure permitted, and, with no more than a glance in his direction, turned to continue her conversation with the Guardsman.

In another part of the room an elderly man with sleek, grey hair was talking to a heavy matron whose respectable cloth dress looked as though it had been made for her by a builder of club-room furniture. Daniel thought he recognized the man, and took a few steps towards him, but, deciding that he was mistaken, turned on his heel and, narrowly avoiding a collision with a small table, returned to Muriel.

The curious thing was that though these situations were embarra.s.sing, he did not appear awkward. Muriel observed this remarkable fact, and wondered at it. He was certainly out of place in a drawing-room, she thought, but he was not therefore out of countenance; and his _sang-froid_ seemed to deserve a more friendly treatment than it was receiving. She therefore got up as he approached her, and in a very audible voice asked him if he would let her help him to arrange his official quarters on the morrow.

He thanked her, and then, lowering his voice, asked her if she could explain Lady Smith-Evered's very marked hostility.

”Why, don't you know?” Muriel whispered. ”She told me all about it: she said you had run down the Army once when you were talking to her last year.”

”Nonsense,” said Daniel, ”I'm sure I never did.”

Muriel nodded. ”Yes, you did. She said you spoke of the officers of her pet regiment as men who looked as though they'd been through the ranks.”

”But I meant that as a compliment,” he answered. ”I meant they looked as though they weren't afraid of hard work. Had she any other complaints?”

”No, I think that was her only grievance.”

Before she could stop him, he turned and walked straight across the room to Lady Smith-Evered, and came to a halt immediately in front of her.

”I was just asking Lady Muriel how I had offended you,” he said, with disconcerting directness; ”and she tells me it was because you thought I had disparaged some of our soldier friends.”

The General's lady flushed. He saw the red glow creep up from her neck to her face, under the thick powder, and her eyes gleamed menacingly; but she only inclined her head.

”I want to apologize,” he went on. ”I'm most awfully sorry: my remarks were stupid, and I think I must have been trying to say something bright. Will you please forgive me?”

The flush deepened. ”I'm glad you apologize,” she said, and she glanced at the Guardsman beside her, as though to bid him take notice of what she supposed to be the discomfiture of the offender.

”I'm very glad that you accept my apology,” he said, and with a bow he left her.