When he entered the Mangles' drawing-room a few minutes later he found
the party assembled there. Netty was dressed in white, with some violets
at her waistband. She was listening to her aunt and Cartoner, who were
talking together, and Deulin found himself relegated to the society of
the hospitable Joseph at the other end of the room.
"You're looking at Cartoner as if he owed you money," said Mr. Mangles,
bluntly.
"I was looking at him with suspicion," admitted Deulin, "but not on that
account. No one owes me money. It is the other way round, and it is not
I who need to be anxious, but the other party, you understand. No, I was
looking at our friend because I thought he was lively. Did he strike you
as lively when he came in?"
"Not what I should call a vivacious man," said Mangles, looking dismally
across the room. "There was a sort of ripple on his serene calm as he
came in perhaps."
"Yes," said Deulin, in a low voice. "That is bad. There is usually
something wrong when Cartoner is lively. He is making an effort, you
know."
They went towards the others, Deulin leading the way.
"What beautiful violets," said he to Netty. "Surely Warsaw did not
produce those?"
"Yes, they are pretty," answered Netty, making a little movement to show
the flowers to greater advantage to Deulin and to Cartoner also.
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