Hewasadmittedtotheirsacredtableatthetabled\'hote，asnowyoblonginanairyalcove，wheretheHonourableMrs。Dennant，MissDennant，andtheHonourableCharlottePenguin，amaidenauntwithinsufficientlungs，sattwiceadayintheirownatmosphere。A
momentaryweaknesscameonSheltonthefirsttimehesawthemsittingthereatlunch。Whatwasitgavethemtheirlookofstrangedetachment？Mrs。Dennantwasbendingaboveacamera。
\"I\'mafraid，d\'youknow，it\'sunder-exposed，\"shesaid。
\"Whatapity!Thekittenwasrathernice!\"Themaidenaunt，placingtheknittingofaredsilktiebesideherplate，turnedheraspiring，well-bredgazeonShelton。
\"Look，Auntie，\"saidAntoniainherclear，quickvoice，\"there\'sthefunnylittlemanagain!\"
\"Oh，\"saidthemaidenaunt——asmilerevealedherupperteeth；shelookedforthefunnylittlemanwhowasnotEnglish——\"he\'srathernice!\"
Sheltondidnotlookforthefunnylittleman；hestoleaglancethatbarelyreachedAntonia\'sbrow，wherehereyebrowstooktheirtinyupwardslantattheoutercorners，andherhairwasstillruffledbyawindywalk。Fromthatmomenthebecameherslave。
\"Mr。Shelton，doyouknowanythingabouttheseperiscopicbinoculars？\"saidMrs。Dennant\'svoice；\"they\'resplendidforbuildin\'s，butbuildin\'saresodisappointin\'。Thethingistogethumaninterest，isn\'tit？\"andherglancewanderedabsentlypastSheltoninsearchofhumaninterest。
\"Youhaven\'tputdownwhatyou\'vetaken，mother。\"
>FromalittleleatherbagMrs。Dennanttookalittleleatherbook。
\"It\'ssoeasytoforgetwhatthey\'reabout，\"shesaid，\"that\'ssoannoyin\'。\"
Sheltonwasnotagainvisitedbyhisuneasinessattheirdetachment；
heacceptedthemandalltheirworks，fortherewassomethingquitesublimeaboutthewaythattheywouldleavethedining-room，unconsciousthattheythemselveswerefunnytoallthepeopletheyhadfoundsofunnywhiletheyhadbeensittingthere，andhewouldfollowthemoutunnecessarilyuprightandfeelinglikeafool。
Intheensuingfortnight，chaperonedbythemaidenaunt，forMrs。
Dennantdislikeddriving，hesatoppositetoAntoniaduringmanydrives；heplayedsetsoftenniswithher；butitwasintheeveningsafterdinner——thoselongeveningsonaparquetfloorinwickerchairsdraggedasfarasmightbefromtheheatingapparatus——thatheseemedsoverynearher。Thecommunityofisolationdrewthemcloser。Inplaceofacompanionhehadassumedthepartoffriend，towhomshecouldconfideallherhome-sickaspirations。Sothat，evenwhenshewassittingsilent，aslim，longfootstretchedoutinfront，bendingwithanairofcoolabsorptionoversomepencilsketcheswhichshewouldnotshowhim——eventhen，byherveryattitude，bythesweetfreshnessthatclungabouther，byherquick，offendedglancesatthestrangepersonsround，sheseemedtoacknowledgeinsomesecretwaythathewasnecessary。Hewasfarfromrealisingthis；hisintellectualandobservantpartswerehypnotisedandfascinatedevenbyherfailings。Thefaintfrecklingacrosshernose，theslimandvirginalseverenessofherfigure，withitsnarrowhipsandarms，thecurveofherlongneck-allwereaddedcharms。Shehadthewindandrainlook，atasteofhome；andovertheglaringroads，wherethepalm-treeshadowslaysoblack，sheseemedtopassliketheveryimageofanEnglishday。
Oneafternoonhehadtakenhertoplaytenniswithsomefriends，andafterwardstheystrolledontoherfavouriteview。DowntheToulonroadgardensandhillswerebathedinthecolourofripeapricot；aneveningcrispnesshadstolenontheair；theblood，releasedfromthesun\'snumbing，rangladlyintheveins。OntherighthandoftheroadwasaFrenchmanplayingbowls。Enormous，busy，pleased，anduprightasasoldier，patheticallytrottinghisvastcarcassfromendtoend，hedelightedShelton。ButAntoniathrewasinglelookatthehugecreature，andherfaceexpresseddisgust。Shebeganrunninguptowardstheruinedtower。
