_
'So Monsieur 'Enry Rogairs is coming,' she said excitedly, turning to
them a moment on her way to the garden. 'And after all these years! He
will find the house the same, and the garden better--oh, wonderfully
improved. But us, _helas!_ he will find old, oh, how old!' She did not
really mean herself, however.
She began a long 'reminiscent' chapter, full of details of the days
when he and Daddy had been boys together, but in the middle of it
Daddy just got up and walked out, saying, 'I must get over to my work,
you know.' There was no artificiality of manners at Bourcelles. Mother
followed him, with a trifle more ceremony. 'Ah, c'est partir a
l'anglaise!' sighed the widow, watching them go. She was accustomed to
it. She went out into her garden, full of excitement at the prospect
of the new arrival. Every arrival for her meant a possible chance of
help. She was as young as her latest bulb really. Courage, hope, and
generosity invariably go together.
CHAPTER XI
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night
And pay no worship to the garish sun!
Romeo and Juliet.
The announcement of Henry Rogers's coming was received--variously, for
any new arrival into the Den circle was subjected to rigorous
criticism.
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