John, although, as the
years went by, the fight would become harder and harder. Perhaps,
though, she would settle down; perhaps, after all, she would marry
Perrott. While his mind was half occupied with what she was saying,
he thought of her probable destiny, the light clouds of tobacco smoke
serving to obscure his face from her eyes.
Terence smoked and Arthur smoked and Evelyn smoked, so that the air was
full of the mist and fragrance of good tobacco. In the intervals when
no one spoke, they heard far off the low murmur of the sea, as the waves
quietly broke and spread the beach with a film of water, and withdrew to
break again. The cool green light fell through the leaves of the tree,
and there were soft crescents and diamonds of sunshine upon the plates
and the tablecloth. Mrs. Thornbury, after watching them all for a time
in silence, began to ask Rachel kindly questions--When did they all
go back? Oh, they expected her father. She must want to see her
father--there would be a great deal to tell him, and (she looked
sympathetically at Terence) he would be so happy, she felt sure. Years
ago, she continued, it might have been ten or twenty years ago, she
remembered meeting Mr. Vinrace at a party, and, being so much struck
by his face, which was so unlike the ordinary face one sees at a party,
that she had asked who he was, and she was told that it was Mr.
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