Over there Susan and Arthur were explaining to Mrs. Paley that an
expedition had been proposed; and Mrs. Paley having grasped the fact,
gave the advice of an old traveller that they should take nice canned
vegetables, fur cloaks, and insect powder. She leant over to Mrs.
Flushing and whispered something which from the twinkle in her eyes
probably had reference to bugs. Then Helen was reciting "Toll for the
Brave" to St. John Hirst, in order apparently to win a sixpence which
lay upon the table; while Mr. Hughling Elliot imposed silence upon his
section of the audience by his fascinating anecdote of Lord Curzon and
the undergraduate's bicycle. Mrs. Thornbury was trying to remember the
name of a man who might have been another Garibaldi, and had written a
book which they ought to read; and Mr. Thornbury recollected that he had
a pair of binoculars at anybody's service. Miss Allan meanwhile murmured
with the curious intimacy which a spinster often achieves with dogs, to
the fox-terrier which Evelyn had at last induced to come over to them.
Little particles of dust or blossom fell on the plates now and then when
the branches sighed above. Rachel seemed to see and hear a little of
everything, much as a river feels the twigs that fall into it and sees
the sky above, but her eyes were too vague for Evelyn's liking. She came
across, and sat on the ground at Rachel's feet.
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