CHAPTER XVI
THE AFFAIR OF SIR GEORGE
The irruption of Mrs. Oliver Boyce could not easily have been foretold.That the past life of Colonel Boyce was likely to throw shadows over hisson Harry might have considered, but the nature of the lady and her careand the successful opportunity of her malice were hardly to becalculated. There is less excuse for him in the affair of Sir GeorgeAnville. Given the conditions of that hasty marriage and the state intowhich it had brought them and the society about them, some Sir George orother was a natural consequence.
The ugly quarrel which Mrs. Oliver Boyce had made for them was nevercomposed. When they met again in the morning they were coldly andhaughtily civil, and so they chose to remain. Mrs. Weston, not beingblind, saw that something was amiss and tried with blundering motherlyaffection to push them back into one another's arms. She hardened, as isusual, their hostility. Each was mortally afraid of weakening, eachsuspected the other at once of softness and of guile and so held aloofand fed upon scorn. They had both enough of that pride of sex which givesone pleasure in the sufferings of the other. And of course the quarrelwas poisoned with a sordid taint. The colder, the haughtier Harry was,the more Alison inclined to believe that he had wanted nothing of her buther money. The haughtier, the colder Alison was, the more Harry ragedagainst her for a mean creature who desired to make him feel hisdependence upon her money bags.
In himself Sir George Anville was of no importance. If Harry had beencomfortable he could never have taken the trouble to be angry over theman. It is certain that Alison never thought him worth any thought ofhers, still less worth one finger's surrender. And yet Sir Georgecontrived to be disastrous to the pair of them.
That was not, as Lady Mary Wortley Montagu said of him in another matter,altogether his fault. "The fool has excuses," quoth she, "which othershave not. He is so great a fool that you hardly believe his folly is butfolly." Sir George was a man born without impulse or capacity foranything. Lady Mary, who was fond of using him for her wit, made agrammarian's jest on him, "The creature's an anomaly: active in form,passive in meaning." He was bred in a society which made it a fashion tobe vicious. He affected to follow the fashion. If vice must needs besomething active, or at least, something of the will, Sir George Anvillemust escape punishment. But he was to a wholesome taste more offensivethan sinners who did more damage. It was Harry's worst blunder in theaffair that he treated Alison as if she did not feel that.
Sir George knew no other way of passing his life than in dangling aboutwomen. He was generally tolerated as a butt, and being impervious tocontempt, supposed that his fascinations procured him immunity. Hedid--it must be reckoned the first of his two accomplishments--he didknow a pretty woman from a plain one, and therefore as soon as he knewAlison much resorted to her. His other accomplishment was to dress well.He was lean and had an air of languor which was not affected, but anatural lack of vigour. It may be believed that Alison tolerated himbecause he made a not disagreeable decoration to her rooms. But at thisera she was cynical, and perhaps told herself that Sir George was as gooda man as another.
He began to come at hours when she could be found alone and was sometimesadmitted. So Harry caught him once or twice, was ironically obsequious tohim (which Sir George took for solemn earnest), and afterwards amusedhimself by congratulating Mrs. Alison on the power of her charms. "Oddsfish, I can't tell where you'll stop, ma'am. You'll have a corpse on hisknees to you yet. Maybe the corpse of a lord. I vow I'm proud of you."Which was not likely to get the door shut on Sir George.
So that dangling gentleman became convinced that Alison was yielding tohis embraces. He was, in a limp way, gratified. A devilish fine woman tobe sure. She might be a trifle exhausting to a man of _ton_. But whatwould you? Women were greedy and must be satisfied with what one couldspare them. And it was pleasant to see the pretty creatures pining. Hewould lure madame on with a few tit-bits. In this kindly mood he went toher on a wet April day when Alison was fretting for a wild walk or awilder ride in wind and rain. But even to herself she would not confessthat she was tired of the town. It would have assimilated her to Harry.
Sir George sat himself down by Alison's side, simpered at her, sniffed,put his thin hands on his thin knees and ogled them. Alison held out tohim a cup of tea. He arranged his rings before he took it and then againsimpered at her. After some humming and hawing, "D'ye go to the playto-night, ma'am?" he drawled.
"What play is it?"
"Ah--some curst play or other," said Sir George; and exhausted by thateffort relapsed for a while into silence.
Alison did not help him out. It is possible that she was wondering how acreature so vapid could go on existing. She looked Sir George over withan odd, close inspection. Sir George, who had some perceptions, becameaware of it and according to his nature misunderstood it. He sniffedagain, and "Pray, ma'am, what perfume do you use?" Alison stared at him."I am delicate in such things," said he, and smelt his own handkerchief.
Alison hesitated between disgust and amusement. To be sure the creaturewas such a fool that it was not fair to think of him save as a buffoon.So unfortunately she chose amusement. "Oh, I vow, Sir George, yourdelicacy is rare," she laughed.
The poor creature took it for a compliment. He leered at her: "But youare exquisite, my Indamora."
"Who?"
"It's an amorous lady in a play," Sir George explained. "Prettycreature," he patted Alison's arm, and leaned upon her to kiss her neck.
She was so surprised that his lips had almost time to reach her. "Lord,sir, are you mad?" she cried, as she thrust him off.
"Pretty creature," Sir George giggled, and clung to her.
"Your carriage is at the door, Sir George." Harry stood over them. Hisface was as much a mask as ever, his voice placid.
Alison started up and stood to face him with a lowering brow. He did notappear to see her. Sir George shook down his ruffles. "Carriage? Whatd'ye mean?" says he. "I ha' had no carriage this year. I came in ahackney coach."
Harry turned away from him and opened the door.
"Eh? Oh, stap me!" Sir George giggled and got on to his feet, "Madame,your eternally devoted." He went out with a strut, waving his scentedhandkerchief in the direction of Harry.
Then Alison spoke. Her eyes were furious. "You--oh, you boor! Howdare you?"
"Egad, that's very good!" Harry laughed.
She beat her foot on the floor. "Oh, you are not to be borne! To make anoise of it! To make a scandal of me and that--that creature!"
"To be sure, I came untimely. Well, ma'am, if you wanted to be quietabout it, I had rather it made a noise."
"My God!" she was white. "You dare say that to me! Be careful, Harry."
"Pray, ma'am, no heroics."
"I warn you, there are things I'll not bear."
"Is it possible?" Harry sneered.
She swept past him and away.