Man and Maid

She ate a peach--and I do hope she liked it--but she refused a cigarette

when I offered her one--.

"I don't smoke."

"Oh, I am so sorry I did not know--" and I put out mine.

"You need not do that--I don't mind other people smoking, so long as I

need not do it myself."

I re-lit another one--.

"Do you know--I believe I shall have my new eye put in before

Christmas!" I told her just before she rose from the table--and for the

first time I have known her, the faintest smile came round her mouth--a

kindly smile--.

--"I am so very glad," she said.

And all over me there crept a thrill of pleasure.

After lunch I suggested the parc, and that I should dictate in some

lovely cool spot. She made no objection, and immediately put on her

hat--a plain dark blue straw. She walked a little behind my bath chair

as we turned out of the Reservoires courtyard and began ascending the

avenue in the parc, so that I could not converse with her. By the time

we had reached the parterre I called to her-"Miss Sharp"-She advanced and kept beside me--.

"Does not this place interest you awfully?" I hazarded.

"Yes."

"Do you know it well?"

"Yes."

"What does it say to you?"

"It is ever a reminder of what to avoid."

"What to avoid! but it is perfectly beautiful. Why should you want to

avoid beauty?!"

"I do not--it is what this was meant to stand for and what human beings

failed in allowing it to do--that is the lesson."

I was frightfully interested.

"Tell me what you mean?"

"The architects were great, the king's thought was great--but only in

one way--and everyone--the whole class--forgot the real meaning of

noblesse oblige, and abused their power--and so the revolution swept

them away--They put false value upon everything--false values upon birth

and breeding--and no value upon their consequent obligations, or upon

character--."

"You believe in acknowledging your obligations I know"

-"Yes--I hope so--Think in that palace the immense importance which was

given to etiquette and forms and ceremonies--and to a quite ridiculous

false sense of honour--they could ruin their poor tradesmen and--yet--."

"Yes"--I interrupted--"it was odd, wasn't it?--a gentleman was still a

gentleman, never paying his tailor's bills--but ceased to be one if he

cheated at cards--."