Sheltonletherkeepinfront，watchingherleapfromstonetostoneandthrowbackdefiantglanceswhenhepressedbehind。Shestoodatthetop，andhelookedupather。Overtheworld，gloriouslyspreadbelow，she，likeastatue，seemedtorule。Thecolourwasbrilliantinhercheeks，heryoungbosomheaved，hereyesshone，andtheflowingdroopofherlong，fullsleevesgavetoherpoisedfigurethelookofonewhoflies。Hepulledhimselfupandstoodbesideher；
hisheartchokedhim，allthecolourhadlefthischeeks。
\"Antonia，\"hesaid，\"Iloveyou。\"
Shestarted，asifhiswhisperhadintrudedonherthoughts；buthisfacemusthaveexpressedhishunger，fortheresentmentinhereyesvanished。
Theystoodforseveralminuteswithoutspeaking，andthenwenthome。
Sheltonpainfullyrevolvedtheriddleofthecolourinherface。Hadheachancethen？Wasitpossible？ThateveningtheinstinctvouchsafedattimestoloversinplaceofreasoncausedhimtopackhisbagandgotoCannes。Onreturning，twodayslater，andapproachingthegroupinthecentreoftheWinterGarden，thevoiceofthemaidenauntreadingaloudanextractfromtheMorningPostreachedhimacrosstheroom。
\"Don\'tyouthinkthat\'srathernice？\"heheardherask，andthen:
\"Oh，hereyouaye!It\'sverynicetoseeyouback!\"
Sheltonslippedintoawickerchair。Antonialookedupquicklyfromhersketch-book，putoutahand，butdidnotspeak。
Hewatchedherbendinghead，andhiseagernesswaschangedtogloom。
Withdesperatevivacityhesustainedthefiveintolerableminutesofinquiry，wherehadhebeen，whathadhebeendoing？ThenonceagainthemaidenauntcommencedherextractsfromtheMorningPost。
Atouchonhissleevestartledhim。Antoniawasleaningforward；hercheekswerecrimsonabovethepallorofherneck。
\"Wouldyouliketoseemysketches？\"
ToShelton，bendingabovethosesketches，thatdrawlofthewell-bredmaidenauntintoningthewell-bredpaperwasthemostpleasantsoundthathehadeverlistenedto。
\"MydearDick，\"Mrs。Dennantsaidtohimafortnightlater，\"wewouldrather，afteryouleavehere，thatyoudon\'tseeeachotheragainuntilJuly。OfcourseIknowyoucountitanengagementandallthat，andeverybody\'sbeenwritin\'tocongratulateyou。ButAlgiethinksyououghttogiveyourselvesachance。Youngpeopledon\'talwaysknowwhatthey\'reabout，youknow；it\'snotlongtowait。\"
\"Threemonths!\"gaspedShelton。
Hehadtoswallowdownthispillwithwhatgracehecouldcommand。
Therewasnoalternative。Antoniahadacquiescedintheconditionwithaqueer，gravepleasure，asifsheexpectedittodohergood。
\"It\'llbesomethingtolookforwardto，Dick，\"shesaid。
Hepostponeddepartureaslongaspossible，anditwasnotuntiltheendofAprilthatheleftforEngland。Shecamealonetoseehimoff。Itwasdrizzling，buthertall，slightfigureinthegolfcapelookedimpervioustocoldandrainamongsttheshiveringnatives。
Desperatelyheclutchedherhand，warmthroughthewetglove；hersmileseemedheartlessinitsbrilliancy。Hewhispered\"Youwillwrite？\"
\"Ofcourse；don\'tbesostupid，youoldDick!\"
Sheranforwardasthetrainbegantomove；herclear\"Good-bye!\"
soundedshrillandhardabovetherumbleofthewheels。Hesawherraiseherhand，anumbrellawaving，andlastofall，vividstillamongstrecedingshapes，theredspotofherscarlettam-o\'-shanter。