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I observed that no season could make Fullcircle other thancheerful. My Mothers
Cottages in the village will soonbe ready, and the Club is to be opened next
week.
Its air was of long-descended,confident, equable happiness. And then it
isso pleasant to be able to entertain ones friends. You remember the house in
ColonelApplebys time, Leithen.
Camilla lived with rather a raffish set,but she
was not the kind of woman to have lovers. Oh, we dont go much to London now,
was his answer.
There were voices on the terrace beyond the hall.
Isnt it
wonderful, she said, to have found a house which fitsus like a glove?
After
that he went straight ahead, as you know, and left usall behind. His smile came
readily and hiseasy laugh. Leithens eyes, as they scanned the prospect, seemed
amused. A good friend, I thought, the old lord must have been,and a superlative
companion. Yet there stoodthe tall octavos recording the unedifying careers of
Mr. The Emperor Akbars inscription at Fatehpur-Sikri. Im going to hunt up every
scrap I canfind about old Tom Carteron.
I gave it up because it didnt seem
worth while. He once told me that this countryside in June made him sad.
It
seemed to me that his mouth had now something of theportraits delicate
complacence.
Itshowed a middle-aged man in the clothes of the later Carolines.
There never was a more obstinate chap in hisquiet way. Thinspires of amethyst
smoke rose into the still air. For the firsttime I realised that she was a
pretty woman.
Baize-covered table andraw-wood shelves had disappeared. I wanted
to be taughtrather than to teach.
The place was now half smoking-room, half
library.
Im quite ready to admit my mistake, and itwas the wrong kind of
charity. Perhaps you didnt know, but somemonths ago my wife became a
Catholic.
He must have been an uncommon cleverfellow. He walked too near them
all their days to be abogy. God knows how he ever came to be attracted by
her!
There was a child thatdied, you know, and after that there was nothing to
hold themtogether.
It seemed to me that the little housewore an air of gentle
triumph.
The May-fly season was near its close, and I had snatched aday on a
certain limpid Cotswold river.
Its delicious to be busy over things one really
cares for.
Weve both fallenso deep in love with Fullcircle that we wanted to
see the man whoconceived it.
Please contact us beforehand to let us know your
plans and to work out the details.
It was all in miniature, but it had a
spaciousness whichno mere size could give.
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