CHAPTER I

OnthatAprilafternoonallthewallflowersoftheworldseemedtoherreleasedbodytohavebeenpiledupatthetopofRegentStreetsothatsheshouldwalkinfragrance. Shewasinthisexaltedmood,thelittlemouse-colouredyoungladyslippingalongsouthwardsfromHarleyStreet,becauseshehadjusthadatoothout.Afterweeksofmiserableindifferenceshewasquiveringwithresponsivenessagain,feelingtherelishoflife,thetangofit,thejollityofallthisbustleandhurryingpastofbusypeople.Andthebeautyofit,thebeautyofit,shethought,fightingatendencytoloiterinthemiddleofthetraffictohaveagoodlook—thebeautyoftheskyacrosstheroofsofthehouses,thedelicacyofthemistinessthathungdownthereoverthecurveofthestreet,thelovelinessofthelightsbeginningtoshineintheshopwindows.SurelythecolourofLondonwasanexquisitething.Itwaslikeapearlthatlateafternoon,somethingverygentleandpale,withfaintblueshadows.Andasforitssmell,shedoubted,indeed,whetherheavenitselfcouldsmellbetter,certainlynotsointeresting."Andanyhow,"shesaidtoherself,liftingherheadamomentinappreciation,"itcan'tpossiblysmellmorealive." Sheherselfhadcertainlyneverbeenmorealive.Shefeltelectric.Shewouldnothavebeensurprisedifsparkshadcomecracklingoutofthetipsofhersobergloves.Notonlywasshesuddenlyandincrediblyrelievedfromacutepain,butforthefirsttimeinherlifeoftwenty-twoyearsshewasalone.Thisbyitself,withoutthebusinessofthetooth,wasenoughtomakeadutiful,willing,andhardworkeddaughtertingle.ShewouldhavetingledifbysomegloriouschanceawholefreedayhadcometohermerelyinsidethegreywallsofthegardenathomebuttobefreeandidleinLondon,tohavethemallsofaraway,herfamilydownthereinthewest,tohavethemsonecessarilysilent,sooddlyvaguealreadyandpallidinthedistance!Yetshehadonlyleftthemthatmorningitwasonlyninehourssinceherfather,handsomeasanarchangel,silveryofheadandgaiteredofleg,hadwavedherofffromthedoorstepwithoffendedresignation."Anddonotreturn,Ingeborg,"hehadcalledintotheflywhereshesatholdingherfaceandtryingnottorock,"tillyouarecompletelysetright.Evenaweek.Eventendays.Havethemallseento." ForthecollapseofIngeborg,dauntedintojustasilentfeverishthingofpain,hadconvulsedtheorderedlifeathome.Herfamilyboreitforaweekwithperfectmannersandhardlyalookofreproach.ThentheysenthertotheRedchesterdentist,ahithertosufficientman,whotorturedherwithtentativestoppingsandturnedwhathadbeendullandsmoothintoexcitementandjerks.Then,unabletoresist