The yellow book: an illustrated quarterly (1.1894)

44 The Death of the Lion

in the most beautiful hand in all the world) Lady Augusta confessed
to me that she had not had it from himself, but from Mrs.
Wimbush, who had wished to give her a glimpse of it as a salve
for her not being able to stay and hear it read.

" ' Is that the piece he's to read,' I asked, ' when Guy Wals-
ingham arrives ?'

" ' It's not for Guy Walsingham they're waiting now, it's for
Dora Forbes,' Lady Augusta said. 'She's Coming, I believe, early
to-morrow. Meanwhile Mrs. Wimbush has found out about him
and is actively wiring to him. She says he also must hear him.'

" ' You bewilder me a little,' I replied ; ' in the age we live in
one gets lost among the genders and the pronouns. The clear
thing is that Mrs. Wimbush doesn't guard such a treasure as
jealously as she might.'

" ' Poor dear, she has the Princess to guard ! Mr. Paraday lent
her the manuscript to look over.'

" ! Did she speak as if it were the morning paper ?'

" Lady Augusta stared—my irony was lost upon her. < She
didn't have time, so she gave me a chance first; because unfor-
tunately I go to-morrow to Bigwood.'

" ' And your chance has only proved a chance to lose it ?'

'"I haven't lost it. I remember now—it was very stupid of
me to have forgotten. I told my maid to give it to Lord Dori-
mont—or at least to his man.'

'"And Lord Dorimont went away directly after luncheon.'

'"Of course he gave it back to my maid—or eise his man did,
said Lady Augusta. ' I daresay it's all right.'

" The conscience of these people is like a summer sea. They
haven't time to ' look over' a priceless composition ; they've only
time to kick it about the house. Isuggested that the 'man,' fired
with a noble emulation, had perhaps kept the work for his own

perusal;